BamaCentral Instant Analysis: No. 16 Alabama 4, Nicholls 3

The Crimson Tide walked off its opening game of the NCAA tournament.

Joe Gaither | Jun 3, 2023

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It had been 17 years since postseason baseball had been played at Sewell Thomas Stadium.

Friday night, Tuscaloosa played host to a regional for the first time since 2006.

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Nicholls Colonels battled deep into Friday night but it was the Crimson Tide that emerged victorious, 4-3.

Both starting pitchers, Luke Holman and Jacob Mayers, had stellar stuff on Friday as the pair combined to give up just four runs off eight hits to keep the offenses at bay.

Nicholls' MaCrae Kendrick opened the scoring in the contest with a solo home run in the second inning.

Second baseman Ed Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to tie the contest for the Crimson Tide in the fifth inning after Colby Shelton opened the frame with a leadoff triple.

It took no time at all for the Colonels to jump back out in front as Edgar Alvarez opened up the sixth inning with a triple. Gerardo Villarreal brought in Alvarez with a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-1.

Alabama center fielder Caden Rose hit a leadoff double to open the sixth inning. Jim Jarvis then quickly grounded out and Tommy Seidl struck out to put the inning in jeopardy for the Crimson Tide. First baseman Drew Williamson got a hold of a pitch and sent it into the right field bleachers for a ground-rule double, scoring Rose and tying the game again.

The dueling continued from the two programs trying to open their NCAA tournament run with a win. Both Nicholls and Alabama scored in the seventh inning on solo home runs. Wes Toups did the damage for the Colonels and Mac Guscette for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama landed the final blow of the contest in the bottom of the ninth when left fielder William Hamiter drew a leadoff walk. Guscette followed up with a ground out but he advanced Hamiter to second base.

Jim Jarvis stepped up and hit a single through the left side of the infield, bringing Hamiter in to score and seal the Alabama victory.

Freshman pitcher Alton Davis II earned the win, throwing 1.1 innings with three strikeouts to close the contest.

The Crimson Tide will face Troy on Saturday at 8 p.m. as the double-elimination play continues in the Tuscaloosa Regional.

See Also: