No. 15 Alabama Baseball Bounces Back in Midweek Action Against Troy

The No. 15 Alabama baseball team gets back in the win column with a midweek victory over the Troy Trojans.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The No 15 Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team bounced back on Wednesday evening to beat the Troy Trojans 8-7 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Errors and mishandled balls plagued both teams throughout the first third of the game and caused a hat trick of runs.

In the second inning, Evan Sleight scored for the Crimson Tide on a throwing error by Troy’s second baseman.

In the third, the Trojans scored a run on a sacrifice fly that was originally ruled an out for leaving the base early but was reviewed and overturned. Prior to the sac fly, Troy had hit two singles off two mishandled balls by Alabama and a runner reached on an error by Ian Petrutz. TJ McCants put the Crimson Tide back in front after a throwing error by Troy’s first baseman on Kade Snell’s lineout.

After that, it was a back-and-forth battle between the two. In the bottom of the fourth, Gage Miller hit a sacrifice fly to put the Crimson Tide in front by two, but the Trojans responded with three unanswered runs to go in front, a two-RBI single by Troy’s Brooks Bryan in the top of the fifth and a solo home run by Peyton Watts in the top of the sixth.

Snell broke up the tie with his first hit in his Alabama career, a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth but the Trojans responded with two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI single by Bryan and a sacrifice fly by Blake Sutton.

However, it was Alabama that had the last laugh as the team scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to go in front, an RBI double by Bryce Eblin, a sacrifice fly by Will Portera, and a solo home run by Gage Miller.

The Trojans tacked on one final run in the top of the eighth, an RBI single by Ethan Kavanagh, however it wasn’t enough to complete a comeback.

Left-handed pitcher Zane Adams started on the mound for the Crimson Tide and pitched 4.1 innings. During his fourth outing of the season, he allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), drew two walks, and struck out four. Tyler Fay, Austin Morris, Braylon Myers, and Alton Davis II all made appearances out of the bullpen. 

How it Happened: 

• Evan Sleight with a SCTop10-esque play to end the game. Alabama wins 8-7.

• Alabama strands a runner in the bottom of the eighth. Alabama 8, Troy 7.

• Troy scores on an RBI single by Ethan Kavanagh in the top of the eighth. Alton Davis II is coming into the game in relief. Alabama 8, Troy 7. 

• Alabama scored three unanswered runs in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double by Bryce Eblin, a sacrifice fly by Will Portera, and a solo home run by Gage Miller. Alabama 8, Troy 6.

• A fly out ends the top of the seventh but Troy breaks up the tie, yet again, with a sacrifice fly by Blake Sutton. Troy 6, Alabama 5. 

• Braylon Myers comes into the game in relief of Austin Morris.

• Troy's Brooks Bryan hits an RBI single to tie things up again. Alabama 5, Troy 5.

• Kade Snell hits a two-RBI single to put Alabama back in front in the bottom of the sixth. Alabama 5, Troy 4.

• Troy's Peyton Watts hits a solo home run to right field to put the Trojans in front in the top of the sixth. Troy 4, Alabama 3. 

• Alabama strands two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth. Alabama 3, Troy 3.

• Troy ties things back up in the top half of the fifth on a 2-RBI single by Brooks Bryan. Alabama 3, Troy 3.

• Alabama tacks on an additional run in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly by Gage Miller. Alabama 3, Troy 1. 

• TJ McCants scores on an error by Troy's first baseman to put the Crimson Tide back in front. Alabama 2, Troy 1. 

• Troy ties up the ballgame in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Bryan, bringing in Aidan Gilroy to score. Gilroy was originally called out for leaving early but it was reviewed and overturned. Troy 1, Alabama 1. 

• Bryce Eblin reaches first base on a fielder's choice and advances to second on a throwing error. Evan Sleight scores. Alabama 1, Troy 0. 

• Troy's Blake Sutton draws a leadoff walk, but two groundouts (one double play) end the top half of the second. Troy 0, Alabama 0.

• TJ McCants hits a one-out single and steals second but gets stranded there to end the first. Troy 0, Alabama 0.

• Troy's Will Butcher hits a two-out single and Brooks Bryan draws a walk but a ground out to third base ends the top half of the inning with no damage. Troy 0, Alabama 0.

• Alabama gymnastics head coach Ashley Johnston is throwing out the first pitch.

• Freshman left-handed pitcher Zane Adams is making his third collegiate start and fourth appearance for the Crimson Tide. Adams is currently 1-0 on the year with a 1.12 ERA. 

• First pitch for Alabama vs. Troy is set for 4 p.m. CT. Alabama is wearing its crimson jerseys and hats with white pants. 

How to Watch:

Who: Alabama (11-1) and Troy (10-3)

Where: Sewell-Thomas Stadium

TV: SEC Network+

Radio: Tide 100.9 FM

Alabama Baseball Moves Up Yet Again in D1Baseball Top 25