Alabama Baseball Cages Wildcats in Game One of Series

Alabama baseball headed to Lexington to play its three-game series against the University of Kentucky. After a seven-run seventh-inning, the Crimson Tide secured the game one win over the Wildcats.

Alabama (24-13) and Kentucky (22-13) are similar teams this season on paper. Both came into the series with a 7-8 record in conference play. Alabama is now 8-8 and Kentucky now sits at 7-9 after game one.

After six innings Alabama led Kentucky 3-1. The one run would be the Wildcat’s only run of the game. T.J. Collett sent one over the wall in right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to keep his team from being shutout. Collett has 11 home runs on the season and is comparable to Alabama’s catcher, Sam Praytor, who also has 11 home runs this season.

The seventh inning is where the Crimson Tide really got rolling. The nine-hole hitter, Jim Jarvis, reached first on an error to start off Alabama’s seven-run inning. Peyton Wilson hit his second double of the game to send Jarvis to third. Another error by Kentucky caused Jarvis to score and add to Alabama’s total.

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Austin Strickland replaced Cole Stupp on the mound to continue the inning. He pitched for 0.1 innings. Strickland allowed two walks, hit a batter, and earned an out but still gave up two runs off 17 pitches.

With Owen Diodati up to bat, and the bases loaded for the third time in the inning, Daniel Harper took the mound for Kentucky. Diodati singled and earned his second RBI of the night.

With two outs in the inning, Jarvis stepped up to the plate again for Alabama and hit a two-run RBI-double to push the team’s total to 10 runs.

The Crimson Tide batted through the lineup and majority of the lineup took part in scoring the seven runs and securing the win in the seventh inning.

Tyler Ras, Alabama’s starting pitcher held Kentucky to one run and kept them from scoring six out of the seven innings he pitched. Ras allowed just three hits, one run, and stuck out six batters.

Hunter Ruth replaced Ras in the eighth inning and struck out three of the six batters he faced and allowed no hits.

The combined efforts of Ras and Ruth forced Kentucky to go three-up-three-down in the last five innings of the game.

Alabama took game one but will face Kentucky again tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT for a chance to take the series. Tune into Tide1009.com to listen to the game or watch it on SEC Network+.