Alabama Baseball: Tide Caps Historic Weekend with Sweep of MVSU
By Nick Jones
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The Alabama Crimson Tide (9–5, 0–0 SEC) baseball team earned its first series sweep of the season in historic fashion against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (0–15, 0–0 SWAC) over the weekend.
Saturday’s combined no-hitter and Sunday’s shut-out victory made for the Tide’s most dominating weekend since 1912.
Junior starter RHP Spencer Turnbull (1–1) opened up the weekend with a bang for the Crimson Tide. Turnbull threw seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits and struck out seven in route to his first win of the season.
Senior RHP Tucker Hawley provided two innings of lights-out relief work allowing just two hits and striking out three Delta Devils batters.
Senior first baseman Austen Smith led the Crimson Tide at the plate on Friday night. Smith finished 3-for–4 with one run and one RBI in Alabama’s 8–0 romp of MVSU.
Mississippi Valley State’s Connor Sheppeard (0–4) was saddled with the loss after surrendering three earned runs and three walks in five innings of work. Sheppeard finished with four strikeouts on the night.
Saturday’s game featured Alabama’s first nine inning no-hitter since 1942. Junior LHP Justin Kamplain, junior RHP Jay Shaw and freshman RHP Geoffrey Bramblett combined for 15 strikeouts and the no-hitter.
Kamplain (2–1) notched the win after pitching seven scoreless innings. Kamplain finished with 12 strikeouts and only walked two batters.
Shaw and Bramblett combined for three strikeouts in two innings of relief.
Junior right fielder Ben Moore contributed in a big way at the plate on Saturday afternoon. Moore was 3-for–4 with three runs and one RBI.
The Crimson Tide took the second game of the series 7–0.
Mississippi Valley State starter Jonathan Parker (0–3) was handed the loss after pitching six innings and allowing five hits, five earned runs and three walks.
Alabama entered Sunday’s game looking for their first series sweep of the season and the third-straight series win at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Junior LHP Jon Keller (4–0) continued his run of success as a starter notching his fourth win of the season.
Keller allowed one hit and struck out seven Delta Devils in six innings of work.
Sophomore RHP Ray Castillo worked two innings out of the bullpen and only allowed one hit and struck out three.
Sophomore second baseman Kyle Overstreet (1) made the short trip to the pitcher’s mound to earn his first save of the season.
Overstreet allowed one hit in the ninth, but was able to shut the door and seal the series sweep.
Right fielder Ben Moore once again led the Tide from the plate with a 2-for–4 performance. Moore finished with one run and two RBI on Sunday.
Alabama took the final game 3–0.
Spring-like weather and the addition of the new right field seating once again allowed the Crimson Tide to draw a solid weekend crowd.
A total of 11,230 fans paid a visit to Sewell-Thomas Stadium over the three-game series.
Alabama will look to continue its run of dominance against the Samford (11–4, 0–0 SOCON) Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
The Bulldogs come into Tuesday’s game riding a nine-game winning streak that includes victories over UAB and Troy.
Alabama took both contests against Samford last year including a 15–7 victory on the road at Samford’s Joe Lee Griffin Field.
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