The Tennessee Volunteers used a 6 run bottom of the the 8th inning and a walk off RBI double from Vincent Jackson to take down Bama on Sunday at Nelson Stadium with the score 10-9. The Tide takes the weekend series 2-1. Bama falls to 28-12 (12-6) while Tennessee improves to 25-13 (7-11).
Alabama got the scoring going in the top of the first inning. Ben Moore drew a 4 pitch walk with 2 outs before scoring on an error by Tennessee right fielder Pierce Bily. Tennessee would end up taking the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the same inning. Back to back two out singles from Christin Stewart and Nick Senzel and then a walk from Taylor Smart loaded the bases for the Volunteers. Jon Keller issued a walk and also was called for a balk to score 2 runs in the frame.
Not much offense was going for either team in the 2nd inning. The Tide’s Will Haynie reached base on a walk with 2 outs and Tennessee was retired in order in the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the 3rd, Bama’s Georgie Salem led off the frame with a single but was erased as a base runner when Ben Moore grounded into a double play. Wade Wass doubled with 2 outs but was picked off at second. Christin Stewart tripled in the bottom of the inning for Tennessee but nothing else going in the frame.
Bama reclaimed the lead from Tennessee in the top of the fourth with a 2 run homer off of the bat of Austen Smith. Kyle Overstreet scored on the home run after leading off the inning with a single to left field. The Volunteers got 2 runners on base in the bottom of the inning with singles from Derek Lance and Parker Wormsley but Keller got out of the inning when he recorded his fifth strikeout of the game.
A pretty quiet fifth inning had Ben Moore reaching on a hit by pitch and Tennessee being retired in order. Moore had a spectacular diving catch to end the inning.
After a lead off single from Overstreet to start the sixth, Austen Smith stepped to the plate and hit his second 2 run homer of the game. Casey Hughston tripled and then scored after an RBI single from Chance Vincent to give Alabama the 6-2 lead. Tennessee pitcher Kyle Serrano (5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, and 2 K) was pulled in the 6th for Trevor Bettencourt. Ben Moore doubled to bring in 2 runs, scoring Mikey White and Chance Vincent to give Bama the 8-2 lead.
The Tide was retired in order in the top of the 7th. Johnny Youngblood singled for Tennessee in the bottom half and advanced to second on a wild pitch but was left stranded after a ground out from the bat of Will Maddox.
The Volunteers made a pitching change in the top of the 8th, sending in Bret Marks for Bettencourt (2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 B, 2 K). Marks made quick work in the frame, retiring Bama in order. Bama made a pitching change of their own, sending in Nick Eicholtz for Keller (7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6K). A.J. Simcox led off the Tennessee half with a single and advanced to second on a called balk. Stewart with his 3rd hit of the game plated him to make the score 8-3. Coach Mitch Gaspard called on Jake Hubbard to come in for Eicholtz after he issued a walk, putting 2 Volunteers on base. An RBI double from Smart and then yet another called balk on the Tide made it a 3 run game. Vincent Jackson hit an RBI single through the left side to inch the Vols closer with the 8-6 score. Youngblood’s RBI ground out and Maddox’s RBI double tied the game at 8. Geoffrey Bramblett then came into the game in relief and retired the side.
Andrew Lee came in for Tennessee to start the 9th inning on the mound. Ben Moore stepped to the plate and planted one over the right field fence with one out. Bama turned to Kyle Overstreet to pitch in the 9th. Stewart drew a 4 pitch walk and then an RBI double from Senzel tied the game at 9. The walk off RBI double came from Jackson to score Senzel to give the Vols the 10-9 win.
Bama faces Southern Miss on Tuesday with a 6:05 first pitch before travelling to Columbia to face the Gamecocks next weekend for a 3 game series.
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Feature Image Courtesy of UA Media Relations