The University of Alabama baseball team will have to come out of the loser’s bracket in the NCAA Regionals if they are to advance to Super Regionals as they dropped the opening game to Kennesaw State 1-0. The Tide will face the loser of this evening’s Florida State and Georgia Southern game tomorrow at noon in an elimination game.
Starters on the mound: UA-Spencer Turnbull (Jr., RHP, 5-7, 2.28 ERA) vs. KSU-Travis Bergen (So., LHP, 8-4, 2.74 ERA)
- Win: Bergen
- Loss: Turnbull
- Save: McCalvin
A lead off walk from KSU’s Kal Simmons led to the only base runner for either team in the first. The Tide turned a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the top half of the inning and went down in order in the home half. Another walk for the Owls in the top of the second was the only thing going for Kennesaw State. Austen Smith’s one out double for the Tide was the first hit of the game. He advanced into scoring position at 3rd but was stranded after Casey Hughston’s ground out ended the inning. Kennesaw State followed the Tide 2nd with a carbon copy frame. A one out double from Cornell Nixon and a wild pitch advanced him into scoring position 90 feet away but a grounder ended their threat.
Bo Way reached for the Owls in the top of the fourth with a one out single but was caught stealing after McGowan was caught looking at a full count strike. Bergen faced the minimum against the Tide through back to back innings for the third and fourth. Kennesaw State got on the board first in the top of the fifth. Brennan Morgan led things off with a single to left field. Back to back full count walks from Justin Motley and Nixon loaded the bases with 2 outs. Simmons’ sac fly allowed Morgan to score to give Kennesaw State the 1-0 lead. The Tide threatened in the bottom half with Austen Smith in scoring position after drawing a lead off walk. Back to back fly outs from Matthew Goodson and Hughston ended the frame, stranding Smith. Alabama would get another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the 6th but couldn’t capitalize. Chance Vincent singled to lead things off for the Tide and advanced into scoring position on a charged throwing error to KSU catcher Max Pentecost. Two fly outs to center field and a ground out ended the 6th.
RHP Jay Shaw replaced Turnbull (6.1 IP, 3H, 1R, 4BB, 2K) with a runner on 2nd with 1 out. A one out walk from Nixon and a failed pick off attempt from Wade Wass put both runners in scoring position but Shaw froze Simmons at the plate to get out of the jam. Bama tried to get something cooking in the bottom of the seventh with a 2 out single from Kyle Overstreet but the Tide’s tough day with runners on base held true as he was left on base with a strikeout from Hughston. The Tide once again tried to make things interesting in the ninth with a 2 out double to right center from Smith. The Owls made a change on the mound sending in Justin McCalvin to replace Bergen (8.2 IP, 5H, 0R, 1BB, 3K). McCalvin got the final out against Overstreet to end the game and give the Owls the win.