(Games from March 15-21)
Overall Record: 15-5 (11-2 at home | 4-3 on the road)
SEC Record: 1-2
Record Last Week: 1-2 (1-2 on the road)
Streak: Lost 2
Last Week’s Results (1-2):
Friday, March 19 – Defeated #1 Arkansas, 16-1
Saturday, March 20 – Lost to #1 Arkansas, 1-9
Sunday, March 21 – Lost to #1 Arkansas, 1-3
This Week’s Schedule (All Times Central)
Tuesday, March 23 – vs. Southern Miss (12-6/C-USA) Sewell-Thomas Stadium, 6 p.m.
Thursday, March 25 – vs. #4 Ole Miss (16-4/3-0 SEC), Sewell-Thomas Stadium, 6 p.m.
Friday, March 26 – vs. #4 Ole Miss (16-4/3-0 SEC), Sewell-Thomas Stadium, 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 27 – vs. #4 Ole Miss (16-4/3-0 SEC), Sewell-Thomas Stadium, 1 p.m.
Team Notes
After a midweek postponement due to rain, Alabama went 1-2 on the weekend against top-ranked Arkansas. The Crimson Tide dominated the Razorbacks in game one of the series before falling in the final two matchups in Fayetteville.
The 22nd-ranked Crimson Tide used a 10-run second inning to come away with a dominant 16-1 win over No. 1 Arkansas on Friday night at Baum-Walker Stadium. Alabama used eight hits, three walks and a hit-by-pitch to post 10 runs in the second inning – that 10-spot would prove to be all the Tide needed. Arkansas came back with one run in the home half of the second, but the Crimson Tide answered with one in the seventh, four in the eighth and one in the ninth to cruise to the 16-1 win. The Crimson Tide saw seven of the nine starters record a hit to combine for 15 by night’s end, including a season-high four home runs. The homers came from Owen Diodati, Andrew Pinckney, Caden Rose and Jackson Tate. Diodati led the UA offense with four RBI while tying for the team-high mark in runs with three. Pinckney matched Diodati’s run total while pacing Alabama in hits with a 3-for-5 evening that also included two RBI. On the mound, Tyler Ras picked up his first career SEC win and third win of the 2021 season. The Tide starter tossed 6.0 frames, allowing one run on six hits and two walks with a career-high tying six strikeouts. Ras was followed by fellow junior Connor Shamblin. Shamblin worked 3.0 innings of scoreless baseball, striking out four on his way to his first career save.
Alabama suffered a 9-1 loss to the top-ranked Razorbacks on Saturday. Arkansas began the night’s scoring with one run in the third and proceeded to add one more in both the fourth and fifth. The Hogs followed with three apiece in the sixth and eighth innings to put the game out of reach. Alabama got its lone run in the sixth but was unable to add any more. Dylan Smith suffered the loss in his first career SEC start. The Crimson Tide junior allowed three runs on five hits and a walk with nine strikeouts across his 99 pitches.
The Crimson Tide’s late rally came up short as Alabama fell, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon in Fayetteville. Arkansas recorded a solo home run in the fourth and used a two-out, bases-loaded single in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead. Alabama entered the ninth down three, but a solo home run from Sam Praytor to start the inning gave the Tide life. Rose then drew a one-out walk before a pair of strikeouts ended the game in favor of the Hogs. Antoine Jean was handed the loss despite a strong outing. The left-hander worked 5.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts.
