Alabama Baseball defeats Samford on the road after breaking a late tie.
In a captivating midweek showdown, the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team secured a hard-fought 11-10 victory against the Samford Bulldogs at Joe Lee Griffin Field in Birmingham, Alabama. This intense contest showcased Alabama’s resilience and offensive prowess, as they held off a late rally by Samford to clinch the win.
The game commenced with Alabama asserting control early on. In the top of the first inning, Gage Miller led off with a walk, setting the stage for Ian Petrutz, who launched a two-run homer to left field, giving the Crimson Tide an early 2-0 lead.
Continuing their offensive onslaught, Alabama added another run in the second inning. With two outs, a wild pitch allowed the runner on third to score, extending the lead to 3-0.
Refusing to back down, the Bulldogs responded in the fifth inning. After a single and a walk, back-to-back RBI singles brought in two runs, followed by another single that added one more, narrowing Alabama’s lead to 5-3.
In the sixth inning, the Crimson Tide erupted for four runs. A leadoff walk was followed by a two-run homer from Gage Miller, his second of the game, and a solo shot by TJ McCants. Subsequently, a walk and a two-out double by Justin Lebron set the stage for Kade Snell, who delivered an RBI single, widening Alabama’s lead to 9-3.
The Bulldogs mounted a formidable comeback in the ninth inning. A three-run homer from Cullen Horowicz ignited the rally, cutting the lead to 11-8. An error kept the inning alive, and subsequent hits brought in two more runs, bringing Samford within one at 11-10. With the tying and go-ahead runners aboard, Alabama’s Tyler Fay entered the game and secured the final out with a strikeout, preserving the win for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama’s offense was led by Gage Miller, who went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Ian Petrutz also contributed significantly, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
On the mound, Kade Snell earned the win, pitching four scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Tyler Fay recorded his first career save, closing out the game with a crucial strikeout in the ninth inning.
Head Coach Rob Vaughn expressed pride in his team’s performance, stating, “We got down 4-0 and our guys didn’t flinch. They kept running good at-bats off, they had a plan for what was coming, and we ended up doing a really good job at the plate tonight. I was proud of the guys, proud of their effort.”
With this victory, Alabama improves to 22-7 on the season. The Crimson Tide will continue their road trip with a three-game series against the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford. The first game is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the remaining games on Friday and Saturday.
This thrilling win against Samford not only showcases Alabama’s offensive depth and pitching resilience but also sets the stage for an exciting SEC matchup against Ole Miss. Fans can look forward to more high-caliber baseball as the Crimson Tide aim to build on this momentum in their upcoming series.
