The 12th ranked Southern Miss Golden Eagles used two grand slams and some shoddy Alabama defense to defeat the Crimson Tide 14-4 on Tuesday night in Hattiesburg. The Eagles improved to 7-1 overall while the Tide fell to 7-2 on the season. The home team run ruled the visitors, shortening the game to eight innings. JT Blackwood started on the mound for the Tide against Dylan Causey for the Eagles. Things started out promising for Bama as they grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Bryce Fowler, a former USM player, led off with a single for Alabama. Justin Lebron grounded into a fielders choice, but both runners were safe when the Eagles second baseman dropped the ball. A Brady Neal fly out advanced Fowler to third base and a Jason Torres sacrifice fly brought him home for the first run. LeBron easily stole third base and scooted home on a single by Luke Vaughn. Little did Bama know that the first frame would produce half of their hits and half of their runs in the game.
USM used a Joey Urban double and a RBI single by Davis Gillespie to make the score 2-1 after one inning. Southern Miss retired the Tide in order with three strikeouts in the second, then broke the game open in the bottom half. Two misplayed balls in the outfield led to a double and a single, followed by a walk to load the bases. Ben Higdon, hitting .111 entering the games, then blasted the Eagles first grand slam of the game and a 5-2 lead. In the bottom of the third Connor Lehman replaced Blackwood with no outs and two on and used a ground out and double play to avoid further damage.
Vaughn gave Bama hope in the fourth with a two run home run, his third of the year. Peyton Steele added a single in the inning, the Tide’s last hit of the game. The bottom of the fourth was a disaster for Alabama. Lehman walked the first two batters and was replaced by Evan Steckmesser. Steckmesser allowed a bunt single to Higdon to load the bases. A one run single and two run single followed before the first out of the inning was recorded. A walk reloaded the bases before Kyle Morrison blasted the Eagles second grand slam of the game and a 12-4 USM lead. Bobby Alcock replaced Steckmesser and finally retired the side after 12 men came to the plate after five hits, four walks, and seven runs.
Southern Miss continued to change pitchers every inning, they used nine in the game, and the only Tide base runners from the 5th to the 8th innings, reached on walks and hit batters. Alcock tossed another scoreless inning and was replaced by Luke Smyers in the sixth inning. Smyers started the 7th and after a walk and a thrown away double play ball, was replaced by Joe Chiardo. A Gillespie single plated a run. Tate Robertson took over in the mound in the 8th for Bama. After a strikeout to the lead off batter, Robertson walked the next two men. On a comebacker to the mound Robertson fielded the ball and threw the ball into centerfield trying to start an inning ending double play. The winning run raced home, mercifully ending the game an inning early with the 14-4 final score.
Alabama hit 4-28 in the game with five walks, three hit batters, one home run, a sacrifice fly, a stolen base, with eight men left on base, and committed three costly errors. Vaughn was 2-3 with a home run, a walk, and three RBI. Fowler was 1-5 with a run. Steele had the only other hit in the game and finished 1-4. LeBron was 0-2 with two HBP and a stolen base. Blackwood was the losing pitcher and fell to 1-1.
Southern Miss hit 13-37 in the game with nine walks, five strikeouts, and left 10 men on base. The Eagles had two home runs and two doubles. Higdon and Morrison were both 2-4 with four RBI in their grand slams.
Just a terrible performance in every aspect by the Tide against a good team. Need to flush it and get ready for a big test this weekend in the Frisco Classic. Alabama will play Iowa on Friday, Oregon State on Saturday, and Houston on Sunday.
Roll Tide
Bama Baseball Fever, Catch it!
