The Alabama Crimson Tide swept their three game series with the North Florida Ospreys over the weekend. The Tide improved to 14-3 on the season while UNF fell to 8-9. Bama won game one 7-2, took game two 9-3, and finished off the sweep with a dominate 12-2 win in a game shortened to 7 innings by the Mercy Rule. Alabama used dominate starting pitching, some wildness by North Florida’s pitching, and a mixture of small ball and power to secure the sweep. I would venture to say coach Rob Vaughn’s squad bunted more this weekend than they have in his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa combined. The small ball was a combination of bunting for hits, straight sacrifices, and a couple of safety squeeze’s to score runs. This year’s team is running a lot more than in the past as well. The Tide stole eight bases in the series and now has been successful on 38 out of 40 tries.
Game One- Won 7-2
Junior right hander Tyler Fay was dominate, striking out a career high 11 batters, and Justin Osterhouse, Jason Torres, and Brady Neal combined for 10 hits and six runs to lead the Tide to a 7-2 victory over North Florida on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Field. Fay also tossed a career high seven innings.
Fay was efficient all night and started the game with a perfect first inning on only eight pitches. The Tide got a bunt single from Neal and walk to Luke Vaughn in the bottom half, but could not score off of NFU left hander Dakota Stone. Fay struck out the side in the top of the second on 11 pitches. Bama took the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Osterhouse led off with an infield hit on a dribbler to the left side. Peyton Steele walked and both men moved up on a perfect sac bunt by Brennan Holt. A ground out to shortstop by Chase Kroberger plated the games first run and gave the freshman the first RBI of his career.
Fay had a perfect third with two strikeouts and a comebacker to the mound. Alabama added two more in the bottom half. Neal led off with a single and moved to second on a throw away pick off attempt. After Vaughn lined out to center field for out one, Torres laid down a perfect squeeze bunt for a sacrifice and a RBI. Steele singled to score the second run of the frame. Fay finally allowed his first base runner in the top of the fourth on a bunt single by Sean Benjamin. A double play started by Justin LeBron and a ground out to first base ended the inning. The Tide got a leadoff bunt single and a stolen base from LeBron in the bottom half, but he was stranded after two strikeouts and a ground out.
North Florida finally broke through against Fay in the fifth. A ground ball up the middle hit the second base bag and bounced away just as LeBron was set to field it. Gialdri Gomez then hit the next pitch into the right field plaza for a two run home run, cutting the lead to 3-2. Fay recovered to strikeout the side and hold the lead.
The Tide got those runs back in the bottom half. Torres singled to lead off, ended Stone’s night. Ryan Furey replaced Stone and was greeted by a double by Osterhouse to put runners on second and third. Steele then smoked a triple to plate both runners. The three bagger was Bama’s first triple of the season. After the next two batters were retired, LeBron hit a ball to deep field and was robbed of extra bases on a great grab by Gomez. The play instigated some chirping between the teams, something the Ospreys were involved in all game.
Fay retired the side in order in the sixth and allowed only a single in the seventh with two strikeouts to end his career best night. Fay allowed four hits with one walk, two runs, and 11 strikeouts. Bama added on in the bottom of the seventh. After Torres just missed a home run off the top of the left field wall for a double, Osterhouse lined a 3-2 pitch into the plaza for his second home run of the season. With a 7-2 lead Alabama called on Evan Steckmesser to finish off the game. The lefty pitched the final two innings and allowed no hits and no runs with one walk and two strikeouts.
Alabama hit 14-35 in the game with four walks, 10 strikeouts, two sac bunts, two doubles, a triple, a home run, two stolen bases, and left 11 men on base. Osterhouse was 4-5 with a home run, double, three runs scored, two RBI, and a stolen base. Neal was 3-4 with a walk and a run. Torres finished 3-4 with a double, sacrifice, two runs, and two RBI. Steele drove in three runs on a 2-3 night with a triple and a walk. Fay improved to 3-1 with the victory. NFU hit 4-29 with two walks, 13 strikeouts, and two left on base. The Ospreys committed three errors. Stone fell to 0-1 with the loss.
Game Two- Won 9-3
The Crimson Tide defeated North Florida in game two of their series by scoring six runs in the bottom of the first and cruising to a 9-3 victory. Bama used three hits from Bryce Fowler and two from Johnny Lemm and Brennan Holt to take down the Ospreys. Junior left hander Zane Adams was the starter and winner for the Tide.
UNF actually took the lead in the top of the first off of Adams on a two out RBI single by Boone Hosey that scored Matthew Farner. North Florida starter Clay Hendry struggled mightly in the bottom half of the frame. After retiring Fowler to start the inning Hendry was touched by a double from Justin LeBron. Brady Neal and Luke Vaughn walked before Lebeon scored in an error. Lemm than smoked a double the opposite way down the left field line to score two more runs. Jason Torres and Justin Osterhouse walked, and advance a base on a Peyton Steele ground out. Holt was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fowler, up for the second time of the inning, hit an opposite field double of his own to played two more runs for a 6-1 lead. Hendry only lasted 2/3 of an inning and allowed two hits and six runs, walking four batters and hitting one.
Adams turned in scoreless innings in the second and third before allowing one run in the fourth on two walks and an RBI single. The walks were only the 2nd and 3rd issued by Adams all season. The Tide got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Holt tripled to lead off and scooted home on a single by Fowler. Adams finished his day with a perfect fifth inning and left the game holding a 7-2 lead.
Austin Morris took over on the mound in the sixth for the Tide, and struggled with his control. A walk, a single, and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out and brought Sam Mitchell out of the bullpen to replace Morris. Mitchell’s first pitch hit Drew Buchman to force in UNF’s third run of the game. A fly out and a strikeout followed to limit the damage. Mitchell was back out in the seventh after a ground out and a walk the big right hander picked the runner off first base and induced another groundout to end the inning.Bama finished their scoring in the bottom of the seventh. Lemm lined a shot to centerfield and when Sean Benjamin slipped going for the ball the big Aussie catcher lumbered around the bases with a stand up triple. After Torres was hit by a pitch, Osterhouse laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to score Lemm. With two outs Holt bunted for a single and Fowler followed with a bunt single of his own to score Torres with the last run of the game.
Freshman left hander Luke Smyers took the eighth for the Tide and worked around a lead off single with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout. Bama went down quickly in the bottom half and Anthony Pesci pitched the ninth for the Tide. Pesci walked one and struck out two in a scoreless frame, locking down the 9-3 Alabama victory.
The Tide hit 10-31 in the game with six walks, three hit batters, six strikeouts, three doubles, two triples, and left eight men on base. Fowler finished 3-5 with a double and four RBI. Lemm was 2-5 with a double and triple, two RBI, and two runs scored. Holt was 2-3 with a triple, stolen base, run, and a HBP. Osterhouse was 1-1 with two walks, a HBP, an RBI, and a run scored. LeBron doubled and scored and swiped his 15th base of the year in 15 tries. Adams improved to 3-0 on the year with the victory. UNF hit 7-33 in the game with five walks, two hit batters, nine strikeouts, and left 10 men on base.
Game Three- Won 12-2, 7 innings Mercy Rule
Freshman right hander Myles Upchurch toed the rubber for the Tide in his fourth start of his career in Sunday’s game three of the series. Left hander Joseph Dimino was his counterpart for UNF. Like Tyler Fay was on Friday, Upchurch was extremely efficient early in the game. Upchurch needed only seven pitches in the top of the 1st to retire the side, which included a strikeout. All seven pitches went for strikes. Alabama went ahead in the bottom half of the frame. Justin LeBron walked with one out, then stole his 16th base of the year in 16 attempts. Brady Neal then walked and both moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Johnny Lemm. Lemm appeared to be bunting for a hit but was thrown out. Jason Torres then walked to load the bases and Andrew Purdy collected an RBI when he was hit by a pitch to plate LeBron.
Upchurch allowed a single to Boone Hosey leading off the 2nd inning, but a pop out and two more strikeouts ended the inning with the righty throwing only 10 pitches. When Dimino walked Peyton Steele leading off the bottom of the 2nd Dimino was replaced by right hander Brandon Adams. Brennan Holt drew a walk of his own and when Bryce Fowler singled, the bases were loads with no outs. LeBron struck out for out one before Neal socked a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Steele for the 2-0 lead. A Lemm fly out ended the inning with the Tide wasting an opportunity to break the game wide open.
The Ospreys number nine hitter, Seth Alford, touched Upchurch for a one out home run in the top of the 3rd to cut the lead to one. Upchurch worked around a two out single and notched another strikeout to end the inning. The Tide went down in order in the bottom half. The calm, cool, freshman Upchurch then had an eight pitch top of the 4th with two more whiffs of North Florida batters.
Bama got to Adams in the bottom of the fourth. Steele reached on an error and Holt walked to put two runners on with no outs. Fowler struck out before LeBron reached on an infield single to load bases. Neal then took the first pitch he saw the other way, far over the left field wall, for a grand slam home run and a 6-1 lead. The Tide wasn’t through. Johnny Lemm reached on a single and after out two Purdy walked. Justin Osterhouse blooped a single to left for an RBI as Lemm raced home to make the score 7-1.
Upchurch struck out two more batters in a perfect top of the 5th. Bama poured three more runs on in the bottom half. The rally was started with two outs when LeBron walked and Neal beat out a perfect bunt for a single. Lemm walked to load the bases before Torres blasted a base clearing double to right center field for a 10-1 lead. Upchurch was back out for the 6th and again struck out two batters to bring his total to 11 in the game. Bama added two more in the bottom half when Holt singled and stole second and then scored in front of Fowler’s opposite field home run to left field.
With a 12-1 lead entering the top of the 7th, Upchurch was trying to finish off the complete game, run rule win. Hosey led off and walked on a border line ball four call. When Sean Benjamin hit a single, Upchurch was replaced in favor of Ashton Crowther. Pinch hitter Connor Witherington blooped a little fly ball that fell in no man’s land behind second base for an RBI single, cutting the lead to 12-2. A double play turned by Holt and LeBron came next and a ground ball to Torres at third ended the game with the mercy rule.
The Tide hit 9-26 in the game with nine walks, one hit batter, one sac bunt, one sac fly, six strikeouts, two home runs, a double, three stolen bases, and left eight men left on base. Neal was 2-2 with five RBI, a grand slam home run, a sacrifice fly, and two runs scored. Fowler was 2-5 with a home run, two RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored. Torres drove in three on his 1-3 day with a double and a walk. Lemm was 1-3 with a walk, a sac bunt, and two runs scored. LeBron hit 1-3, had two walks, a stolen base, and three runs scored. Upchurch improved to 3-1 with his longest outing and most strikeouts of the year. The hurler pitched six innings, allowed four hits, one walk, two runs, and struck out 11 men.
UNF hit 5-25 with one walk, 11 strikeouts, and three men left in base. Tide pitching held the Ospreys to 16-87 in the series for a .183 batting average. Bama pitchers struck out 33 batters, walked only eight, allowed two home runs, and stranded 15 men on base.
Overall Alabama hit a robust .358, collecting 33 hits in 92 at bats while drawing 19 walks, being hit five times and striking out 22 times. The Tide left 27 men on base in the three games, stole eight bases, had four sac bunts, slammed three triples, five doubles, and three home runs. Bama out scored UNF 28-7 in the series.
Who Did What ?
*Bryce Fowler 5-10, home run (5), double, 6 RBI, stolen base, run
*Justin Osterhouse 5-10, 4 RBI, home run (2), double, 4 runs
*Brady Neal 5-9, home run (4), 5 RBI, sac fly, 4 runs
*Jason Torres 4-9, 2 doubles, 5 RBI, 2 sac bunts, 4 runs
*Justin LeBron 3-12, double, 3 stolen bases, 2 walks, HBP, 4 runs
*Brennan Holt 3-6, triple, 3 runs, 4 walks, HBP, 2 sac bunts, 2 stolen bases
*Myles Upchurch W (3-1) 6 IP 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
*Tyler Fay W (3-1) 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts, 2 runs
*Zane Adams W (3-0) 5 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
Next up the Tide hosts Troy at 6 p.m. in Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium
Roll Tide
Bama Baseball Fever, catch it!
