Alabama improved to 8-2 on the season with a 12-2 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday in the Frisco Classic in Frisco Texas. The Tide will play 18th ranked Oregon State on Saturday and Houston on Sunday to wrap up the Classic. Bama used a strong start from junior right hander Tyler Fay and three home runs to take down Iowa on Friday night. Iowa fell to 6-3 with the loss.
The Tide was the visiting team vs the Hawkeyes and jumped on top early. Bryce Fowler led the game off with a walk and moved up in a one out single by Brady Neal. Luke Vaughn followed with his fourth home run of the season for a quick 3-0 Bama lead. Fay worked a perfect bottom of the first on 11 pitches, all strikes. Fowler led off the top of the fourth with his first home run of the season, a laser shot over the right field wall.
Fay worked around a couple of singles in the second and one in the fourth in a very efficient manner. In the fourth and fifth the Tide could only manage one base runner, a walk to Neal.
In the bottom of the fifth Fay’s only walk of the game led to the Hawkeyes first run of the contest. Ben Swails walked, advanced on two ground outs, and scored in a single by Gable Mitchell. Mitchell entered the game hitting .535 on the season.
In the top of the sixth the Tide added to the lead. Freshman Andrew Purdy, in the lineup at DH, collected the first of his three hits on the night by lining a double down the left field line. Peyton Steele singled through the left side to plate Purdy. Brennan Holt singled to put runners in first and second. Fowler lined to center for out two, bringing Justin LeBron to the plate. LeBron hit a ball down the right field line for what should have been a triple. Originally the ball was called foul, but after review was deemed fair and became a one run double. Neal lined out to end the frame with the Tide ahead 6-1.
Sam Mitchell replaced Fay in the seventh inning and allowed a single with a strikeout. Bama added to their lead in the top of the eighth. Purdy singled and advanced on a wild pitch before scoring on a single by Holt. LeBron and Neal walked with two out to load the bases, but a pop out ended the frame. Mitchell was back out for the eighth and allowed one run on two hits to cut the lead to 7-2.
The Tide left no doubt in the top of the ninth, sending nine men to the plate and scoring five runs. Johnny Lemm led off with a walk, Purdy’s third hit and Holt’s second safety loaded the bases with two outs. Fowler was walked to drive in a run to bring LeBron up with the bases loaded. The Superstar shortstop smashed his sixth home run of the season on a line over the left field wall for a 12-2 score. Neal then angered the Hawkeyes by laying down a bunt single against the shift. There were words exchanged as the Tide went out on defense, but the situation was quickly defused. Ashton Crowther pitched the ninth for the Tide and only allowed an infield single before retiring the side and securing the 12-2 win.
Alabama hit 13-41 in the game with eight walks, 11 strikeouts, two doubles, three home runs, a stolen base, and 10 men left on base. Purdy hit 3-5 with a double, three runs scored, and one run driven in. Lebron’s line was 2-5 with a double, grand slam home run, a walk, a run, and five RBI. Neal was 2-4 with a run and two walks. Vaughn was 1-5 with a walk and 3 RBI with his home run. Fowler scored three times with his 1-4 night with two walks and his home run. Holt finished 2-5 with an RBI, run scored, and a stolen base. Lemm extended his on base streak to 43 games (including last season) and was 1-4 with two walks. Fay was awarded player of the game and improved to 2-1 with his 6 innings of work. The big right hander allowed five hits with one walk, three strikeouts, and one run allowed over 91 pitches. Iowa finished the game hitting 9-36 with one walk, four strikeouts, and eight men left in base.
This was a big bounce back win for Alabama after their defeat at Southern Miss on Tuesday night. Things get harder today as the Tide takes on Oregon State at 4 p..m CT. Zane Adams will pitch for Bama. The game is being streamed by D 1 Baseball.
Roll Tide
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