TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball used a ninth-inning rally to earn an 8-7 walkoff win over LSU on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the victory, the 25th-ranked Crimson Tide is now 31-18 overall and 11-14 in Southeastern Conference play.
The Tigers and Tide traded runs through the first four frames. LSU plated one in the first followed by one for Alabama in the second before both teams plated two apiece in the fourth to make it a 3-3 affair. The Tigers added two in the fifth and two in the eighth to gain a four-run advantage, but in the Tide eighth, a two-run homer from TJ McCants cut the lead in half before an RBI-single from Gage Miller made it a one-run game headed to the ninth.
In the ninth, Alabama loaded the bases with two down thanks to walks for Kade Snell and McCants followed by a Mac Guscette hit-by-pitch. With the bases juiced, William Hamiter sent a swinging bunt towards the LSU mound, but an errant throw by the Tiger catcher went into right field and allowed two to come across for the 8-7 walkoff victory.
McCants paced the Tide offense with a 2-for-3 night that included a team-high three RBI and three runs scored along with a walk and his homer. Hamiter also contributed a two-hit effort, finishing 2-for-5 with a triple and a pair of RBI. The win went to Coulson Buchanan (2-1), who tossed a scoreless ninth, while Griffin Herring (3-1) suffered the loss.
From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"We had the bases loaded with two away and that brought up (William Hamiter). It sounds corny to say this, but it is what makes college baseball such a beautiful thing. This guy is a Tuscaloosa kid and was having to decide earlier this year if he was going to come back or not. He hasn't played a ton this year, but he took full advantage of his opportunity tonight."
How It Happened
- T1 | Jared Jones got the Tigers on the board with a solo home run. (1-0, LSU)
- B2 | With one away in the inning, TJ McCants reached on a bunt single and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. An RBI-triple from William Hamiter in the next at-bat evened things up. (1-1)
- T4 | With one on and two down, three consecutive singles tacked on a pair of runs for the Tigers. (3-1, LSU)
- B4 | Will Hodo led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout. He then came home thanks to a McCants sacrifice fly. With two down, Mac Guscette got aboard with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. The extra 90 was key, as a single through the right side from Hamiter plated the tying run. (3-3)
- T5 | The Tigers regained the lead with two runs on four hits, highlighted by a solo homer from Tommy White to lead off the inning. (5-3, LSU)
- T8 | A solo shot from Steven Milam began the frame. A hit-by-pitch in the following at-bat then came across on an RBI-double later in the inning. (7-3, LSU)
- B8 | Kade Snell started the eighth with a single and came around to score on a two-run homer from McCants. Guscette kept the rally going with a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. After a second out was recorded, Gage Miller delivered an RBI-single. (7-6, LSU)
- B9 | With two away, Snell and McCants walked before a hit-by-pitch to Guscette loaded them up. Hamiter was next, putting a ball in play in front of the mound with an errant throw to first going into right field to allow two runs to cross. (8-7, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- Tonight's game was the second sellout at The Joe this season. Alabama's April 13 matchup with then-No. 1 Arkansas was also at capacity.
- The Friday sellout was the 43rd in the history of the new Sewell-Thomas Stadium (since 2016).
- Alabama finished with 11 hits and has totaled double-digit knocks in 32 contests this season, including 15 SEC pairings.
- Kade Snell has now recorded a hit in 11 straight contests. Over the streak, the redshirt junior is batting .404 (19-47) with three doubles, one homer, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
- Snell has also reached base safely in each of his last 15 games.
- Will Hodo has reached base safely in 11 consecutive games.
- Justin Lebron's hitting streak ended at 12 games. During that stretch, the freshman batted .415 (22-53) with three doubles, six home runs, 14 RBI, 16 runs, one walk and four hit-by-pitch.
- ATTENDANCE: 5,800 (SELLOUT)
Alabama and LSU will meet for game two of the series on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT. The Crimson Tide will send freshman left-hander Zane Adams to the hill while the Tigers call on junior righty Luke Holman. Fans can catch game two live on the SEC Network+.
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