No. 23 Alabama Baseball Suffers Series Loss to No. 16 Mississippi State

The No. 23 Alabama Crimson Tide (28-18, 9-14) baseball team suffered a series loss to the No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs (32-15, 14-9) 8-1 at Dudy Noble Field “The Dude” on Saturday afternoon. 

The Crimson Tide’s lineup looked different than usual as the team is dealing with a stomach bug per multiple reports. TJ McCants, Evan Sleight, and Will Hodo were absent from the game and Gage Miller, Ian Petrutz, and Kade Snell exited during the contest. 

Left-handed pitcher Zane Adams started on the mound for the Crimson Tide. In his 5.0 innings pitched, the freshman allowed four hits, four runs (three earned), walked three batters, and struck out four. Tyler Fay and Austin Morris made appearances out of the bullpen.

Alabama’s sole run came in the top of the third inning when Max Grant, who played in place of Hodo, hit a solo home run to center field, the first run of the afternoon by either team. 

However, the Bulldogs responded and scored eight unanswered runs on an RBI single by Bryce Chance and a two-run home run by David Mershon in the third, a sacrifice fly by Amani Larry in the fourth, a pair of RBI singles by Logan Kohler and Johnny Long in the sixth, and a solo home run by Kohler and an RBI double by Chance in the eighth. 

Mississippi State right-handed pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje started on the mound. The junior went 7.0 innings and allowed seven hits, one run (earned), and struck out eight with 110 total pitches. Tyler Davis entered the game in relief and pitched the remainder of the matchup.