The Tide took game one 6-0, but then fell 5-3 in the series finale
April 18, 2015
COLUMBIA, MO - Alabama baseball split its doubleheader with No. 14 Missouri on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide claimed game one in shutout fashion, 6-0, but would fall in game two by a score of 5-3.
GAME 1
Freshman Jake Walters tossed a career-high 7.0 scoreless innings and paired with sophomore Thomas Burrows to shut out 14th-ranked Missouri, 6-0, in the day's first game. Walters excelled in his first career SEC start, allowing seven hits while striking out five across a career-high 107 pitches for the win. Burrows followed the Alabama starter with 2.0 innings of work, retiring all six batters he faced to help complete the Tide's fifth shutout of the season.
"Jake Walters had a terrific outing in his first SEC start today," said Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard. "He went seven innings in shutout fashion and was really in command of the game the entire way. He made a lot of quality pitches for us, and helped lead us to the win."
Casey Hughston's team-leading fifth home run of the year gave Alabama the first two runs of the game following five full innings of scoreless baseball. Hughston went deep to right in a hurry, scoring Chandler Avant who reached on a wild pitch after striking out to lead off the inning.
Alabama added two more in the eighth with both runs coming by way of solo home runs. Georgie Salem led off the inning with a bomb to straightaway center for his third of the season. Two outs later, Kyle Overstreet added the Tide's third home run of the game and the first of his season to move the lead to 4-0.
In the ninth, UA was able to pad its lead with a pair of runs. Two walks brought Salem to the plate, and with two down the junior delivered a single past a diving second baseman to bring both runs across and move Alabama's lead to 6-0, the eventual final.
"Casey's two-run homer opened the door for us offensively," Gaspard added. "We put some good swings on a really good pitcher in game one, and I'm proud of the way our offense played in the first contest."
The three home runs were the most the Tide have collected in a game this season and the most since April 30, 2014, when Alabama collected four at Samford. Alabama's season-high was two, which both came from Salem in Alabama's contest at Samford on April 7.
GAME 2
Four home runs, including three solo shots, by Missouri proved to be the downfall for Alabama, as the Crimson Tide fell 5-3 to the Tigers in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.
Alabama got out to the early lead, scoring three in the top of the third to break the 0-0 tie. With two down and two on, Hughston singled through the right side to cross one and leave two on the corners for the Tide. Overstreet followed in the next at-bat with another single, this time to the left side to bring the second tally across and leave two men on still. Cody Henry followed both of them with a single of his own back up the middle, bringing the inning's third run across to set Alabama ahead, 3-0.
Crimson Tide starter Geoffrey Bramblett held Missouri scoreless through the first three innings, but in the fourth the sophomore gave up back-to-back-to-back solo home runs to even the score up at 3-3. The Tide were able to threaten again in the fifth, drawing two walks to chase Missouri's starter, but the new Tiger reliever was able to get the final out of the inning and stop the Crimson Tide from regaining the lead.
Missouri would put two more on the Tide in the sixth as the leadoff hitter singled and then the second man in the inning hit a home run over the wall in right to put MU ahead, 5-3. Alabama was unable to rally back, as neither team added any more runs across the final three frames.
"I thought we had good energy going into the game -- particularly in the first part -- but the three solo shots and the final home run were the key to the game," said Gaspard. "We had an opportunity today to possibly get two, but I thought their relief pitching came in and did a really good job for them in the final game."
Alabama returns home to the Hoover Met for a doubleheader with Mississippi Valley State after today. The Crimson Tide and Delta Devils will play a Tuesday twinbill, with the first game beginning at 2 p.m. CT and the second game beginning 30 minutes after the final out of game one. Both contests will air live on SECN+.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
ALABAMA POSTGAME NOTES
The game one win was Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard's 400th career win. The head man has collected 190 of those 400 wins at The University of Alabama. The other victories all came during his time as head coach at Northwestern State.
Jake Walters made his first career Southeastern Conference start in game one.
The freshman tossed a career-high 7.0 innings. His previous high was 5.0 IP, which he has done three times this season. His most recent outing of 5.0 innings came on April 7 at Samford.
Across those seven innings, Walters accumulated a career-high 107 pitches. That total eclipses his previous high of 87 by 20 pitches.
Walters allowed just one walk in the start and has now allowed no more than three walks in each of his five starts thus far.
Thomas Burrows finished off game one, tossing 2.0 innings and retiring all six batters faced.
Geoffrey Bramblett allowed four home runs in game two. Bramblett had allowed four homers across his first nine starts combined before today.
Bramblett's five earned runs ties his season-high, which he also allowed in his March 1 start vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.
The sophomore starter allowed only one walk and has not issued more than three free passes in a game thus far.
Mitch Greer tossed the final 2.0 innings of game two to match his season-high for innings pitched. Greer also went 2.0 innings on March 7 vs. Lipscomb in Mobile.
Greer faced the minimum and struck out one in his outing.
The Alabama bullpen has not allowed a run in its last 12.2 IP, dating back to the second game of the Georgia series on April 11.
Casey Hughston hit his team-leading fifth home run in game one.
Georgie Salem knocked his third home run of the season in game one. All three homers thus far have been solo shots.
Kyle Overstreet hit his first home run of the season in game one.
The three home runs in one game are a season-high for the Crimson Tide and are the most Alabama has put together in a game since April 7, 2013, when the team collected four at Samford.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
April 18, 2015
COLUMBIA, MO - Alabama baseball split its doubleheader with No. 14 Missouri on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide claimed game one in shutout fashion, 6-0, but would fall in game two by a score of 5-3.
GAME 1
Freshman Jake Walters tossed a career-high 7.0 scoreless innings and paired with sophomore Thomas Burrows to shut out 14th-ranked Missouri, 6-0, in the day's first game. Walters excelled in his first career SEC start, allowing seven hits while striking out five across a career-high 107 pitches for the win. Burrows followed the Alabama starter with 2.0 innings of work, retiring all six batters he faced to help complete the Tide's fifth shutout of the season.
"Jake Walters had a terrific outing in his first SEC start today," said Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard. "He went seven innings in shutout fashion and was really in command of the game the entire way. He made a lot of quality pitches for us, and helped lead us to the win."
Casey Hughston's team-leading fifth home run of the year gave Alabama the first two runs of the game following five full innings of scoreless baseball. Hughston went deep to right in a hurry, scoring Chandler Avant who reached on a wild pitch after striking out to lead off the inning.
Alabama added two more in the eighth with both runs coming by way of solo home runs. Georgie Salem led off the inning with a bomb to straightaway center for his third of the season. Two outs later, Kyle Overstreet added the Tide's third home run of the game and the first of his season to move the lead to 4-0.
In the ninth, UA was able to pad its lead with a pair of runs. Two walks brought Salem to the plate, and with two down the junior delivered a single past a diving second baseman to bring both runs across and move Alabama's lead to 6-0, the eventual final.
"Casey's two-run homer opened the door for us offensively," Gaspard added. "We put some good swings on a really good pitcher in game one, and I'm proud of the way our offense played in the first contest."
The three home runs were the most the Tide have collected in a game this season and the most since April 30, 2014, when Alabama collected four at Samford. Alabama's season-high was two, which both came from Salem in Alabama's contest at Samford on April 7.
GAME 2
Four home runs, including three solo shots, by Missouri proved to be the downfall for Alabama, as the Crimson Tide fell 5-3 to the Tigers in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.
Alabama got out to the early lead, scoring three in the top of the third to break the 0-0 tie. With two down and two on, Hughston singled through the right side to cross one and leave two on the corners for the Tide. Overstreet followed in the next at-bat with another single, this time to the left side to bring the second tally across and leave two men on still. Cody Henry followed both of them with a single of his own back up the middle, bringing the inning's third run across to set Alabama ahead, 3-0.
Crimson Tide starter Geoffrey Bramblett held Missouri scoreless through the first three innings, but in the fourth the sophomore gave up back-to-back-to-back solo home runs to even the score up at 3-3. The Tide were able to threaten again in the fifth, drawing two walks to chase Missouri's starter, but the new Tiger reliever was able to get the final out of the inning and stop the Crimson Tide from regaining the lead.
Missouri would put two more on the Tide in the sixth as the leadoff hitter singled and then the second man in the inning hit a home run over the wall in right to put MU ahead, 5-3. Alabama was unable to rally back, as neither team added any more runs across the final three frames.
"I thought we had good energy going into the game -- particularly in the first part -- but the three solo shots and the final home run were the key to the game," said Gaspard. "We had an opportunity today to possibly get two, but I thought their relief pitching came in and did a really good job for them in the final game."
Alabama returns home to the Hoover Met for a doubleheader with Mississippi Valley State after today. The Crimson Tide and Delta Devils will play a Tuesday twinbill, with the first game beginning at 2 p.m. CT and the second game beginning 30 minutes after the final out of game one. Both contests will air live on SECN+.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
ALABAMA POSTGAME NOTES
The game one win was Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard's 400th career win. The head man has collected 190 of those 400 wins at The University of Alabama. The other victories all came during his time as head coach at Northwestern State.
Jake Walters made his first career Southeastern Conference start in game one.
The freshman tossed a career-high 7.0 innings. His previous high was 5.0 IP, which he has done three times this season. His most recent outing of 5.0 innings came on April 7 at Samford.
Across those seven innings, Walters accumulated a career-high 107 pitches. That total eclipses his previous high of 87 by 20 pitches.
Walters allowed just one walk in the start and has now allowed no more than three walks in each of his five starts thus far.
Thomas Burrows finished off game one, tossing 2.0 innings and retiring all six batters faced.
Geoffrey Bramblett allowed four home runs in game two. Bramblett had allowed four homers across his first nine starts combined before today.
Bramblett's five earned runs ties his season-high, which he also allowed in his March 1 start vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.
The sophomore starter allowed only one walk and has not issued more than three free passes in a game thus far.
Mitch Greer tossed the final 2.0 innings of game two to match his season-high for innings pitched. Greer also went 2.0 innings on March 7 vs. Lipscomb in Mobile.
Greer faced the minimum and struck out one in his outing.
The Alabama bullpen has not allowed a run in its last 12.2 IP, dating back to the second game of the Georgia series on April 11.
Casey Hughston hit his team-leading fifth home run in game one.
Georgie Salem knocked his third home run of the season in game one. All three homers thus far have been solo shots.
Kyle Overstreet hit his first home run of the season in game one.
The three home runs in one game are a season-high for the Crimson Tide and are the most Alabama has put together in a game since April 7, 2013, when the team collected four at Samford.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
