Best Wins/Toughest Losses

TideHead

All-SEC
May 19, 2003
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I was thinking the other day about some of the most enjoyable wins that I've seen over the years as well as some of the most agonizing losses. Now, I'm a relatively new follower of Bama baseball: I really got interested in them about the time that Coach Wells came. So, you may have games that were further back in history than mine. Nonetheless, here are my thoughts.

Best Wins-in no particular order

1. Every game in the 2003 SEC Tournament- I always believe that we can win every game, but I honestly went into this tournament thinking that there was a good chance that we could go two and out. That four day run was unbelievable; to see that team that had struggled so much going down the stretch come out and play that well was amazing.

2. The 2 1999 Super Regional Games-Locking up a trip to Omaha at home against SEC rival LSU was really enjoyable, especially when both games were over before they ever got started.

3. The entire 2002 series vs Auburn- A sweep at home against our rivals. Two incredible comebacks on Friday and Saturday (Who can ever forget Boyd's shot to end the Saturday game?) and then Mclanahan taking over the Sunday game.

4. 1999 Rice game-Loser's bracket game in the College World Series. It looked like we were going to lose it when they got ahead of us late in the game, but we mounted a comeback. When Bozanich knocked in the winning run, I nearly jumped to the roof!

5. 1996 Oklahoma State-Moehller capped off a huge rally in the bottom of the 9th with a walk off homer in the first game of the CWS.

6. 1997 CWS wins against Miss State and the two against Miami-Showed a lot of heart the way they responded after the Miami loss to rally to beat State and beat Miami twice to get to the final.

7. 2001 Friday/Sunday Miss State games and the entire Arkansas series-That team showed a ton of heart after getting swept by LSU to come back and take 2/3 from State and sweep Arkansas (They had to rally to win all 3 of the Arkansas games.) and put themselves in position for the SEC Tournament. Unfortunately, our friends in Baton Rouge did us no favors, but that was a great run to end the season. Not to mention, they lost their catcher in the middle of that run.

8. 1997 Saturday LSU game-I'm still kicking myself for not driving down for this game. An unbelievable offensive explosion that led to a 28-2 win over the eventual national champs. David Crane said, "That baseball must look like a beach ball to the Alabama batters!"

9. 1997 USC Regional Final-This was the day that I decided I'd never again let the weather decide whether I went to a game or not. I was planning to drive down for this, but it rained all morning, and I was thinking they would be midninght finishing, so I listened to this on the radio. Big mistake! A thrilling one run win that sent us to Omaha. Among the highlights: Frick's walk-off homer and Keller's gun down of the USC runner at home. (By the way, did anybody ever see a replay of this: The runner apparently missed home, and we tagged him after he thought he scored. USC went ballistic! Was it a good call, or did we get lucky?)

Toughest losses-in no particular order

1. 2002 Regional Final vs FLA Atlantic-Heartbreaking loss. That team was loaded and had a real shot to win it all but blew a golden opportunity. The SEMO game on Friday night really hurt us more than anything, but they fought all the way back to the final and lost an agonizing one run decision.

2. 2001 Saturday LSU Game-Tying run taken away by the umpire on a bogus appeal play. Absolutely horrible way for a game to end!Losing this game ultimately kept us out of the SEC Tournament.

3. 1998 Regional Final vs Long Beach State-Line drive by Sam Bozanich that likely ties the game in the 9th inning is caught by the Long Beach 2nd baseman, ending our season.

4. 1998 Regional Game vs N.C. State-We would have already won the regional by the time we got to the aformentioned Long Beach game if we had not blown a huge lead in this game.

5. 1999 Miami in CWS-Had a rally going in the 9th inning, but a ground ball end it and thus our season ended.

6. 1996 Clemson in CWS-We came back from a huge deficit to take the lead, then gave them the lead right back, and then had a rally going to tie the game, but a ground ball ended the game. Heartbreaking way to end the season.

7. 2000 Saturday Regional game vs Stanford-If I remember correctly, we had a 3 run lead in the 9th inning but blew it and then lost in extras. This loss forced us to beat them twice Sunday, and we only beat them once Three more outs in that Saturday game, and we're likely hosting Nebraska in a super regional the next week.

8. 1997 LSU National Final-After fighting through the loser's bracket to get to the final, I hated to see them lose this. But, it was made easier by the fact that it wasn't a one or two run loss. I'd like to know what would have happened had Al Davis not called that very borderline third strike when we had a rally going.


[This message has been edited by TideHead (edited 12-26-2003).]

[This message has been edited by TideHead (edited 12-26-2003).]
 

Diamond Tide

Baseball Moderator
Staff member
Jun 23, 2000
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Tuscaloosa , AL USA
diamondtide.tidefans.com
TideHead,
Boy, you brought back a lot of memories. Who could ever forget Jeremy Vaughn's performance on the mound against Arkansas in the SEC championship game in 1999. He threw a gem against the SEC regular season champs.

The one that will haunt me forever is not having the services of Roberto Vaz in the 1997 College World Series. What would have been the end result had he played? On the other hand, we would have not been entertained by the performance put on by his replacement, Mark Peer. Who ended up being named to the all-tournament team. Still, it wasn't the same without Roberto.


RTR,

Diamond Tide



------------------
"You're the best.........baby."-Coach Jim Wells talking to senior catcher Jeremy Brown.
 

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