The Tide scored three of its four runs over the final four innings
2/25/2017
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball's comeback effort fell short, as the Crimson Tide suffered a 5-4 loss to Oral Roberts on Saturday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the loss, Oral Roberts claims the series victory as the Tide moves to 3-3 on the season.
"I'm really proud of how our guys came back today, and I was encouraged by the way they fought," said Alabama head coach Greg Goff. "I really think that we were a hit or two away from tying that game up; I'm just proud of how our guys fought and competed. There are things that we definitely have to do better, and that's my job and responsibility (to get them better). We've got to respond tonight, come out tomorrow and play better baseball."
Crimson Tide starter Jake Walters (1-1) suffered the loss, working 5.1 innings and allowing five earned runs on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The junior right-hander tossed 92 pitches before handing the ball over to his bullpen, which stalled the ORU offense for remainder of the game.
Alabama's bullpen arms of Zac Rogers, Garret Rukes, Mike Oczypok and Davis Vainer shut down ORU across the final 3.2 innings, allowing only two hits while striking out five to keep the Crimson Tide within striking distance. Rukes made his first career appearance in today's game, throwing 1.0 inning and allowing one hit with a strikeout, while Mike Oczypok came in for his first outing of the season, throwing 0.2 of an inning.
The Tide fell behind early in Saturday's contest after Oral Roberts hopped up to an early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the first. A leadoff single followed by a wild pitch placed a runner in scoring position for the Golden Eagles. Two outs later, a two-run home run cleared the bases and gave ORU a 2-0 lead.
Alabama narrowed the gap in the bottom of the second with one run of their own. Back-to-back, one-out singles from Chandler Taylor and Cody Henry placed runners on the corners. In the next at-bat, Taylor Poe delivered a third straight single, this one to left, to allow a run to cross and cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Golden Eagles struck for a total of three runs across the fifth and sixth innings to widen the lead and make it a 5-1 game. In the fifth, a leadoff double followed by a single plated one run. Two outs later, another single scored a second tally to increase the lead to 4-1. With one down in the sixth, a pair of singles followed by a walk loaded the bases for Oral Roberts before a wild pitch in the next at-bat allowed the runner from third to score and extend the lead to 5-1.
The Tide responded, scoring three runs across the sixth and seventh innings to chip away at the lead. In the sixth, Hunter Alexander reached on a one-out single and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. One batter later, Henry sent a single, his second hit of the afternoon, to right field, scoring Alexander and moving the score to 5-2.
In the seventh, Keith Holcombe led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch to put himself aboard. Logan Carey followed with a single in his first career at-bat to put men on first and second with nobody down. Two outs later, Gene Wood delivered a double to score Holcombe and make it a two-run game. In the following at-bat, Cobie Vance drove a single up the middle to score Wood and make it a 5-4 contest with the Tide inching closer.
Chandler Avant delivered a two-out single in the ninth to give Alabama life, but a flyout to third ended the game with ORU in front for the win and the series victory.
Sunday's final contest of the weekend is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide will send sophomore left-hander Dylan Duarte to the mound, while the Golden Eagles will counter with junior left-hander Miguel Ausua. Fans can catch all the action on SEC Network+.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
2/25/2017
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball's comeback effort fell short, as the Crimson Tide suffered a 5-4 loss to Oral Roberts on Saturday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the loss, Oral Roberts claims the series victory as the Tide moves to 3-3 on the season.
"I'm really proud of how our guys came back today, and I was encouraged by the way they fought," said Alabama head coach Greg Goff. "I really think that we were a hit or two away from tying that game up; I'm just proud of how our guys fought and competed. There are things that we definitely have to do better, and that's my job and responsibility (to get them better). We've got to respond tonight, come out tomorrow and play better baseball."
Crimson Tide starter Jake Walters (1-1) suffered the loss, working 5.1 innings and allowing five earned runs on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The junior right-hander tossed 92 pitches before handing the ball over to his bullpen, which stalled the ORU offense for remainder of the game.
Alabama's bullpen arms of Zac Rogers, Garret Rukes, Mike Oczypok and Davis Vainer shut down ORU across the final 3.2 innings, allowing only two hits while striking out five to keep the Crimson Tide within striking distance. Rukes made his first career appearance in today's game, throwing 1.0 inning and allowing one hit with a strikeout, while Mike Oczypok came in for his first outing of the season, throwing 0.2 of an inning.
The Tide fell behind early in Saturday's contest after Oral Roberts hopped up to an early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the first. A leadoff single followed by a wild pitch placed a runner in scoring position for the Golden Eagles. Two outs later, a two-run home run cleared the bases and gave ORU a 2-0 lead.
Alabama narrowed the gap in the bottom of the second with one run of their own. Back-to-back, one-out singles from Chandler Taylor and Cody Henry placed runners on the corners. In the next at-bat, Taylor Poe delivered a third straight single, this one to left, to allow a run to cross and cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Golden Eagles struck for a total of three runs across the fifth and sixth innings to widen the lead and make it a 5-1 game. In the fifth, a leadoff double followed by a single plated one run. Two outs later, another single scored a second tally to increase the lead to 4-1. With one down in the sixth, a pair of singles followed by a walk loaded the bases for Oral Roberts before a wild pitch in the next at-bat allowed the runner from third to score and extend the lead to 5-1.
The Tide responded, scoring three runs across the sixth and seventh innings to chip away at the lead. In the sixth, Hunter Alexander reached on a one-out single and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. One batter later, Henry sent a single, his second hit of the afternoon, to right field, scoring Alexander and moving the score to 5-2.
In the seventh, Keith Holcombe led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch to put himself aboard. Logan Carey followed with a single in his first career at-bat to put men on first and second with nobody down. Two outs later, Gene Wood delivered a double to score Holcombe and make it a two-run game. In the following at-bat, Cobie Vance drove a single up the middle to score Wood and make it a 5-4 contest with the Tide inching closer.
Chandler Avant delivered a two-out single in the ninth to give Alabama life, but a flyout to third ended the game with ORU in front for the win and the series victory.
Sunday's final contest of the weekend is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide will send sophomore left-hander Dylan Duarte to the mound, while the Golden Eagles will counter with junior left-hander Miguel Ausua. Fans can catch all the action on SEC Network+.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
