No. 25 Crimson Tide Falls in Extra Innings to No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3

[Diamond Tide]

Alabama battled for two runs in the ninth to send the game to extras

3/24/2023

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball fell to No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3, in a 12-inning affair on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The 25th-ranked Crimson Tide is now 18-5 overall and 1-3 in Southeastern Conference play.

A windy night kept both teams in the ballpark and limited the scoring opportunities on both sides. The Wildcats took an early lead with two runs in the first and added one more run in the fourth. Alabama was able to cross one in the fifth before evening things up with a two-run ninth. Both teams were held scoreless until the top of the 12th when UK plated one run for the eventual 4-3 final.

Kentucky reliever Zach Hise (1-0) picked up the win while Braylon Myers (0-1) suffered the hard-luck loss. Alabama starter Ben Hess did not factor into the decision despite an impressive start. The sophomore allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk with a career-high tying 10 strikeouts across his 6.1 innings of work.

From Assistant Coach Jason Jackson
"I'm proud of the way our guys fought back. When it came down to it, (Kentucky) probably just executed some things better than us. They executed a nice bunt in the first inning, and we helped them out a little bit, and then they did a nice job with that hit and run (in the 12th). It is tough to hit with the way the wind was blowing, and those kind of little things make a big difference on nights like this."

How It Happened

• T1 | A double and a single to start the first got the Wildcats on the board. A stolen base and a throwing error then allowed the man from first to move to third before a 6-3 putout crossed a second run. (2-0, Kentucky)
• T4 | Kentucky singled to start the inning and moved the leadoff man into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. A single up the middle in the next at-bat plated the man from second. (3-0, Kentucky)
• B5 | Drew Williamson led the inning off with a single and was followed by a single from Ed Johnson to put runners at the corners. Andrew Pinckney capitalized on the opportunity, scoring Williamson with a single up the middle. (3-1, Kentucky)
• B9 | Jim Jarvis started the rally with a leadoff single. Caden Rose followed with a single of his own with a throwing error on the play allowing both runners to move into scoring position. Will Hodo then moved everyone up 90 feet with an RBI-single to right. The Tide evened things up on a wild pitch one out later when Rose took home for the tying run. (3-3)
• T12 | A hit-by-pitch gave UK a baserunner with one down. The Wildcats then executed the hit-and-run with a single to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch in the next at-bat crossed the go-ahead run. (4-3, Kentucky)

Postgame Notes

• Alabama's 14 strikeouts are the most against an SEC opponent since May 24 against Georgia in the SEC Tournament when the Tide accumulated 17 punchouts.
• The 14 strikeouts are the Tide's most in SEC regular season action since May 8 of last season against LSU when Alabama's arms struck out 15.
• Ben Hess tossed a career-high 105 pitches in tonight's start. His previous high was 96 last Friday at Florida.
• The sophomore's 6.1 innings pitched matched his previous best which also came last week against the Gators.
• Hess' 10 strikeouts tie his career-high total. He also had 10 punchouts against the Bulldogs in last season's SEC Tournament matchup.
• ATTENDANCE : 3,175

Alabama will look to even the series on Saturday afternoon at The Joe. The Crimson Tide will send sophomore right-hander Luke Holman to the hill while the Wildcats counter with left-hander Tyler Bosma. First pitch of game two is set for 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabmaBSB 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.


-UA-


RTR,

Diamond Tide