Alabama Baseball Halts the Red Hot Wildcats
Alabama baseball has had a rough start to SEC play. Coming into the final game of a three-game series against the Kentucky Wildcats, the Crimson Tide were 1-4 in conference play. Luckily for coach Brad Bohannon's team, they beat a red-hot Wildcats team 4-3.
Coming into this game, the Kentucky Wildcats were 21-2 on the year. After losing to Elon and Wright State to start the year, Kentucky was coming into Sunday's matchup undefeated in the SEC and riding a 17-game winning streak.
The Wildcats were in control the entire game but in the end, Alabama had more runs when the game ended. Kentucky started the scoring off with a Devin Burks single into left field. This single in the top of the first inning brought in Jackson Gray to put the Wildcats up 1-0.
When it was Alabama's time to hit in the first inning, the team responded back. With Colby Shelton on third base and one out, Jim Jarvis fouled out to the shortstop but brought in Shelton to tie the game at one.
Kentucky responded to this by extending their lead in the top of the second inning. With no outs and two runners on base, Grant Smith grounded out to Alabama's pitcher Grayson Hitt. Even with the ground out, Nolan Mcarthy came in from third base to put Kentucky back in front.
Alabama was not able to respond until the bottom of the sixth inning. With William Hamiter and Jim Jarvis on base, Andrew Pinckney comes up to bat with two outs. Pinckney responds with a single to the right side. This single advanced Hamiter to third base and brought in Jarvis.
Kentucky responded to the Pinckney single by scoring the only homerun of the game. In the top of the seventh inning, Smith hit a solo home run into center field, to give Kentucky a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, this would be their last run of the game.
The game looked lost for the Crimson Tide, but the team never stopped fighting and their never give up attitude was rewarded. In the bottom of the eighth inning, In one of the wildest plays of the year so far, Ed Johnson reached on a fielder's choice at first base. Even with the out, Johnson earned an RBI after Jarvis tied the game at three.
The scoring continued for Alabama in the bottom of the eighth. To clinch the game, Pinckney hit another single into left field. This single advanced Pinckney to third brought in Hamiter and put Alabama back in front 4-3.
The next game for Alabama will be on Tuesday as the team travels to Huntsville, Ala. to take on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at 6 p.m. CST. As for Kentucky, the team will be traveling to Bowling Green, Ky., to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at 6 p.m. CST on Tuesday.