No. 23 Alabama Takes Down Troy Behind Elite Pitching Performance

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 23 Alabama defeats No. 19 Troy 3-1 behind elite performances from JT Blackwood, Matthew Heiberger, and Carson Ozmer.

Alabama reliever Matthew Heiberger earned the win, while closer Carson Ozmer was credited with his fourth save of the season.

Rob Vaughn's opening statement after Alabama's gritty 3-1 win over Troy.

"Great night. I mean, that's a top-25 matchup and I think it lived up to the billing. We were able to go out and out-slug people the first three weeks of the season. But a majority of the games we're going to play the rest of the way are going to feel more like tonight, where it's a pitch here, a play here, an opportunity to execute offensively there. It was good to see us kinda stick with it. The story of the night was JT [Blackwood] was great to start, scattered five hits, gave up one run. I thought he made some really big pitches in big spots. And then, obviously getting Matty [Matthew Heiberger] back. He's been working really hard to get himself back to where he's at... all the things that elite, winning baseball looks like, Matty did tonight. Then Oz [Carson Ozmer] finished it. Thought we left some meat in the bone in the fourth [inning]... good win for our group."

Both the Trojan and Crimson Tide offenses began the evening slow.

In the first inning, Alabama starter JT Blackwood forced two groundouts to begin the evening. However, Troy's first baseman, Blake Cavill, ripped a double into the right-center for the first hit of the game. Blackwood worked another groundout the following at-bat to escape the inning unscathed.

In the home half of the first, the Crimson Tide would also tack on a two-out hit via a Coleman Mizell single through the right side. The following at-bat, Jason Torres reached base via a hit by pitch to put two runners on with two outs for Will Hodo.

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The Crimson Tide couldn't capitalize, ending the inning where they started at 0-0.

The second inning would be a similar story for the Trojans, working a two-out hit, this time around a single from Jimmy Janicki. Blackwood would keep Troy from striking first with a strikeout looking from Peyton Watts.

The Alabama order couldn't get anything going in the second, as Troy starter Adam F retired the Crimson Tide bats in order.

Troy struck first in the top of the third. Singles from Jakob Wax and Steven Meier plus a sacrifice groundout from Sean Darnell to advance Wax and Meier into scoring position allowed Blake Cavill to knock an RBI groundout to Justin Lebron, plating the first run of the evening.

The Crimson Tide swung back in the bottom half of the frame. A leadoff walk from Richie Bonomolo Jr. set up a two-run swing from Lebron to give Alabama the lead. This marked Lebron's ninth homerun and 34th RBI of the season. Alabama was unable to tack on any more in the third.

Looking to respond in the top of the fourth, the Trojans started the inning with a leadoff single from Mike Bello. The following at-bat, Left fielder Shane Lewis popped up to Lebron for the first out of the inning. Eyeing another hit, Jimmy Janicki knocked a flyout to right fielder Bryce Fowler, who was able to throw out Mike Bello for 9-3 double play to end the inning.

Looking to extend its lead, the Crimson Tide threatened to blow the game wide open, loading the bases with one-out. However, Falinksi did an excellent job at damage control, forcing two straight outs to keep the Alabama lead at 2-1.

Matthew Heiberger entered the game in the fifth in relief for Blackwood. The southpaw nailed Peyton Watts in the face on the first pitch he threw. Despite the first pitch blunder, Heiberger shut down the Trojan lineup by forcing three consecutive groundouts.

Despite the momentum, the Crimson Tide offense couldn't tack on any more runs in the fourth, being retired in order.

Heiberger continued his strong outing in the sixth, dropping the Trojan bats in 1-2-3 fashion.

The Crimson Tide tacked on their lone insurance run in the bottom half of the sixth thanks to a RBI fielder's choice from Brady Neal, extending the Alabama lead to 3-1.

In the seventh, Heiberger was nails for the Tide once again. Janicki ripped a single through the middle of the infield to tally the lone hit against Heiberger, but the Trojans couldn't do anything with it.

The Crimson Tide went down in order once again in the seventh.

In the top of the eighth frame, the Trojans worked a one-out walk to put the tying run at the plate. However, Heiberger forced a fly out and an emphatic swinging strikeout to keep the Trojan offense at bay.

The Crimson Tide offense was quiet again in the eighth, being retired in order to send the game into the ninth inning.

Closer Carson Ozmer entered the game to slam the door shut on the Trojans.

Ozmer struck out Mike Bello to begin the inning before allowing a one-out single from Shane Lewis to put the tying run on the plate for Troy. Ozmer picked up two swinging strikeouts the following at-bats to end the game, picking up Alabama's second ranked win of the season.

Alabama retakes the field Friday against Presbyterian. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT.

For more Alabama Baseball, Basketball, and Football content from Simon Besnoy, follow him on Twitter at @SimonBesnoy and stay tuned to Tide1009.com for daily news.