Tony Vitello said before arriving in Hoover that this one might feel a little like March Madness with the new single-elimination format. He wasn’t wrong. This was a wild one for about six innings before the Volunteers finally put the Crimson Tide away.
A hot start for Tennessee
Hunter Ensley wasted no time getting things going in the bottom of the first, shooting a double down the left field line. Andrew Fischer was waved home and scored without any trouble to give Tennessee a 1-0 lead.
The Tennessee offense had Alabama starter Aeden Finateri on the ropes early. The Volunteers’ lineup work him over, pushing his pitch count over 40 in just the second inning. Levi Clark just missed a two-run shot to dead center, but Tennessee wasn’t done. Manny Marin singled and then Gavin Kilen drove him home to extend the lead out to 2-0.
Alabama replaced Finateri after that and drew a line-out to end the threat.
Marcus Phillips cruised along until the top of the fourth. A leadoff double put the Crimson Tide in position to put a run on the board, and with runners on the corners after a walk, Richie Bomolomo Jr. put one in the gap. One run scored, but Phillips was able to get out of the inning after a base-running blunder from Bomolomo.
Clark and Peebles started the bottom of the fourth out with a couple of back to back singles. Marin laid down a bunt to get them to second and third, then Kilen drove them both in with a lazy ground ball against the shift.
Andrew Fischer lined another up the middle to keep the momentum rolling and a wild pitch would plate one more. Tennessee had quickly answered with a three-run inning to make it 5-1, suddenly in complete control of this one in the middle innings.
A disastrous top of the fifth
Alabama wasn’t ready to go away though. A double and a walk put two on, and Brennan Norton drove one in. That would spell the end for Marcus Phillips, who exited after struggling through his second time through the lineup. Phillips tossed 72 pitches on the day and Vitello turned to Brandon Arvidson and AJ Russell from there.
Russell would end up loading the bases with two outs. Three-hole hitter Kade Snell hit a simple grounder over to second base, but Dean Curley threw it away. Two runs would score to make it a 5-4 game — a play that should have been made to keep Tennessee’s lead at three.
Still with two on, Russell needed to make something happen to get out of the inning. After working it full to Botomolo, the Alabama centerfielder put one in the gap. Another two runs scored, and just like that Alabama held a 6-5 lead.
Vols battle back
Clark’s big game continued. Another hit and a wild pitch got him to second and Peebles dropped one right over the second basemen to get him home to tie it. Tennessee would take the lead back in the next inning.
A pair of walks set things up for Dalton Bargo who joined the hit parade. A single into the left side would push in Kilen to give Tennessee a 7-6 advantage. With two still on, Alabama turned to Hagan Banks out of the bullpen. Dean Curley would load the bases for his first hit of the day.
Reese Chapman delivered. A line drive right back up the middle scored two to give Tennessee a 9-6 lead. Peebles and Clark pushed it out to an 11-6 lead.
