March 29, 2022

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball used a bases loaded wild pitch to bring in the game-winning run in the Crimson Tide’s 5-4 win over South Alabama on Tuesday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

The midweek victory moves UA to 15-11 on the season.

South Alabama took a 2-0 lead after three innings, with Alabama gaining the advantage in the fourth thanks to a four-run frame. The Jaguars added one in the fifth and eighth to tie things up at four apiece headed to the ninth. Alabama was able to keep USA off the board in the top half before rallying for the game-winning run in the home half.

Jim Jarvis began the ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double and moved to third thanks to an infield ground out. South Alabama then intentionally walked both Zane Denton and Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) to load the bases. Following a strikeout for out No. 2, a wild pitch in the next at-bat got away from the USA catcher to allow Jarvis to come home for the go-ahead run, making it a 5-4 final in favor of the Crimson Tide.

Jake Leger (1-0) was tabbed with the win on Tuesday night. The junior worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first win as a member of the Crimson Tide. South Alabama reliever Jackson Boyd (0-1) suffered the loss.

Seven of the nine Alabama starters recorded a hit on Tuesday evening, led by Jarvis’ 2-for-4 effort that included a double and one run scored. Bryce Eblin paced the Tide in RBI with three – all coming on his first home run of the season. Eblin finished 1-for-4 and added a run to go with the three RBIs.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

“I am really glad to get a win tonight over a really good South Alabama team. We haven’t been great in midweeks the last few weeks – and I am not sure that we played our best tonight – but I am proud of our guys for doing enough to get a win over a good team. I really thought we could have done better in the first by busting the game open, and we were really frustrated on how that played out, but the guys kept fighting. We put up the four spot in the fourth when Bryce (Eblin) hit the three-run homer, all those runs coming with two outs, so that was awesome to see. I am glad to get a win. We are going to take tomorrow off and get ready for Texas A&M this weekend.”

How It Happened

T3 | A two-run home run by Will Turner got the Jaguars on the board first. (2-0, South Alabama)

B4 | Andrew Pinckney drew a two-out walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Drew Williamson followed with single up the middle to get UA on the board with Eric Foggo moving the pair into scoring position on a ground rule double. Bryce Eblin was next, sending an 0-2 pitch over the visitor’s bullpen for his first career home run. (4-2, Alabama)

T5 | USA trimmed the lead to one when an infield groundout added a run. (4-3, Alabama)

T8 | A pinch-hit two-out double down the line in left tied the game at four apiece. (4-4)

B9 | Jim Jarvis led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on an infield groundout. After intentional walks to Zane Denton and Owen Diodati, Jarvis crossed home plate on a wild pitch to give the Crimson Tide the victory in walkoff fashion. (5-4, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

-Alabama is now 6-0 against South Alabama under head coach Brad Bohannon.

-The walkoff win was UA’s third of the season. The Tide also walked it off on a home run on Opening Day against Xavier and then again against Florida on March 20 thanks to an RBI-single.

-The Crimson Tide pitchers struck out 10 in tonight’s contest and have punched out 10-or-more hitters in 12 games this season.

-Jake Leger earned his first win as a member of the Crimson Tide.

-Eight of the nine Crimson Tide starters reached base safely on the night.

-Owen Diodati has now reached base safely in 11 straight contests, dating back to March 12 against Binghamton

-Bryce Eblin recorded his first home run as a member of the Crimson Tide.

Alabama will continue the current five-game homestand with a weekend series against the Texas A&M Aggies. Game one is set for a 6 p.m. CT start at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, with games two and three starting at 4 and 1 p.m., respectively. The bookend games of the series will air live on the SEC Network+ with game two scheduled for a national broadcast on the SEC Network.