UA Baseball Closes Weekend With SEC Series Win

Over the weekend, Alabama baseball made strides in SEC play that fans haven't seen in more than three seasons. For the first time since May of 2017, the Crimson Tide managed to pull out an SEC series sweep after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies on Sunday by a final score of 7-4.

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Leading off the weekend series, junior RHP Tyler Ras kept his solid 2021 campaign brewing Friday night and handed the ball off to RHP Chase Lee after throwing 7.1 innings with four strikeouts and only allowing three runs. Sophomore infielder Peyton Wilson only added to his impressive 2021 batting average (.351) by going 4-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base on the way to their weekend-opening victory.

Junior RHP Dylan Smith - who grew up under 100 miles from College Station, TX - got the starting nod from Brad Bohannon but was pulled after 4.1 innings on Saturday. Smith's three earned runs were the only put up by the Aggies in game two and work from junior RHP Connor Shamblin and R-So. RHP Landon Green sealed the Tide's first SEC series victory since April of 2019. Junior Alabama-native TJ Reeves led the offense for the Tide as he managed to go 3-for-4 with an RBI on Saturday.

The Alabama bullpen was active and needed in Sunday's first SEC series-sweeping victory since 2017 for the Crimson Tide. Coming off an injury, sophomore LHP Antoine Jean only went 2.1 innings before being pulled for junior RHP Jacob McNairy. McNairy received credit for his first win of 2021 but needed 2.0 innings from senior RHP William Freeman and an additional save from junior RHP Chase Lee to close out the weekend. Sophomore Zane Denton, the team's second-highest OPS leader, went 3-for-5 with two RBI; however, it would be the Canadian - Owen Diodati - who managed to launch a three-run homer in the seventh to secure Alabama's first SEC sweep since 2017.

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Wilson and Diodati each lead the Crimson Tide with eight home runs, respectively, after the weekend. RHP Chase Lee also made strides during the successful series as he managed to secure his fourth save (team leader) while keeping his ERA at a perfect 0.00 through 19.2 innings pitched.

Brad Bohannon and Alabama baseball start a five-game home stint on Tuesday, April 13, as the Samford Bulldogs make the short trip to Tuscaloosa for a 6:00 p.m. CT meeting. The next SEC series for the Crimson Tide as they start to heat up will begin this Thursday, April 15, as they welcome the Auburn Tigers to Sewell-Thomas Stadium for a three-game weekend match-up with our cross-state rival.

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