Alabama defeated Ole Miss 6-2 on May 16, bringing the college baseball regular season to a close for both teams.
The outcome sets up both Alabama and Ole Miss for participation in the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. The Rebels finished the regular season with a record of 36-20 overall and an even 15-15 in conference play, while the Crimson Tide posted a record of 37-18 overall and 18-12 in the SEC. As a result, Ole Miss will enter the tournament as the No. 9 seed and is scheduled to play No. 16-seeded Missouri at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
During Saturday’s game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama scored first with an RBI double by Justin Lebron after Bryce Fowler singled. The Rebels responded in the third inning when Austin Fawley and Owen Paino reached base with singles, Topher Jones was hit by a pitch to load the bases, then Dom Decker singled to left scoring Fawley and Tristan Bissetta added another run with a sacrifice fly.
Alabama tied it up in their half of the third inning on an RBI single from John Lemm before breaking out with three runs in the fourth inning. After those runs were scored with two outs, Rebel starter Cade Townsend was relieved by Hudson Calhoun who ended that frame with a strikeout. In the fifth inning, Eric Hines hit a leadoff solo home run for Alabama’s final score of the game.
The Crimson Tide outhit Ole Miss eleven to four during this contest. Myles Upchurch earned his eighth win of the season as Alabama’s starting pitcher while Townsend took his third loss for Ole Miss.
Both teams now look ahead to postseason play beginning next week.
