Comeback Effort Falls Short in Baseball’s 4-2 Loss to Stetson on Friday

Friday, March 12

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 P.M.

Alabama

12-3

Stetson

11-4

Stetson

Alabama

Comeback Effort Falls Short in Baseball’s 4-2 Loss to Stetson on Friday

3/12/2021 9:37:00 PM | Baseball

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The Crimson Tide scored two in the ninth and had the go-ahead run at the plate but could not complete the comeback

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball's comeback effort came up short on Friday evening as the 23^rd-ranked Crimson Tide fell to Stetson, 4-2. The loss moves UA to 12-3 on the season.

Alabama was no-hit through eight innings and trailed 4-0 heading to the bottom of the ninth. Drew Williamson began that final frame with a single to left. He came home in the next at-bat when Zane Denton sent a home run deep over the visitor's bullpen in right-center to cut the lead in half. A single from Owen Diodati and a two-out double from Andrew Pinckney brought the go-ahead run to the plate but a 6-3 groundout ended the Tide's comeback.

Stetson starter Nick Durgin (2-1) picked up the win with 8.0 innings of two-run baseball. The redshirt freshman carried a no-hitter into the ninth before giving up the single to Williamson and lost the shutout bid with Denton's home run. Alabama starter Tyler Ras (2-1) was handed the hard-luck loss as his defense failed him, committing a season-high four errors on the night. The four miscues played a part in his four runs allowed – only one of which was earned. Ras' night ended after 5.0-plus innings, giving up three hits and a walk while striking out three.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

"Their starter Nick Durgin was just outstanding. He did a great job of pounding the strike zone and was ahead in the count all night. He had outstanding tempo; he controlled the tempo of the at-bats and had a really good breaking ball that he threw for a strike. Hats off to him for eight no-hit innings against us. I thought Tyler Ras gave us a really good start and I was glad to see some fight late, but that's about the only good things I can say about today's game. I'm really hopeful that we can be better tomorrow."

How It Happened

T2 | A pair of Alabama errors followed by a groundout moved a runner to third for the Hatters. A 6-3 grounder then crossed the man from third for the game's first run. The next batter sent a solo home run over the wall in right for the inning's second run. (2-0, Stetson)
T6 | The Hatters led off with a walk and a Tide miscue put two on to force a pitching change. A wild pitch and another walk loaded them up before back-to-back sacrifice flies scored two more. (4-0, Stetson)
B9 | Drew Williamson broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single to start the ninth. He was followed by Zane Denton, who sent the first pitch he saw out of the ballpark for a two-run home run. After a Stetson pitching change, Owen Diodati singled. He moved to third two batters later when Andrew Pinckney delivered a two-out double to put the pair in scoring position with the winning run at the plate. Alabama was unable to come any closer, however, as a 6-3 groundout ended the game.

Postgame Notes

Zane Denton finished 1-for-3 on the night to push his hitting streak to seven games. Across that stretch, Denton is batting .357 (10-28) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, eight runs, six walks and one hit-by-pitch.
Jim Jarvis and Drew Williamson each got aboard in tonight's game and have now reached base safely in 13 straight games dating back to Feb. 21.
Sam Praytor's hitting streak came to an end at 11 games. Across that time, the Tide catcher batted .293 (12-41) with four doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI, eight runs, eight walks and a pair of hit-by-pitch. It was the longest streak of Praytor's career and the longest by a Crimson Tide hitter this season.
ATTENDANCE: 1,764 (SELLOUT)

Alabama and Stetson return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch at The Joe. The Crimson Tide will look to right-hander Dylan Smith to even the series while the Hatters counter with lefty Chris Gonzalez. Fans can catch game two of the series on SEC Network+.

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