Alabama
36-17, 0
Ole Miss
35-19, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| Alabama | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | X | 5 | 8 | 0 |
No. 18 Baseball Claims 5-4 Win in Series Opener Over No. 15 Ole Miss
5/14/2026 10:49:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide produced a season-high 16 strikeouts in the Thursday victory
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 19 Alabama baseball (36-17, 17-11 SEC) was guided by a strong combined pitching performance from Tyler Fay and Matthew Heiberger, as the Crimson Tide opened its series against No. 15 Ole Miss (35-19, 14-14 SEC) with a 5-4 win at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Thursday.
Tyler Fay (9-3) again stifled the opposing lineup, tossing 7.0 innings while allowing only seven hits and three earned runs. Fay was responsible for just one walk in addition to striking out 11 across his 21 outs. Matthew Heiberger earned his fourth save of the season and his second in as many games, as the southpaw punched out five across his 2.0 innings, scattering two hits and a walk while being responsible for an earned run.
Bryce Fowler led the Alabama lineup with three hits in five at-bats, adding an RBI and two runs scored as the table-setter atop the Tide order. Justin Lebron was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk, and two stolen bases, as his two-run blast immediately gave the Tide the lead after Ole Miss plated a run in the top half of the 1st. Lebron also drove in a run as part of a three-run 7th, with his run-scoring fielder's choice breaking a 3-3 tie in the inning. John Lemm finished 1-for-3 with a walk and one RBI, while Brennan Holt, Jojo Williamson and Chase Kroberger all managed one hit each.
From Associate Head Coach Jason Jackson
"I thought tonight we saw a really, really good Friday night game. I know it's Thursday, but a really good opening game of an SEC series. That's two really good teams, two frontline starters going at it. I thought this guy (Tyler Fay) right here kind of set the tone, and did a great job. That's what it's supposed to look like on a Friday night in this league. Two really good teams duking it out. You play to the end, and it ends up being a one run game. Just proud of the way the guys competed."
How It Happened
- T1 | Dom Decker led off the inning with a solo homer, hitting the first pitch of the game over the right field wall. (1-0, Ole Miss)
- B1 | Bryce Fowler opened the inning with a line-drive double that ricocheted off the pitcher, leading to Justin Lebron's two-run home run to left-center. (2-1, Alabama)
- T2 | Hayden Federico singled to start the inning, and two batters later, he advanced to third following Daniel Pacella's double to right field. With two in scoring position, Austin Fawley drove in Federico with a single through the left side. (2-2)
- T6 | Tristan Bissetta hit a solo home run to lead off the inning. (3-2, Ole Miss)
- B7 | Brennan Holt opened the inning with an infield single. He advanced to second one batter later when Luke Vaughn laid down a sacrifice bunt, though a throwing error allowed Vaughn to reach. After the error, Jojo Williamson, pinch-hitting for Peyton Steele, lined a single into left to load the bases. With the bases full, Fowler sent a single of his own to right, scoring Holt. Lebron then bounced into a fielder's choice towards third, allowing Vaughn to come home. After a strikeout, Eric Hines drew a walk to re-load the bases. After Hines, John Lemm forced a walk of his own, bringing in Fowler. (5-3, Alabama)
- T9 | Federico singled to left-center after a strikeout to start the inning. Collin Reuter, who pinch-hit for Owen Paino, walked, putting runners on first and second. Two batters later, Austin Fawley singled to center, earning an RBI as Federico crossed home plate. (5-4, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- Alabama has now won seven consecutive SEC games, marking the Tide's second seven-game conference winning streak this season
- Alabama is the first SEC team to produce two separate winning streaks in league play of at least seven consecutive wins since Vanderbilt in 2013, when the Commodores managed two 11-game winning streaks in conference play
- The Tide is just the fourth SEC team since 1996 to compile two separate winning streaks of at least seven games in league play, joining Vanderbilt (2013), Arkansas (1999) and LSU (1997)
- Alabama struck out 16 opposing hitters on Thursday to create a new season high, surpassing the previous best of 14 set against Washington State in game one of a doubleheader on Feb. 14
- Tyler Fay recorded his second consecutive start of at least 7.0 IP and 10-plus strikeouts
- Fay is now responsible for four starts this season of 7.0-plus innings and has completed at least 5.0 innings in 13 straight starts
- With 11 strikeouts on Thursday, Fay now owns four starts this season with at least 10 strikeouts
- Matthew Heiberger notched five strikeouts on Thursday to match his career high (vs. Dallas Baptist / March 3, 2024)
- Justin Lebron has now reached base in six consecutive games and owns a five-game hitting streak
- Lebron is 6-for-18 (.333) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, one walk, two stolen bases and four runs scored since the streak began
- Peyton Steele has now reached base in six straight games
- Eric Hines now owns a five-game on-base streak
- Attendance: 3,700
Up Next
- Alabama will continue its series with Ole Miss on Friday, May 15
- The Crimson Tide and Rebels are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch, airing on SEC Network+
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fay, Tyler (9-3)
L: Hunter Elliott (5-3)
S: Heiberger, Matthew (4)
Batting:
2B: Daniel Pacella 1
HR: Dom Decker 1 ; Tristan Bissetta 1
RBI: Dom Decker 1 ; Tristan Bissetta 1 ; Austin Fawley 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Dom Decker 1 ; Tristan Bissetta 1 ; Hayden Federico 2
SB: Brett Moseley 1
CS: Daniel Pacella 1
Batting:
2B: Fowler, Bryce 1
HR: Lebron, Justin 1
RBI: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 3 ; Lemm, John 1
SH: Vaughn, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fowler, Bryce 2 ; Lebron, Justin 1 ; Holt, Brennan 1 ; Vaughn, Luke 1
SB: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 1
