No. 1 Tennessee baseball (20-2, 3-1 SEC) suffered a 6-5 series-opening loss to No. 12 Alabama (22-1, 4-0 SEC) in Tuscaloosa Thursday. The Vols battled throughout but could not overcome a five-run second inning from the Tide.
The loss marks Tennessee’s first in SEC play and second on the season. Tennessee starting pitcher Liam Doyle received the loss and Alabama’s starter Zane Adams earned the win while reliever Carson Ozmer got the save.
Here’s everything to know about the loss.
Alabama Takes Lead with 5-Run 2nd Inning
For the first time this season, Liam Doyle had a below average start on the mound, but most of Alabama’s damage was done in just one inning.
Doyle was solid in the opening frame but anything but in the second, allowing five runs (four earned).
Alabama loaded the bases before Doyle could record an out. The junior didn’t have good command and struggled to correct it, issuing back-to-back bases-loaded walks with no outs. Doyle had also plunked a batter earlier in the inning.
Star infielder Justin Lebron then gave Alabama the lead, delivering a bases-clearing, three-run double to put the Tide ahead 5-3.
Tennessee’s infield defense didn’t help matters, either. Manny Marin booted a ground ball in the second on what should have been a double play, allowing Alabama to load the bases for the first time.
Dean Curley also lost a ball in an exchange that allowed a runner to reach in the third, who later scored on an RBI groundout. The play was ruled a single, however.
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Doyle Settles In to Save Bullpen, Loy Provides Another Key Relief Outing
Outside of the RBI groundout in the third, Doyle did not give up another run in his outing. The Ole Miss transfer settled in nicely, working around a walk in the fourth and a pair of singles in the fifth before recording a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.
Doyle’s day was done after six innings. He threw a season-high 110 pitches and bounced back well after a disastrous second inning. He also saved the bullpen after it looked like Tennessee was going to have to turn to it much earlier than expected.
In total, Doyle allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits. He struck out nine, walked four and hit two batters.
Sophomore Dylan Loy relieved Doyle to begin the seventh inning. The versatile lefty was incredible in 2.0 scoreless innings of work.
The Pigeon Forge native retired all six batters he faced, logging two strikeouts. Loy is still yet to give up a run this season in 11.0 innings, five of which have come against SEC competition.
Tennessee Finds Life Late, Comes Up Just Short
Tennessee scored three runs in the first two innings off an Andrew Fischer two-run homer in the first and a pair of Alabama infield errors in the second.
The Vols offense went cold after that, scoring no runs until the 7th inning. But as Doyle kept Alabama at bay, Tennessee finally found some life late.
After a pair of singles in the seventh, Alabama made a pitching change, bringing in Matthew Heiberger to relieve starter Zane Adams.
Jay Abernathy then legged out an infield single to load the bases before Hunter Ensley singled off of Heiberger’s foot to score Dalton Bargo. Fischer then sent a sac fly to center to score Curley, capping off a two-run frame to cut Alabama’s lead to one run.
Tennessee had the momentum heading into the eighth after a 1-2-3 inning for Loy on the mound. The Vols got a pair on with no outs thanks to a Reese Chapman hit-by-pitch and Marin walk, but Bargo lined into an unlucky 6-3 double play to end the threat.
Abernathy worked a one-out walk in the ninth to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but the freshman was caught stealing, and Ensley flew out to end the game.
Box Score
Up Next
Tennessee will look to even the series Friday at 7 p.m. ET. SEC Network + has the stream.
