No. 23 Alabama improved to 28-16 overall and 9-12 in SEC play over the weekend after winning the series at Ole Miss, taking two of three games from the Rebels.
In the opening game of the series at Ole Miss on Thursday, Alabama combined a standout pitching performance from Greg Farone with a powerful display of offense to secure a dominant 12-0 run-rule victory.
Farone earned his fourth win with a stellar complete game shutout. The senior pitcher limited Ole Miss to just six hits, didn't allow a single walk, and struck out six batters over seven innings. Alabama's offense initially provided him with one run in the third inning, but a dominant nine-run fourth inning widened the lead significantly. The Tide added two more runs in the fifth to complete the scoring at 12.
Friday evening, in the second game of the series, Ole Miss defeated Alabama 9-8 in a back-and-forth battle, creating a Saturday afternoon rubber match to decide the series.
Ole Miss took an early lead by scoring one run in the first inning and adding two more in the third, making it 3-0 after three innings. Alabama responded in the fourth inning with a solo home run from Justin Lebron, sparking the offense. The Tide continued to chip away, scoring four runs in the fifth, highlighted by a three-run homer from Will Hodo, bringing the score to 5-3. However, Alabama's lead was short-lived, as Ole Miss answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Alabama tied the game with two runs in the sixth inning, but Ole Miss once again pulled ahead with a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth. Alabama managed to score one more run in the seventh inning but couldn't bridge the gap, resulting in a 9-8 victory for Ole Miss.
The standout performances from Lebron and Hodo propelled the Tide's offense, as both players had nearly identical nights, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and three RBI each. The only difference in their offensive performance was Lebron scored two runs, while Hodo scored one.
Alabama secured the series at Ole Miss with a 10-3 victory on Saturday afternoon, thanks to late offensive firepower and a strong start from Zane Adams.
Ole Miss struck first and scored one run in the second inning, but Alabama quickly equalized in the third with a solo home run from Gage Miller. The game remained tied until the sixth inning, when Alabama began a run of seven unanswered runs, building an 8-1 lead by the bottom of the eighth inning. Ole Miss managed to score two runs on a homer in the eighth, but Alabama responded with two runs of their own in the ninth, securing a 10-3 victory.
Miller and Guscette led the team with three hits each, both going 3-for-5 on the day. Miller's performance included a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored, while Guscette contributed a double, a home run, two RBIs, two runs, and a hit-by-pitch. Justin Lebron also homered in the game, marking his second consecutive day with a home run.
Adams delivered another impressive start in SEC action, surrendering three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three batters over seven innings to earn his fourth win.
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