No. 8 Alabama’s home-field advantage was nowhere to be found as the Crimson Tide got swept at home by No. 22 Arkansas.
The Crimson Tide got three solid outings from their starting pitchers, but the bullpen was unable to close out the games.
The three losses at home ended Alabama’s nation-leading home win streak as well as its streak of three straight SEC series wins.
After getting swept in the weekend series, Alabama drops to 26-11 overall and 8-7 in the SEC.
Here is a recap of the weekend.
Game One:
No. 8 Alabama saw its record-breaking home dominance come to an end on Friday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, falling 7-5 to No. 22 Arkansas. The Crimson Tide struggled to hold off a late-game surge from the Razorbacks, who erupted for six runs in the eighth inning to seize the lead. The loss effectively halted Alabama's 18-game winning streak in Tuscaloosa, the longest active home streak in the nation.
Tyler Fay delivered another gem in his ninth start of the season, stifling the Razorbacks by allowing just one earned run across six dominant frames. Fay scattered four hits while recording four strikeouts in the outing.
The momentum shifted in the eighth when Heiberger surrendered a game-tying solo homer and two additional hits. With the score knotted at 3-3, Hagan Banks entered to try and record the final out, but a defensive error allowed two unearned runs to cross the plate, handing Arkansas the lead for good. The Razorbacks’ outburst continued against Banks later in the inning with a two-run home run, capping a six-run surge that left Alabama trailing by four.
Eric Hines maintained his hot streak, turning in his second straight three-hit performance and launching a solo home run for the second consecutive game. Hines finished the day 3-for-5, providing Alabama’s initial spark with his long ball. Brady Neal also contributed a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with a walk and a tie-breaking solo shot in the sixth inning that briefly put the Tide ahead. Additionally, Justin Lebron and Brennan Holt chipped in with base hits to round out the offensive effort.
Game Two:
For the second straight day, No. 8 Alabama was overwhelmed by a late offensive surge from No. 22 Arkansas. The Razorbacks pulled away at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Saturday, handing the Crimson Tide a 15-6 loss.
Zane Adams delivered a competitive performance, navigating six innings while allowing four runs on five hits. He showed solid command, walking only two batters and striking out four before exiting with the game deadlocked at 4-4. However, the contest shifted dramatically once the ball was handed to the bullpen; Alabama’s relievers struggled significantly, yielding 11 earned runs on nine hits and two walks over the final three frames to let the game slip away.
Justin Lebron sparked the offense on Saturday, finishing 1-for-5 with an RBI and three stolen bases. The Alabama shortstop manufactured a run early by swiping third in the first inning and later extended the lead with a run-scoring single in the third. Brennan Holt reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a pair of runs batted in, while Bryce Fowler and Caleb Barnett each drove in a run to aid the scoring effort.
Game Three:
In the series finale, the theme and result remained the same. Alabama got a solid outing from its starting pitcher, but the bullpen was unable to hold the lead. The Crimson Tide dropped the final game of the series against Arkansas 3-2.
Myles Upchurch delivered six solid innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Upchurch had command of his pitches, striking out six while walking just one batter before handing the ball over to the bullpen. Ashton Crowther pitched the final three innings, allowing just one run on two hits, but the one allowed run was enough to hand him his second loss of the season.
Justin Lebron remained hot at the plate with a couple of doubles and an RBI on the afternoon. Andrew Purdy plated the other Alabama run with an RBI single in the second inning.
Alabama will travel to UAB for a midweek matchup on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Don't miss out!Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
