TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Samford University baseball team plated seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to cut an eight-run deficit to one, but the Bulldogs could not get over the hump as they eventually fell, 11-9, at eighth-ranked Alabama Tuesday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
 
"It was a tough start on the mound with the free passes from our guys the first three innings," Samford head coach Tony David said. "But I'm proud of our guys for the fight they showed. To be down eight runs and then get the tying run in scoring position twice says a lot about this group."
 
With the loss, Samford fell to 14-15 on the season. Alabama improved to 26-4 with the win.
 
Samford was led at the plate by Gatlin Pitts with a three-run homer, going 1-for-2. Jackson Harris also drove in three runs for the Bulldogs, going 1-for-4 with a double. Cade Carr, Jake Souders and Parker McDonald drove in a run each for Samford.
 
"Brayden Broome started the big inning with a walk in his first at bat of the season," David said. "Matthew Strand got a backside hit and Pitts blasted the pinch hit homer and everything felt different. We had our chances late and we got to see their best two arms on a Tuesday night."
 
Brooks Rice (0-3) pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one run on one hit to take the loss on the mound for Samford. John Malone, Noah Berry, Austin Tommasini, John Whitney, Cullen Horowicz, Drew Druckenmiller and Joseph Lee all saw time on the mound for Samford.
 
"The story of the night is some of our relief," David said. "Whitney, Druckenmiller, Horowicz and Lee were all great. Lee was one of our best coming into the season and we need him down the stretch. He was electric tonight."
 
Alabama was led by Richie Bonomolo, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and five RBI. Jason Torres went 3-for-3 for Alabama, while Bryce Fowler went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Coulson Buchanan (1-0) pitched 2.2 hitless innings in relief to earn the win on the mound for Alabama.
 
Alabama jumped out to a 5-0 lead with one run in the first inning and four runs in the second inning. In the top of the third inning, Samford plated two runs when Harris was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Carr hit a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 5-2.
 
The Crimson Tide added five runs in the bottom of the third inning to push its lead to 10-2. Bonomolo drove in two runs in the inning, while Brady Neal and Justin Lebron drove in one run each and Lebron scored on a wild pitch as Alabama built an eight-run lead.
 
The score remained the same until the top of the seventh inning. Pitts hit a three-run home run to right field to cut the lead to 10-5. Harris then hit a two-run double to make the score 10-7. Souders then singled to drive in a run to cut the lead to 10-8. McDonald then hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Carr to bring Samford to within one run at 10-9.
 
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Alabama added a run to push the lead to 11-9. Garrett Staton singled to drive in Will Plattner for a two-run Alabama lead,
 
Samford will travel to Spartanburg, S.C., to take on the Wofford Terriers in a three-game Southern Conference series this weekend. The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 4:30 p.m. (CT), Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT) and Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT).
 
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