Tide, Trojans see positives come from series split
March 06, 2008
Alabama’s 8-2 victory over Troy on Wednesday in Tuscaloosa earned a split of a fine mid-week, non-conference series.
Both teams can take positives out of the two-game set. Alabama centerfielder Alex Kubal and rightfielder Kent Matthes took turns making big catches in Tuesday night’s windy contest at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.
Kubal’s full-out diving grab robbed Troy’s Beau Brooks of a double in left-center in the ninth inning.
The Tide (4-5) had just one senior in Tuesday’s starting lineup. Shortstop Josh Rutledge and second baseman Ross Wilson — who his 1-2 in the batting order — are both freshmen.
Alabama’s brightest spot of the series came when Austin Graham, a sophomore pitcher, worked into the seventh inning in his first start in almost two years.
Troy (9-2) got plenty of positives from the series, too. Shohei Fujita’s pinch hit, game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th off Tide closer Josh Copeland in Montgomery was a huge boost.
“I liked Shohei in that situation,” Troy head coach Bobby Pierce said. “We had the bases loaded, so they had to throw strikes. He was a right-handed sidearmer going against a left-handed bat. And really, in that situation, you just want to stay out of the double play. Shohei can run pretty well.”
Geneva’s Michael Precise went 2-for-4 with a game-tying, sixth-inning home run for the Trojans.
Freshman reliever A.J. Howard from Houston County earned the victory in relief. He worked out of bases-loaded trouble in the top of the 10th to keep the game tied.
He ended the inning by throwing home on a high chopper by Rutledge.
“Coach Pierce had just come out to the mound and said it was a fast batter,” Howard said. ‘I remembered that waiting for the ball to come down. I thought I had to come home and, fortunately, (catcher) Beau Brooks was there to make a play. He’s always around the ball.”
Brooks had leaped onto the field chasing the high chop, but scrambled back to the plate for the force.
Pierce said he was torn about pulling Howard.
“The game dictated that he stay in,” Pierce said. “But then I realize we’re tied with Alabama in the 10th inning and I’ve got a freshman pitcher in the game. But A.J. wanted the ball in that situation. He’s a competitor. “
The series was full of them. One little play slipped past almost unnoticed, but it proved significant.
In the eighth inning, with Troy trailing 4-3 and a runner on first, Bart Pettus legged out an infield single, just ahead of Rutledge’s throw from deep short. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position with one out. Adam Bryant’s infield single then tied the game. Pettus’ hustle play allowed the inning to play out as it did.
