Alabama shuts out Boston College to win regional title in Regional Finals, advances to Super Regionals
By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Juliet Brown
Another rain delay forced the Tuscaloosa Regional Finals to start over an hour late Sunday night. The first pitch crossed the plate at 9:36 p.m. CT. Alabama played Boston College who defeated Troy in the double elimination game earlier in the day.
Dynamic offense
The Crimson Tide offense was firing on all cylinders early. Andrew Roman started on the mound for Boston College. He recorded two quick outs before running into trouble. Roman walked Andrew Pinckney and Dominic Tamez, and struck Drew Williamson with a HBP to load the bases. Colby Shelton was also hit by a pitch to force in Pinckney with the first run.
Ed Johnson drew a full count walk to make it 2-0 Alabama.
Mac Guscette delivered a two-run single through the left side, scoring Shelton and Tamez to give the Crimson Tide a 4-0 lead.
Top of the second inning, Tommy Seidl drew a four pitch walk with one out. Alabama’s RBI leader, Drew Williamson, singled into center field which allowed Seidl to take third base. Tamez doubled down the right field line to drive in Seidl and move Williamson to third with two outs. Shelton struck out but the Crimson Tide added another run to its lead.
Alabama scored another run in the third inning when Seidl hit a single into center field which allowed Guscette to score from second.
In the eighth inning, Alabama loaded the bases again after three straight walks were issued. Guscette came up clutch once again with a single into center field. Tamez and pinch runner Bryce Eblin scored two more runs on the play.
The Crimson Tide took an 8-0 lead into the ninth inning.
Pitching performance
Fifth-year senior Jacob McNairy started on the mound for Alabama. It was a nail-biting bottom of the first inning for Crimson Tide faithful as Boston College loaded the bases with one out. McNairy didn’t panic, however, and forced Nick Wang to ground into a double play to end the inning without a run crossing.
As the game progressed, McNairy settled in and was electric. All four of his pitches were working as he struck out a career high 11 batters, allowed only three hits and no runs crossed during 7.2 innings of work in his last game at the Joe.
“A little early, I had some adrenaline pumping,” McNairy said. “That’s not good for me because my balls stayed up and I get a little snatchy, but as the game went on, I settled in and had all four pitches working. Usually when that happens, good things happens.”
Hagan Banks came in to pitch during the eighth inning with two outs. After walking the first batters he faced, Banks forced a fly out to center field which ended the inning.
Hunter Hoopes, who pitched in Saturday’s game against Troy, pitched the final inning of the night. Hoopes walked Wang and Cameron Leary singled to right field in the next at bat. With two on and nobody out, the Alabama defense retired the next three batters to secure the win over the Eagles. The Crimson Tide won 8-0, the team’s sixth shut out of the season.
Alabama will travel to Winston Salem, NC next weekend to face No. 1 Wake Forest in the Super Regionals. This will be the Crimson Tide’s first Super Regional appearance since 2010.
