Alabama sweeps Alcorn State doubleheader to end midweek skid
Alabama swept a doubleheader against Alcorn State on Tuesday evening, extending the series winning streak to 19 games.
Senior Jake Hubbard threw five scoreless innings in the nightcap after having appeared in only one inning this season. The Tide improved to 18-11 (5-4) on the season with the seven inning 8-0 win.
“Anytime you can get two wins, you’re going to take them and move forward,” said head coach Mitch Gaspard. “You get an opportunity to gain some momentum from that, you take it and get back to work tomorrow and get ready for the weekend.”
Alabama took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning giving space for Hubbard to work. He gave up only two hits and struck out four earning the win for the Crimson Tide in his first start of the season.
“I knew I had to give it all I could today,” Hubbard said. “I haven’t been able to throw live in probably about a month and I knew I would have to go for a good while to work on my arm and get used to it.”
That was the second-longest outing of his career. Gaspard had planned on using one of Tuesday’s games to get UA’s bullpen arms live work. After relievers threw seven innings in the first game of the day, it was up to Hubbard to carry the pitching staff through much of the series finale. He threw a career-high 78 pitches.
Sophomore Chandler Avant got the scoring started in the first inning and went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Avant pulled himself out of a recent slump going 6-for-9 during the doubleheader with four runs scored and three RBIs. Avant was the spark that began a late-inning scoring surge in the afternoon opener.
“I was struggling, everybody knew that and I knew that too,” said Avant. “We had some other guys step up for us and they were playing well. At the end of the day it’s not about who plays good, it’s about getting Ws. But getting back out there today was good.”
Alabama would add two more runs after the fifth inning while retiring the opposing side in order during the final two frames. Freshman Cobie Vance also had a big day going 3-for-5, scoring two runs with four RBIs during the series.
Alabama took the first game in the doubleheader 8-5 after completing a four-run rally in the eighth inning.
The Crimson Tide took advantage of the midweek contest to rest four regular starters and gain experience for seldom-used bats. It payed off early with Alabama taking a 3-0 lead after four innings but Alcorn State (4-20) managed to mount a rally beginning in the fifth inning.
After the Braves took a 5-4 lead on a Collin Carroll double in the seventh, Alabama turned to more experienced arms. Matt Foster (3-2) entered the game in the eighth inning and got the win for Alabama with Thomas Burrows taking the ninth and earning his sixth save of the season.