Alabama bounces back to beat Oklahoma, pick up first road series win of season
By David Wasson
Published:
The 16th-ranked Alabama baseball team scored three runs in the top of the first inning Saturday and made it stick to earn a 3-2 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma to win a pivotal SEC series in front of 3,906 at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman.
Alabama (25-8 overall, 8-4 SEC) took Thursday’s first game 10-7 but lost Friday’s second game 4-2. Oklahoma (21-10, 5-7) dropped its second straight SEC series and lost for just the fifth time at home all season.
The Crimson Tide scored its’ three first-inning runs with a lot of help from the Sooners. Bryce Fowler scored via a Trent Collier wild pitch, Justin Lebron scored on an Oklahoma passed ball, and Brady Neal came home via a fielding error.
Oklahoma would score in the bottom of the first via Brendan Brock’s RBI single to right field. The Sooners would make it 3-2 on Kyle Branch’s RBI single to center.
Alabama starter Myles Upchurch (3-2) earned the victory, with Hagan Banks picking up his fifth save. Fowler finished 2-for-5 for the Crimson Tide, which left seven runners on base.
Collier (0-1) absorbed the loss for Oklahoma. Drew Dickerson went 2-for-3 for the Sooners, who stranded nine runners.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
