Offense Stays Hot as Alabama Baseball Defeats ULM, 10-3, on Sunday to Complete the Series Sweep

Alabama baseball claimed a 10-3 victory over ULM on Sunday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, completing the three-game sweep of the Warhawks. The Tide called on its bullpen early, and the offense provided some late insurance to secure the win on getaway day and help UA improve to 6-5 on the season.

“This weekend was an accumulation of the last four or five days of good practice and preparation,” said Alabama head coach Greg Goff. “It was a great team win against a really good Louisiana-Monroe squad. I have a lot of respect for coach (Bruce) Peddie and those guys, and I know they’ll have a great year as they go through their season.”

Alabama’s offense was paced by multi-hit efforts from Chandler Taylor, Tanner DeVinny and Chandler Avant. Taylor finished with a team-high three hits, including his fifth home run of the season, while adding two RBI and a team-leading three runs scored. DeVinny, who notched his first career home run, contributed a multi-hit effort with a 2-for-3 afternoon that included two runs, one walk and team-high four RBI. Avant tallied his sixth multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-5 with a stolen base.

The Crimson Tide bullpen provided a strong effort after an early exit from starter Dylan Duarte. The relievers were highlighted by Sam Finnerty (1-0), who earned his first win of the season thanks to 2.1 innings of one-run baseball. Finnerty allowed three hits and notched one strikeout in the outing. The foursome of Davis Vainer, Mike Oczypok, Zac Rogers and Nathan Altstadt worked the final three frames, keeping the Warhawk offense at bay.

Alabama relied heavily on its bullpen this weekend, as the relievers finished with a 2-0 mark and added one save. The relief arms maintained a 0.71 ERA (1 ER/12.2 IP) and allowed only four hits while collecting 17 strikeouts and issuing just three walks across the trio of games.

The Tide fell behind early as ULM collected two runs in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. The Warhawks used a pair of singles and a fielding error to load the bases before a walk crossed the game’s first run. One out later, a 6-4-3 double play allowed the man from third to score to put ULM in front, 2-0.

Alabama answered back, scoring three runs across the first and second innings to gain the advantage. With one down in the first inning, Logan Carey reached on an error by the third baseman and was followed by Cobie Vance, who sent a single to center to put runners on the corners for the Tide. After a failed pickoff attempt, both runners advanced thanks to a double steal with Carey scoring to make it a 2-1 game after one full inning.

Connor Short drew a leadoff walk to begin the second frame, and was followed by Taylor, who took the first pitch he saw to deep center field for a two-run home run to put the Tide ahead 3-2. The homer ties Taylor for the SEC lead in that category.

Alabama widened the margin in the fourth, using a two-run inning to make it a 5-2 affair. The first man to reach was DeVinny, who drew a walk, before a Keith Holcombe single to right put runners on the corners. An infield single by Chandler Avant loaded the bases, and a wild pitch in the next at-bat allowed DeVinny to score from third and move the Tide’s lead to 4-2. A walk to Carey loaded the bases again before Vance sent a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Holcombe and give the Tide its second run of the inning.

The Tide added one more in the fifth as part of a two-out rally. Taylor started the sequence off with an infield single and was able to advance to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. DeVinny followed with a single to right to plate Taylor and increase the Alabama lead to 6-2.

ULM trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the seventh, but Alabama would answer with a four-hit, four-run seventh. After a ULM pitching change to begin the inning, Hunter Alexander greeted the new arm with a double down the left-field line. One out later, Short singled to right to plate Alexander and get himself aboard. Taylor followed with a single to right before DeVinny knocked his first career homer to left, clearing the bases and pushing the UA advantage to 10-3.

Next up for Alabama is a matchup against in-state foe Troy on Tuesday, March 7. The Crimson Tide and Trojans are scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch at Sewell-Thomas Stadium with the game airing live on SEC Network+.