The Alabama baseball team edged past USC Upstate 7-5 in a tightly contested Tuscaloosa Regional contest, moving one step closer to the championship.
The matchup, originally slated for an earlier start, was pushed back by an hour and fifteen minutes as a summer thunderstorm rolled over the stadium, testing both squads' patience.
A Delayed Start
From the outset, Alabama’s offense showed firepower; catcher Brady Neal and third baseman Jason Torres delivered RBI singles in the first inning, while Eric Hines launched a three-run homer in the third to stake the Crimson Tide to a 4-0 lead.
USC Upstate answered with a two-out RBI double from Tyler Lang in the bottom of the third, then trimmed the deficit further when Bryce Fowler’s two-out triple in the fourth brought another run across.
Late Drama Unfolds
The game’s momentum shifted again in the sixth when Justin Lebron added a solo homer, extending the lead to 5-1, but a costly error by Brennan Holt in the ninth allowed two unearned runs to tie the contest.
Pitcher Zane Adams, making his first postseason start, battled nerves and jitteriness while delivering six solid innings, striking out five and yielding just six hits before being relieved by Matthew Heiberger, who shut down the opposition with scoreless eighth and ninth frames.
The drama didn’t end there; a defensive miscue by Jason Torres brought the tying run to the plate, and Trey Bentley’s RBI double in the ninth put USC Upstate within one, only for Jake Armsey’s walk‑off attempt to fall short as a flyout sealed Alabama’s 7-5 win.
What’s Next?
With the victory secured, Alabama will reconvene on Sunday night, facing either USC Upstate or Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. CT, a game that will be streamed live on ESPN+.