Alabama Takes Down NDSU in Series Opener

The Crimson Tide lineup exploded in the second for a second straight game. Will Hodo began the inning with a one-out triple off the right-center wall to set up a two-run jack from Brennen Norton the following at-bat, cutting the NDSU lead to 3-2. Kade Snell followed up Norton’s homerun with one of his own; blasting a solo shot the opposite way to even things up at three a piece in Tuscaloosa.

Catcher Brady Neal worked a hit-by-pitch, allowing Alabama center fielder Richie Bonomolo Jr. to tattoo a pitch to the left field playground, pushing the Crimson Tide ahead 5-3.

The scoreline would hold until the seventh inning thanks to strong pitching performances from Alabama’s Zane Adams and Braylon Myers and NDSU’s Nolan Johnson and Landon Koenig.

In the seventh, the Crimson Tide began to pull ahead, tallying five runs in the frame.

Richie Bonomolo Jr. began the inning with a single through the left side, and promptly stealing second to put a runner in scoring position for Bryce Fowler. Fowler capitalized, ripping a pull side single to score Bonomolo Jr., extending Alabama’s lead to 6-3.

After a Justin Lebron groundout, Coleman Mizell and Jason Torres worked one-out walks to load the bases for Will Hodo. Hodo was hit by a pitch to plate Fowler, extending the Tide lead to 7-3. A Snell RBI single, sandwiched between two bases-loaded walks by Norton and Neal extended the Alabama lead to 10-3.

Aidan Moza entered the game in the top of the eighth, only allowing one run in his lone inning of work.

Jason Torres put the cherry on top of the evening in the eighth, launching a 1-2 pitch over the scoreboard in left field to extend Alabama’s lead out to 12-4.

Alabama closer Carson Ozmer entered the game to close out the Bison, striking out all three batters he faced to end the game.

Alabama retakes the field tomorrow at 2 p.m. as they look for the series win.