re: Bama Baseball 33-24 (13-17) (2023-24)

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Alabama baseball used a standout start from Ben Hess combined with a pair of big innings on offense for a 12-0 run-rule victory over No. 21 Indiana on Friday evening at Riders Field. With the win, the 15th-ranked Crimson Tide is now 10-0 to start the year.

Hess (3-0) was masterful on Friday, maintaining a no-hitter through 4.0 frames and finishing with 5.0 scoreless innings that included just one hit, a walk and a career-high tying 10 strikeouts. He handed the ball over to Coulson Buchanan, who tossed 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings with three strikeouts for the first save of his Crimson Tide career.

Alabama's offense needed only the two big innings to post 12 runs. The first inning featured five hits, a walk and one error for five runs followed by a seven-run fourth that featured just three hits to go with an error, three walks and three hit-by-pitch. All nine starters reached base safely on the night while eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit. The offense was powered by the 2-3-4 hitters in TJ McCants, Ian Petrutz and Will Hodo, with the trio all contributing two-hit performances while combining for six runs scored and five RBI. Also of note was Evan Sleight, who went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer.


From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"Tonight starts with the guy on the mound. (Ben Hess) was unbelievable today, the stuff was real. He attacked the strike zone a bunch and it seemed like he was ahead of everybody. That's a good offense in Indiana and he did a great job of shutting them down."

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