Sports

Alabama Baseball's Toughness On Display in Tuscaloosa Regional Championship Victory

By Joe Gaither Sports Illustrated

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - It took 11 innings but the Alabama baseball program won its first NCAA Tournament regional since 2023 by defeating Oklahoma State 9-7.

Alabama appeared to be well on the way to victory, taking a 5-3 lead into the sixth inning without dipping into the bullpen. However, the Cowboys battled back, hitting three home runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 6-5 lead into the eighth inning.

With tension mounting in the eighth inning and Alabama facing its first deficit of the weekend freshman left fielder Eric Hines stepped into the batter's box and smashed a solo home run off the Sewell-Thomas Stadium scoreboard emphatically tying the contest.

Alabama senior catcher Brady Neal briefly left the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after taking contact behind the plate. Neal returned quickly and went on to make two of the biggest plays of the night.

In the 10th inning Ezra Essex dropped a single in front of a diving attempt by Bryce Fowler for a single, putting the go-ahead run on first. Neal threw Essex out at second on an steal attempt, wiping the bases clean and extending the game into the 11th inning.

"Throwing guys out is a team thing," Neal said. "If these guys aren't quick to the plate, I have no shot. You can go back on some of the games this year and I've thrown my best time, velo and all that and he's been safe. I can throw guys out when this guy is a 1.3 to the plate on a good fastball up to give me a chance. Throwing guys out is really a pitcher's thing. I should be able, at this level, to be able to make a throw on the bag. That should be across the board. That's a team thing."

Neal cemented his hero status in the 11th inning after Peyton Steele and Justin Lebron legged out infield hits to put runners on base. The left-handed batter stepped into the box and hit the game-winning three-run home run over the right field fence.

"Just swing hard in case you hit it," Neal said. "A cutter, slider down, I honestly don't know what it was. I just saw spin out of the hand and I tried to hit a home run."

Oklahoma State kept applying pressure, loading the bases in the 11th inning as they looked to extend or walk the game off in their favor. Redshirt senior Hagan Banks gave up a single to Garrett Shull that saw the Cowboys cut the lead to just two runs, but Banks bounced right back and struck out Remo Indomenico to secure the victory.

"Coming out of the bullpen in the ninth inning when it's a tie ball game all you've got to do is try to get the next three guys out," Banks said. "Go out there and sit in your stuff and give my team a chance to win because I know these guys, like the guy next to me [Brady Neal] can make it happen at any given moment like he did. I'm just trying to go out there and get the guys out and get in the dugout so these guys can go win the ball game."

The Crimson Tide will now get ready for Super Regionals where they'll host the winner of the Tallahassee Regional. Florida State and St. John's play at noon on Monday with the Seminoles needing a victory to force a 4 p.m. CT if necessary game.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Alabama Baseball's Toughness On Display in Tuscaloosa Regional Championship Victory.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 1:36 AM.

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