Alabama baseball blanks Boston College to advance to Super Regional play

Alabama baseball posted an 8-0 shutout win over 24th-ranked Boston College just before dawn on Sunday into Monday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the victory, the Crimson Tide advances to NCAA Super Regional play and is now 43-19 on the season.

The Tide used a four-run first to put the game out of reach early. Alabama added single tallies in the second and third to go with a two-run eighth for the 8-0 victory. The early offense provided Jacob McNairy (7-2) with all the help he would need. In his final start at The Joe, the right-hander tossed 7.2 frames and allowed just three hits and three walks to go with a career-high 11 strikeouts for his team-high tying seventh victory. Hagan Banks and Hunter Hoopes combined for the final 1.1 innings to secure the shutout.

Alabama’s offense accumulated a season-high 13 walks with eight of the nine starters drawing at least one base on balls. The offense was led at the plate by Mac Guscette who went 3-for-4 with a walk, one run and a team-high four RBI. Dominic Tamez also contributed a multi-hit night, going 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, an RBI and two runs scored. Ed Johnson paced UA in walks, drawing three to go with a 1-for-2 showing and one RBI.

From Interim Head Coach Jason Jackson

“What an awesome night for our baseball program, for our fanbase and for the players. I couldn’t be prouder of everybody that’s been involved and has worked hard to get to this point. We’re not done yet, but I’m just so excited that we got to do this on our own field in front of our fans and move on to the next round.”

How It Happened

• T1 | The Tide loaded the bases with two down before a Colby Shelton hit-by-pitch forced a run across. Ed Johnson then drew a walk to add one more and keep the bases loaded for Mac Guscette who delivered a two-run single through the left side. (4-0, Alabama)
• T2 | With runners on the corners and two down, Dominic Tamezdoubled down the line in right to cross one. (5-0, Alabama)
• T3 | Tommy Seidl added one more run with a two-out RBI single to center. (6-0, Alabama)
• T8 | Guscette widened the gap for the Tide with a two-out two-run single to center. (8-0, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• Alabama advances to NCAA Super Regional play for the first time since 2010. The Crimson Tide won the Atlanta Regional that year before falling in Supers at Clemson.
• The Tide has now claimed eight Regional Championships in program history, including three in Tuscaloosa (1999, 2006, 2023).
• UA has won 43 games for the first time since 2006 when that team finished with 44.
• Tonight’s attendance was 5,800 for the Crimson Tide’s seventh sellout of the 2023 campaign and the third of the weekend. Sewell-Thomas Stadium was also sold out for all three games of the Auburn series from April 14-16 along with the series finale against Vanderbilt on May 6.
• Alabama pitched its seventh shutout of the season. The seven shutouts ties for the second-most in Tide single-season history. The all-time mark is 11 by the 1974 team.
• The Crimson Tide pitchers racked up 11 strikeouts on the night to move into third place on Alabama’s single-season list with 573. The all-time mark for a season is 593 by the 1999 team.
• Jacob McNairy worked a career-long 7.2 innings. His previous best was 7.0 which he had on three previous occasions and most recently at Texas A&M on May 14 of this season.
• The 7.2 frames are the most by an Alabama starter this season, topping the previous mark of 7.0.
• McNairy struck out a career-high 11 to top his previous best of nine which he accumulated in that start at A&M.
• The 11 strikeouts are the most by a Tide pitcher since Ben Hess struck out 10 against Kentucky on March 24.
• UA drew a season-high 13 walks in tonight’s matchup. The Tide’s previous best was 12 against Mississippi State on April 7.
• Alabama’s streak of consecutive games with a home run came to an end at 24. The streak dated back to April 18 at UAB and ran through last night’s matchup with Troy.
• Tommy Seidl extended his hitting streak to an Alabama season-long 13 games with a 1-for-4 effort. Over the 13-game stretch, Seidl is batting .392 (20-51) with five doubles, two homers, 15 RBI, 15 runs, five walks, three hit-by-pitch and one stolen base.
• ATTENDANCE: 5,800 (SELLOUT)

Alabama advances to the NCAA Winston-Salem Super Regional where the Crimson Tide will square off with top-ranked and top-seeded Wake Forest. The series opener is scheduled for Friday, June 9 at David F. Couch Ballpark.

*** This information was acquired from a recent press release from Alabama Athletics. 

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