Alabama baseball falls to Miami in first game of Hattiesburg Regional

Down to its final out, No. 2 seed Alabama baseball saw a potential walkoff home run fall a few feet shy of clearing the fence, as the Crimson Tide was defeated 5-3 by No. 3 seed Miami on Friday at Pete Taylor Park to open the 2025 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional.

Trailing by two runs entering its final turn at the plate, Alabama put together a late two-out rally, as Bryce Fowler worked a 13-pitch at-bat before reaching first following an error by the first baseman. Justin Lebron was then hit-by a pitch, bringing Kade Snell to the plate. Snell lifted a 1-0 pitch deep to centerfield, though the final out was corralled at the warning track.

Riley Quick (8-3) suffered the loss after surrendering five earned runs over 6.0 innings. Following a three-run opening frame, Quick settled into the contest, allowing just two earned runs over his final five innings of work. The right-hander was responsible for eight hits and four walks to go with six strikeouts. Matthew Heiberger was tremendous in his 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, as the sophomore didn’t allow hit across the 10 men he faced. Heiberger picked up three strikeouts, with his lone blemish being just one walk.

Brennen Norton drove in two of the Tide’s three runs as part of UA’s outburst in the fourth, finishing 1-for-4 with a double. Brady Neal was also responsible for an RBI, while Lebron closed 2-for-4 with a double and a hit-by-pitch. Snell, Bryce Fowler, Will Hodo and Jason Torres all contributed one hit apiece.

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

“That was a good baseball game. (Miami) came out early and threw a haymaker first. (Riley) Quick competed his tail off for us and gave us a chance. We clawed our way back into it and you saw the grit and the fight out of these guys. I just knew that ball was out off of Kade’s (Snell) bat, and it just wasn’t. That’s this game. Now, the only thing that matters is getting to Sunday and showing up to the yard with a lot of mentality and fighting to stay together. I’m proud as heck of their fight but we fell about a foot short today. I’m proud of them and I know they’ll be ready to rock tomorrow.”

How It Happened

• T1 | Miami opened the scoring after a three-run home run (3-0, Miami)
• T3 | Following a leadoff double, the Canes plated another run with an RBI single (4-0, Miami)
• B4 | Alabama loaded the bases following a hit-by-pitch and consecutive singles from Will Hodo and Jason Torres, respectfully. Snell would score the Tide’s first run after Brady Neal collected an RBI on a groundout. Brennen Norton then doubled to left, bringing home both Hodo and Torres. (4-3, Miami)
• T5 | UM responded with a leadoff solo home run (5-3, Miami) 

Postgame Notes

• Following his two-run double in the fourth, Brennen Norton is now 7-for-20 (.350) with three doubles and three RBI in his last six games
• Riley Quick threw 108 pitches, the most in his career, through six innings pitched which tied his career-high (last May 3 at Vanderbilt)
• Quick recorded his 100^th career strikeout on Friday
• Matthew Heiberger recorded 3.0 scoreless innings, marking his longest outing since tossing 4.0 scoreless innings against Troy on March 5
• Brady Neal has now thrown out 10-of-35 (28.6 percent) of attempted base-stealers after catching a Miami runner in the fifth
• Bryce Fowler extended his on-base streak to 11 games

Up Next

• Alabama will play the loser of game two between No. 1 seed Southern Miss and No. 4 seed Columbia in an elimination game on Saturday, May 31
• First pitch for game three is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT

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

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