Bama rally falls short against LSU

HOOVER — Alabama brought the tying runs in to the plate in the eighth and ninth innings but could not overcome three errors on defense as top-seeded LSU eliminated No. 4 seed Alabama 9-6 in the SEC Tournament on Thursday.

Alabama (37-19) has lost four of its last five games and went 0-2 at the SEC Tournament for the second time in three years. LSU (42-14), which eliminated Alabama from the tournament for the second straight year, will now meet the South Carolina-Vanderbilt loser today at 6:30 p.m.

Alabama head coach Jim Wells did not use Wednesday’s heart-breaking, extra inning loss to South Carolina or the fact that his team did not get to bed until 4 a.m. Thursday as an excuse for the loss to LSU.

“It is just part of the game and we have done it before and we have won before,” Wells said following the loss. “It’s just a part of it. When you play the late game and you lose, you have to turn around (and play against pretty quick). You want to do well in Hoover. You want come here and win because you want to win a regional. I don’t put any credence on fatigue having anything to do with it.”

Three errors led to a 9-3 deficit after seven innings before the Tide brought the tying run to the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Alabama scored twice in the eighth inning to chase LSU starter Anthony Renaudo. Josh Rutledge was hit by pitch with one out to chase Renaudo from the mound after throwing 7 1/3 innings and nearly 120 pitches.

The Tide loaded the bases against Buzzy Haydel on back-to-back singles by Ross Wilson and Kent Matthes before Brandon May reached on an error by LSU third baseman Tyler Hanover to score Rutledge from third base. Pinch-hitter Wes Henderson fouled out, and another pinch-hitter, Del Howell, drew a bases-loaded walk to score Wilson and pull UA to within 9-5.

LSU then turned the game over to its closer and SEC Co-Freshman of the Year Matty Ott, who got Tyler Odle to ground out on the first pitch to leave the bases loaded.

Alabama made another run in the ninth inning, scoring one run on three hits off Ott. Vin DiFazio reached on a leadoff single but was erased when Rutledge reached on a fielder’s choice with one out. Down to its final out, Alabama got a base hit from Wilson and RBI double from SEC Player of the Year Kent Matthes to chase home Rutledge and put two runners in scoring position.

Junior third baseman Brandon May strolled to the plate representing the tying run, but ended the game when LSU right fielder Derek Helenihi hauled in his fly ball on the warning track for the final out.

Renaudo (8-3) allowed four runs and four hits in 7 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and four walks. Ott got the final four outs for his 13th save.

Rutledge, Wilson and Matthes combined for six of the Tide’s nine hits on Thursday.

Another bright spot was sophomore right-hander Tyler White, who allowed two runs and two hits in 3 1/3 innings on the mound.

Wells also said after the game that junior third baseman Jake Smith suffered torn ligaments on both sides of his ankle and would miss the remainder of the season. Smith was injured on the final play of the Tide’s loss to South Carolina on Wednesday night. Smith was in a cast and at Regions Park for the LSU game. He will be in that cast for three to six weeks.

Alabama will return to Tuscaloosa and practice this weekend in anticipation of its NCAA Regional bid, which will be announced on Monday at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN.