Alabama baseball blanks St John's, one win away from College World Series: Highlights – The Tuscaloosa News

Alabama baseball started its super regional run in dominant fashion. 
In front of a record-breaking crowd at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, the Crimson Tide blasted St. John’s 8-0 on Saturday, June 6. With the win, Alabama is one game away from reaching its first College World Series appearance since 1999. 
Alabama starting pitcher Tyler Fay led the way, holding St. John’s scoreless into the eighth inning by allowing two hits and three walks with nine strikeouts.  
Holding a two-run lead early on a two-RBI double by Brennan Holt, Alabama used a four-run fourth inning to break through against the Red Storm, helped by a two-run double by Bryce Fowler and two bases-loaded walks. A two-run Justin Lebron double extended the Crimson Tide‘s lead to eight.
Alabama will take on St. John’s in Game 2 of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7. 
Here’s what happened in Alabama’s first super regional win. 
A scoreless ninth inning from Ashton Crowther secured Alabama’s super regional win against St. John’s, beating the Red Storm 8-0. Crowther did not allow a hit and walked one in 1⅔ innings of work.
Alabama isn’t done. Shortstop Justin Lebron scored two on a double to the right-center gap, extending the Crimson Tide’s lead to 8-0 in the eighth.
Tyler Fay’s day is done. After 7⅓ innings, Fay allowed two hits and three walks against St. John’s. He did not allow a run. He struck out nine on 113 pitches.
Ashton Crowther replaced Fay.
Tyler Longoria’s day is done after 3⅓ innings for St. John’s. Longoria limited Alabama to one hit and recorded three strikeouts.
Longoria is responsible for the runner at second base after a double by Eric Hines.
Tyler Fay’s first true sign of trouble ended without any damage. Facing the bases loaded with no outs, Fay secured two fly outs and a strikeouts to keep St. John’s scoreless.
Fay has allowed two hits and three walks in seven innings of work. He has eight strikeouts. He’s thrown 108 pitches.
St. John’s pitcher Tyler Longoria set down Alabama in order in the bottom of the sixth. Alabama has had one base runner since its four-run fourth inning.
Alabama leads St. John’s 6-0 heading into the seventh inning.
Another shutout inning for Tyler Fay, who has shut down his last six batters faced. Fay has allowed no runs on one hit and two walks. He has seven strikeouts. Fay is at 86 pitches through six innings.
Alabama baseball sets a new attendance record at the Tuscaloosa Super Regional with 7,573 fans at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The previous record was 6,821.
The shutout continues for Tyler Fay. With a runner on third base, Fay forced a groundout to shortstop by right fielder Dylan Fitzsimmons to preserve the shutout.
Alabama leads St. John’s 6-0 in the fifth.
St. John’s pitcher Tyler Longoria stopped the bleeding, securing the final two outs with a strikeout and a fly out. Alabama scored four runs on two hits.
Liam O’Leary finished with six runs allowed on seven hits and four walks in 3⅓ innings of work
Another bases-loaded walk by Brady Neal – Alabama’s second of the inning – extends the Crimson Tide’s lead to 6-0.
Liam O’Leary is done for the day after 3⅓ innings. He leaves responsible for all three runners on base.
A bases-loaded double by Bryce Fowler scored two more for Alabama baseball against St. John’s, giving the Crimson Tide a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning
With the bases loaded, Alabama right fielder Peyton Steele secured a walk, scoring the Crimson Tide’s third run of the game.
Steele left Alabama’s win against Oklahoma State with a quad injury.
Another inning, another chance for Tyler Fay to dominate. The Alabama pitcher set down three more Red Storm hitters to keep the shutout alive. Adam Agresti, who has St. John’s only hit, ended a streak of eight-straight outs by Fay with a walk. Fay has six strikeouts through four innings.
Tyler Fay rewarded Alabama with another scoreless inning. Given a lead, Fay forced two groundouts and secured his fourth strikeout. Through three innings, he’s allowed one hit.
With runners on second and third, Alabama second baseman Brennan Holt laced a two-RBI double down the right field line.
Alabama leads St. John’s 2-0 in the second inning.
Trouble came early in the form of an Adam Agresti double to start the second. But Alabama pitcher Tyler Fay calmed down, setting the next three Red Storm batters down in order to keep St. John’s scoreless.
A Justin Lebron single was all Alabama could muster in the first against St. John’s starter Liam O’Leary, who secured two strikeouts in his first inning of work.
Three strikeouts give Alabama pitcher Tyler Fay a scoreless first against St. John’s.
The Crimson Tide comes to bat for the first time in the bottom of the first.
Here’s St. John’s starting lineup with right-handed pitcher Liam O’Leary on the mound:
Alabama right fielder Peyton Steele is starting or the Crimson Tide against St. John’s batting ninth. Steele was removed from Alabama’s win against Oklahoma State and has been battling through a quad injury.
“Kind of tweaked his quad a little bit. Has progressed throughout the week,” A;abama coach Rob Vaughn said. “Obviously, he was out there practicing today. He moved pretty good. We tested it, running a little bit today. We did not pedal to the metal test it yet, but we’ll do that tomorrow, and we’ll see where it’s at.”
Here’s what Alabama’s starting lineup looks like against St. John’s
Tyler Fay gets the start in Alabama’s first super regional game against St. John’s. Fay has a 4.70 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP with 112 strikeouts in 95⅔ innings.
The Red Storm has reached Omaha six times in program history, but not since 1980.
Against St. John’s, Alabama’s veterans and home-field momentum win out in a tight, back-and-forth series, with the Crimson Tide taking it in three games. Read our full prediction here.
The Crimson Tide hasn’t been to Omaha since 1999. The program has made it five times in total with two runner-up finished in 1983 an 1997.
The last time super regionals were in Tuscaloosa was in 2006. Alabama was the No. 4 national seed, but fell in an 8-7 final against North Carolina.
TV channel: ESPN2
Streaming:  ESPN+, Fubo
Broadcasting of the Alabama-St. John’s series opener will be provided by ESPN2, which can be streamed via ESPN+ and Fubo.
Date: Saturday, June 6
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Game one of the Alabama-St. John’s series will be played at 8 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 6.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
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