Columbia News

Alabama defeated the University of Missouri baseball team 4-1 in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Baseball Tournament on Tuesday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The loss ends Missouri’s season, as the Tigers were unable to overcome a strong pitching performance by Alabama.

Tyler Fay, a sophomore right-hander for Alabama, earned his first mound victory of the season by pitching a career-long six innings. He allowed just one run—a solo home run by Mateo Serna in the fourth inning—while scattering five hits and striking out six batters. Fay was supported by three relievers who held Missouri scoreless over the final five innings.

Missouri (16-39) took an early lead after Serna hit his ninth home run of the season. Starting pitcher Sam Horn kept Alabama off the board through three innings, despite issuing five walks. Horn used key strikeouts to escape trouble in both the first and third innings.

Alabama (41-15) responded in the bottom of the fourth inning after reliever Wil Libbert retired two quick batters. Brennen Norton singled, Bryce Fowler walked, and Justin Lebron tied the game with a base hit to left field. Kade Snell then drove in another run with a single through the left side, putting Alabama ahead 2-1.

Fay maintained Alabama’s lead into the sixth inning, working around hits from Kaden Peer and Tyler Macon. In total, Peer recorded three hits—his fifth three-hit game this year—and also stole his team-best 13th base of the season. Jackson Lovich contributed with two hits for his 19th multi-hit game of 2025.

Matthew Heiberger relieved Fay in the seventh but allowed another hit to Peer before being replaced by Braylon Myers, who ended Missouri’s threat with a strikeout to keep Alabama ahead.

The Crimson Tide added insurance runs late in the game: Will Hodo brought home Lebron with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Brady Neal led off the eighth with a solo home run for a three-run advantage.

Carson Ozmer pitched a scoreless ninth inning for Alabama, earning his 17th save of the season after escaping a bases-loaded situation with only one out.

Libbert closed out Missouri’s pitching effort by allowing four runs on six hits across five innings while striking out two batters.

After Tuesday’s result, Missouri fell to 2-10 all-time in eight SEC Tournament appearances and has now lost its last six games at this event dating back to 2017. The Tigers have an overall record of 52-67 in conference tournament play spanning their history in multiple conferences. Against Alabama specifically at Hoover, Missouri is now winless in two tries and trails 7-16 overall against them; Alabama has won eleven straight games versus Missouri since 2018.

“Lovich concluded his junior season with a team-leading .357 batting average, which represents the top full-season average for a Tiger since Kameron Misner hit .360 in 2018.”

“With three hit-by-pitches in the game, the Tigers reached the 100 hit-by-pitch plateau for just the third time in program history, finishing the season with 102 as a team - just six HBPs shy of the school record of 108 (2008).”