TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After surrendering the lead on a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, No. 12 Alabama baseball used a three-run rally in the home half of the inning to defeat No. 9 Oklahoma, 8-6, on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide then survived a bases-loaded threat in the ninth inning to claim the victory and improve to 24-3 overall and 5-2 in Southeastern Conference action.

Justin Lebron, Kade Snell and Jason Torres led the Crimson Tide’s offensive attack with three hits each. Lebron went 3-for-5 with a double and a solo home run, scoring three times and driving in one run. Snell recorded his seventh-consecutive multi-hit outing thanks to his 3-for-4 day that included a walk and two RBI. Torres was 3-for-5, adding a crucial RBI single in the eighth inning.

Zane Adams made his seventh start of 2025, allowing two runs on four hits in 4.0 innings of work. JT Blackwood entered in relief, working 2.2 innings and allowing two runs on two hits, while striking out a pair of Sooners. Carson Ozmer (3-0) earned the win after surrendering the save opportunity in the eighth inning. The graduate transfer allowed just two hits and one run in his 2.0 innings.

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

“Probably one of the uglier games we’ve played this year but it just embodied what this group of kids is, and that’s tough and resilient. I thought we did really good job of was getting to one of the best pitchers in the country. Kyson Witherspoon is elite but we were able to execute, get some big hits and kind of control the strike zone. I thought Zane Adams competed his tail off even though he wasn’t at his best, but he gave us a chance to win. JT Blackwood was outstanding. We didn’t play well behind him but he didn’t let that snowball. So, not our cleanest game and we have plenty of mistakes that we have to continue to work through and clean up, but these kids were tough and resilient.”

How It Happened

• B2 | Jason Torres and Bryce Fowler each reached base with one out, bringing Garrett Staton to the plate. Staton promptly lined an RBI double to left-center, scoring Torres and pushing Fowler to third. Richie Bonomolo Jr. then lined a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Fowler. (2-0, Alabama)
• B3 | After Justin Lebron hit a homer to right to open the inning, Will Plattner, Torres and Fowler all reached to load the bases for Staton, who was hit by a pitch, bringing in a second run. (4-0, Alabama)
• T4 | A two-run shot to right cut the Tide’s advantage in half. (4-2, Alabama)
• B6 | Lebron laced a two-out double into the left field corner, scoring two pitches later when Kade Snell poked a single up the middle. (5-2, Alabama)
• T7 | The Sooners struck for two runs on three hits, with four men reaching base in the frame. (5-4, Alabama)
• T8 | OU lifted a one-out, two-run homer to right-center to take its first lead. (6-5, Oklahoma)
• B8 | Brennen Norton worked a leadoff walk and advanced to second after Lebron singled. Snell then grounded a single up the middle to score Norton and put runners on the corners. Plattner followed with a double off the left-center field wall to drive Lebron home before Torres dropped an RBI single into left. (8-6, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• The win improved Alabama to 6-2 against ranked opponents so far this spring
• The Tide is now 7-0 in games started by Zane Adams, including three-straight wins to open SEC series’
• UA has taken the series-opener in each of the first three SEC weekends for the first time since 2016
• The Crimson Tide tagged Oklahoma’s Kyson Witherspoon for four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4.0 innings. The talented right-hander entered Friday’s contest with a 1.80 ERA and did not allow more than three runs in his previous six starts
• Justin Lebron’s third-inning homer was his 13^th blast of the season, surpassing his 12 home runs from a season ago
• In his first two games since returning from injury, Garrett Staton is 2-for-5 (.400) with two doubles, four RBI, two walks and a hit by pitch
• Kade Snell stretched his hitting streak to seven games, hitting 16-for-28 (.571) with four doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and three runs scored in that span
• Snell has recorded at least two hits in each of those games, bringing his season total to 16 multi-hit performances
• Will Plattner advanced his on-base streak to 11 games while Jason Torres has now reached in seven consecutive games
• Will Hodo’s 26-game on-base streak and Coleman Mizell’s 25-game on-base streak both came to a close on Friday
• ATTENDANCE: 5,179

Up Next

• Alabama will look to clinch the series victory when it returns to the field on Saturday, March 29
• The contest between the Crimson Tide and the Sooners is set for a 12 p.m. CT start, airing on SEC Network