May 26, 2010

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CBI Live: SEC Game 2: #6 Ole Miss 3, #3 South Carolina 0

CBI Live: SEC Game 3: #8 LSU 10, #1 Florida 6

CBI Live
Nelson, Tide Crash on Tigers

By Jimmy Jones

Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com

(photos by Jimmy Jones)

HOOVER, Ala. – The Alabama Crimson Tide not only claimed state bragging rights Wednesday, but also extended their SEC Tournament win streak to three with a 7-1 win over the SEC West Champion Auburn Tigers behind a masterful five-hit pitching performance by senior right-hander Jimmy Nelson (right).

Nelson (8-2) tossed a complete game – his third in three weeks – and allowed five hits, struck out six and displayed pinpoint control by not walking a batter in the contest.

Auburn (39-20), fresh off of a sweep of Ole Miss, scored the first run in the third inning on a Dan Gamache double and a suicide squeeze by leadoff hitter Justin Fradejas, but it was all Crimson Tide from there.

The Tide (36-21) answered with two runs in the fourth when Clay Jones led off with a walk, and David Kindred reached on an error. Tigers starter Cory Luckie loaded the bases with a walk to left fielder Jon Kelton. Andrew Miller delivered a single through the right side to plate Jones and Kindred, who barely beat the tag of catcher Ryan Jenkins to score the go-ahead run.

Luckie (6-4) put the clamps on the Tide offense for the next two frames but was unable to get out of the seventh inning after recording two outs. He was saddled with the loss despite allowing just one earned run. Luckie allowed six hits, walked two and struck out six.

Alabama, which swept Tennessee to insure its entry into the SEC Tournament, put a run on the board in the seventh on the strength of double by Brock Bennett and a triple by All-SEC performer Taylor Dugas to bump the lead to 3-1.

The Crimson Tide then put the game away with three in the ninth on a Bennett single, a walk to Dugas, a hit batter and a RBI walk to Clay Jones. Kindred capped the scoring with a two-run knock into left field off of reliever Zach Blatt.

Jake Smith (left), the reigning SEC Player of the Week, had two hits to lead the Alabama offense. He was joined by Bennett and Dugas with two hits apiece.