Tide’s wave of homers fuels upset of No. 7 Seminoles

CLEARWATER, Fla. – In Sunday night’s marquee matchup at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational, 15th-ranked Alabama used a pair of solo home runs to defeat No. 7 Florida State in a pitcher’s duel 2-1.

Alabama (6-2) and Florida State (9-3) were scoreless through the first three innings until a pair of solo home runs from Kenleigh Cahalan and Bailey Dowling broke up a perfect game and gave the Crimson Tide a two-run lead. The Seminoles responded with a solo shot of their own in the next half-inning to make it 2-1, but Montana Fouts (3-1) and the Alabama defense did the rest of the work on the road, missing a potential tying shot 60 feet away. in the seventh to clinch the win.

The game marked Alabama’s third season with multiple home runs, the second homer of the season for Cahalan and the first for Dowling. The complete game was Fouts’ third of the season, allowing four or fewer in all.

Glare

• The win snaps Florida State’s streak to five games, marking Alabama’s first win over the Seminoles since February 23, 2018.
• The game marked Alabama’s third of the season in as many home runs, coming against Lehigh (Feb. 10) and UCLA (Feb. 17).
• In front is Kenleigh Cahalan who is in his second season and Bailey Dowling is in his first season
• Montana Fouts has pitched three complete games this season, holding opponents to four or less each time.

Score Summary

• B4 Kenleigh Cahalan breaks up a perfect game with his first solo home run (1-0, 0 Out)
• B4 Bailey Dowling slugged a solo home run to left (2-0, 2 Out)
• T5 | The Seminoles answered right back in the next half inning with a solo homer of their own (2-1, 0 Outs)

Next:

• vs. Samford (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) Wednesday, February 22 – 6 pm CT