Next Game: at Auburn 5/3/2019 | 6 p.m. CT SEC Network+

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball's late rally was not enough as the Crimson Tide fell, 5-4, to 14th-ranked LSU. Following Sunday's matchup, the Tide is now 26-19 overall and 5-16 in Southeastern Conference play.

"I was really proud of the way our guys competed, and I really hurt for them," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon . "I was really proud of the bullpen, they were outstanding today. They gave us a chance to scratch back and the kids fought all day, it just wasn't quite enough."

Alabama trailed 5-2 entering the final two innings. The Crimson Tide pushed across one in the eighth to narrow the gap to two headed to the ninth. That final frame saw UA score one and load the bases up with two down, but a strikeout swinging ended the game in favor of LSU. Tiger starter Landon Marceaux (3-2) earned the win while Devin Fontenot (6) picked up the save despite a shaky ninth.

Graduate Jeremy Randolph (1-2) suffered the loss with 3.0 innings of work, but the Tide bullpen was able to keep things close following his exit. The trio of redshirt junior Davis Vainer , sophomore Brock Guffey and junior Deacon Medders limited the Tigers to only two hits and one run while combining for six strikeouts. Guffey contributed a career-high 3.0 innings and added two punchouts while Medders tossed the final 2.0 stanzas, striking out three Tigers.

On offense, Brett Auerbach continued his hot hitting for the weekend, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored. Fellow junior Morgan McCullough paced the Crimson Tide in RBI with two, while sophomore Tyler Gentry homered on Sunday for his team-leading 10th roundtripper of the season.

LSU began the day's scoring with one in the first, but the Crimson Tide came right back to match, making it 1-1 through one inning of play. The Tide was able to load the bases up in that home half, with freshman Drew Williamson drawing a walk to push across one run.

The Tigers regained the lead in the third with three runs and added one more in the fourth to set the score at 5-1. Alabama narrowed the gap with one in the fifth to make it a three-run game. Auerbach started things with a one-out single, moving to second on an infield groundout. McCullough then brought him across with a single to left-center to set the score at 5-2 after five frames.

Gentry homered to lead off the eighth, making it a two-run game for the Tide going into the ninth. A single from Auerbach with one on and one down gave UA a pair of baserunners in the final half inning. Freshman T.J. Reeves then drew a walk to load them up before a McCullough grounder to second went for out No. 2 but also crossed a run. Gentry was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat to pack the bags once again, but a strikeout swinging ended things at 5-4 in favor of the Tigers.

The Crimson Tide will now take the week off for final exams before traveling to Auburn next weekend. Alabama and Auburn will meet from Friday through Sunday, May 3-5, at Plainsman Park. Friday's matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT followed by a 7 p.m. start on Saturday and a 3 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. The opener will air on SEC Network+ with the final two games being broadcast nationally by SEC Network.

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