TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — When it rains it pours, and when it comes to this season, the Alabama baseball team continues to get drenched.

The Crimson Tide lost to No. 18 Texas A &M 3-2 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Friday night.

“Tough loss tonight,” Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said. “Kids competed really well. We just gave them too much early.

”You have a really really thin margin for error when you compete against a team like Texas A &M and a starter like [John] Doxakis, and you don’t get a chance to put up a crooked number very often, and when you get that chance you've got to do it.”

After a two-hour rain delay, freshman first baseman Drew Williamson quickly knocked in the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning with a single. It scored freshman T.J. Reeves, who had reached on an error.

The lead evaporated when the Aggies scored two runs in the second, but Reeves scored another run off of a wild pitch in the third.

At 2-2, an RBI fly-out by sophomore second baseman Bryce Blaum put the Aggies on top for good.

On the mound, junior right-hander Wil Freeman started, yet only pitched 1 1/3 innings for Alabama, giving up two runs off of three hits, walking two and striking out none.

Junior righty Davis Vainer (1-1 relieved Freeman, allowing one run off of one hit, walking three and striking out four in 3 2/3 innings to take the loss.

The other three pitchers called from the bullpen — Brock Guffey, Chase Lee and Deacon Medders — kept the Aggies at bay, but the offense couldn't compensate.

”The bullpen was awesome,” Bohannon said. ”We weren’t good enough out of the gate, but Vainer and Guffey and Lee and Medders were awesome. Didn’t give up any unearned runs out of the bullpen.

”I’m really proud of those guys. We just obviously didn’t do quite enough.”

For the Aggies, junior left-handler John Doxakis had a solid outing. Through seven innings he allowed two runs off of five hits, with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Doxakis (6-3) was credited with the win, with sophomore righty Kasey Kalich picking up the save (11).

With the loss, the Crimson Tide dropped to 28-22 on the season, 6-19 in the SEC.

With South Carolina defeating Kentucky, all three 6-19 teams are tied few the final spot in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

Although the Crimson Tide appeared to have some breathing room with Missouri being issued a postseason ban by the NCAA in January, the Tigers are appealing the decision.

Consequently, Missouri remains eligible for postseason play until the appeal runs its course.

Alabama has two more chances this weekend against the Aggies (33-17-1, 13-11-1 SEC), weather permitting, and a tough trip to Athens to face No. 7 Georgia looming next weekend.

Kentucky faces off against No. 2 Vanderbilt next weekend, while South Carolina plays No. 6 Mississippi State.

The race might go down to the last out.

“It won’t get any easier tomorrow,” Bohannon said. “We’ll need to execute a little better tomorrow if we want to come out on top.”

First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. (SEC Network+).

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