The Valparaiso University baseball team closed out a three-game series at No. 17 Alabama on Sunday afternoon in Tuscaloosa. The Beacons once again struck first with a first-inning tally, but the Crimson Tide prevailed 11-1 in seven innings.

How It Happened

• Valpo got the scoring going in the opening inning thanks to a two-out knock by Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd [Wisconsin Oshkosh]). His hit scored Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central), who singled and swiped second earlier in the inning.
• Alabama scored two runs in each of the first three innings and made it 7-1 with one more in the fourth.
• Valpo reliever Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka, Ind. / Mishawaka) worked a scoreless fifth, but the Crimson Tide eventually put up two more crooked numbers, scoring twice each in the sixth and seventh to invoke the 10-run rule.

Inside the Game

• Schmack had another productive day, lashing two of the team’s five hits.
• The lone Beacon extra-base knock of the day came courtesy of Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest), who doubled.
• Jablonski had the best day of any member of the pitching staff, allowing just one run (none earned) on two hits and one walk over two frames.
• Valpo has scored in the first inning in three of its last four games and each of the last two.

Up Next

Valpo (2-5) will be back in action on Friday at 3 p.m. against Elon in Elon, N.C.