Tyler Fay Sets Multiple Career Highs in 7-2 Series Opener Against North Florida

Alabama cruised to a 7-2 victory over North Florida in game one of the two teams' weekend series, with Tide pitcher Tyler Fay putting on a show and setting several career highs in the Tide's win. 

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The junior right-hander from Nebraska delivered a dominant performance, pitching a career-high seven innings and surpassing his previous best of six. He threw 95 pitches, four more than his previous high of 91, set against Iowa last Friday in Frisco, and struck out 11 of the 25 batters he faced in the Tide's five-run win, shattering his previous strikeout record of seven.

Fay came out on fire with the Friday night starting pitcher going on to strike out five of his first nine batters that he faced through the first three innings, with the righty not allowing a hit until the top of the fourth inning, which was a bunt that allowed North Florida's center fielder Sean Benjamin to get on at first base. Still, shortly after Fay forced the Osprey's shortstop to hit into a double play, he finished the inning by forcing a groundout to first base.

The top of the fifth inning saw Fay give up his second hit of the game, which ended up being a two-run home run from North Florida's right fielder, Gialdri Gomez. This cut Alabama's three-run lead to one, giving the opposing team a chance to gain some momentum. Unfortunately for the Ospreys, the Crimson Tide's pitcher wasn't going to allow that with Fay quickly switching back into gear, and striking out the next three batters that he faced.

Following the win, Fay was asked what was going through his mind during that fifth inning, and what was the message in the dugout following his three strikeouts after giving up the homerun, in which he went on to describe how, after he allowed that homerun, a switch flicked. He got back into gear with the Junior, wrapping it up, sharing what his pitching coach and Associate Head Coach, Jason Jackson, told him after the inning. 

"I think that was just a pretty bad fastball that I threw that the guy hit out. I was kinda mad that i dont know if i like went up a little bit or backed off or whatever happened, but yeah after that, I flipped the switch back for me and I came in after that and JJ [Jason Jackson] was like 'foot on the gas keep going, your not done', so i just got the energy back up for me and able to execute a couple pitches after the bad fastball." 

Fay saw two more innings of action, which saw him rack up two more strikeouts, hold North Florida to zero runs, and scatter one hit throughout his last two innings of play, before Evan Steckmesser checked in from the bullpen to relieve the junior pitcher in the top of the eighth inning. 

Tonight's win improves Fay's pitching record to 3-1, with his only loss being the Crimson Tide's season opener against Washington State back on February 13th. Fay will be back in action next Saturday when Aaama travels to Lexington for its SEC series opener against Kentucky. 

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