Lebron's Grand Slam Guides Alabama Baseball to Weekend Sweep of North Dakota State

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The late drama was a couple notches down from Saturday, but the official result in Sunday's game between the Alabama baseball team and North Dakota State was the same. The Crimson Tide won 11-3, this time to lock up a weekend sweep.

Alabama (12-0) continued its affinity for offensively affluent second innings, scoring seven runs in the frame after the Bison (1-9) got on the board with a first-inning RBI double from designated hitter Nick Gordon, scoring center fielder Donte Smith.

"I don't know, man. They've been good in the second. They've been real good in the second," head coach Rob Vaughn said. "Some of that is this time of year... We have scouting reports. So much of it is, there's still [such] limited information [in the first inning]."

Vaughn was much happier with his team's energy on Sunday as compared to Saturday's 9-7 win. Sunday's second inning included a grand slam by star shortstop Justin Lebron, who is now up to eight home runs and 28 RBIs through 12 games.

This phenomenal start to the sophomore's 2025 campaign has resulted in national attention, as well as the awe of spectators and fans, but it has not resulted in jealousy from his teammates.

"Justin's a great player," Vaughn said. "This team just wants to win. They know the more he does that, the more we win, and it's been fun as a coach to kinda sit back and see our guys celebrate the success of everybody... They celebrate everybody's success, and that's a really neat thing that doesn't go unnoticed."

Crimson Tide starting pitcher Bobby Alcock had a nice rebound from last Sunday's start against Ohio State, striking out seven Bison batters in four innings of work. Apart from that first inning run, the only other score he gave up Sunday was a fourth-inning solo home run by Will Mann.

"He commanded the fastball in better today, and I think that was helpful, because it keeps teams from diving out over the plate," Vaughn said. "He threw some good sliders. He threw some good changeups... Man, he just attacked the strike zone. I think that's the key to that thing."

North Dakota State added a third run in the top of the sixth, but Austin Morris, Tyler Fay and Coulson Buchanan shut everything else down out of the bullpen. It was a better day for that unit as well after some late-game bumps in the road both on Saturday and in the midweek this past Tuesday.

"We're still navigating that bullpen a little bit, figuring out who's best where," Vaughn said. "When you go earn our trust in games like that with your focus, your mindset, with your performance, you get a little more thrust on your plate."

Designated hitter Coleman Mizell, one of the country's best players at working walks and one of Alabama's best hitters up to this point, had three hits with an RBI and a lot of hard contact. He has settled in nicely to his role in the number three spot in the lineup. Third baseman Jason Torres preceded Lebron's grand slam with his third home run in as many games.

The offense as a whole is clicking on all cylinders, putting Vaughn's pack approach into action to great effect. Center fielder Richie Bonomolo Jr., who bats ninth, is up to an on-base percentage of .593, which will play when it comes to turning over the lineup card to Lebron and Mizell's part of the order.

"Richie's one of my better friends on the team. I love it," Mizell said. "I don't know what his on-base percentage is, but it's probably close to .600. Really important for flipping the lineup back over, and getting guys on base. Obviously, it really helps [me] hitting between Justin Lebron and Jason Torres, who are both unbelievable players."

Alabama had nine walks compared to just two strikeouts. If offensive efficiency is the goal, pairing those statistics with 11 runs is a good way to reach it.

Mizell shared that Torres has begun to teach him Spanish. The Hartselle, Ala., native further stated that "might be coming soon." Vaughn said Mizell has been doing what he was brought to Alabama to do, adding that his maturity has been one of his strongest aspects.

The Crimson Tide next faces down a double midweek, starting with a road trip to Jacksonville State on Tuesday, and then welcoming in No. 21 Troy to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday. The Jacksonville State game is a rematch of last Tuesday's 20-11 Alabama victory.