Alabama baseball’s season ends with College World Series loss to Texas

Alabama’s impressive run at the College World Series has come to a premature end after two difficult performances in Omaha.

The Crimson Tide were eliminated on Monday following a 14-2 loss to Texas, marking the team’s second straight defeat in the tournament. The loss comes on the heels of a frustrating 9-0 shutout against Oklahoma this past Saturday.

A Rough Start on the Mound

Texas seized control early, putting pressure on Alabama starter Zane Adams from the jump. The Longhorns plated three runs in the first inning alone, ignited by back-to-back doubles from Ethan Mendoza and Adrian Rodriguez. Adams struggled to find his rhythm, lasting only 1.2 innings while surrendering seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks.

Texas continued to pour it on, adding four runs in the second inning before head coach Rob Vaughn opted to pull Adams. By the time the dust settled, Texas had racked up 13 hits, anchored by a historic performance from Rodriguez, who hit for the cycle and tied a CWS record with seven RBIs.

Limited Offensive Response

While the Alabama bats were slightly more productive than they were against Oklahoma, they could not keep pace with the Texas offense. Luke Vaughn provided a glimmer of hope with an RBI single in the second inning, and John Lemm added a solo home run in the fourth, but the outcome was effectively decided early. Alabama finished the game with six hits.

Texas starter Ruger Riojas effectively neutralized the Crimson Tide throughout his six-inning appearance, limiting Alabama to two earned runs on six hits.

Looking Back at the 2026 Season

In the aftermath of the defeat, Alabama’s bullpen—featuring Matthew Heiberger, Hagan Banks, and Myles Upchurch—worked to eat up the remaining innings. Heiberger provided the longest relief appearance at four innings, though he eventually surrendered a home run to Anthony Pack Jr. during his outing.

Despite the difficult finish in Omaha, the 2026 season was a landmark year for the program. Alabama concludes its campaign with a 42-21 overall record and its first College World Series berth since 1999.

“It’s one of those things,” coach Rob Vaughn said postgame. “It can be equal parts disappointed in the last couple of games and at the same time overly proud of what this group has done.”

Reflecting on the team's journey, Vaughn added, “We’re grateful to have been here. It stings that we’re going home this early. As a coach, you’re kind of on to the next thing, on to the next one. So, we’ll enjoy this group and I’ll remember this group for the rest of my career.”