He didn't pay on the scoreboard, however, until he hit DH Steven Waguespack to open the second inning -- Waguespack scored on an RBI single from Jordan Mayer to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.

The slow bleeding continued for Robert, as Mayer scored on a Sprowl flyout in the fifth, and then, in the 7th, Robert put Quinn Stewart on base on the first walk by an LSU pitcher in 24 innings. Time to pull the plug -- Alabama coach Jim Wells had barely reached the mound before Robert walked off the field, replaced by Jake McCarter. McCarter retired the side, but Alabama still trails, 3-0 at the top of the eighth.

In Alabama's defense, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia were obviously just the opening bands for the Tide's big show in its home state. The top seed rolled deep into Hoover -- purple and gold shirts are few and far between -- but the show, so far has been all LSU's.