Baseball Falls at No. 2 Vanderbilt, 9-6, on Friday

Friday, May 7

Nashville, Tenn.

6:30 P.M.

Alabama

28-16, 11-11

Vanderbilt

33-10, 15-7

Alabama

Vanderbilt

Baseball Falls at No. 2 Vanderbilt, 9-6, on Friday

5/7/2021 10:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The two teams traded leads in the third and fourth innings with Vandy coming out on top

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama baseball fell, 9-6, to second-ranked Vanderbilt in the series opener on Friday night at Hawkins Field. The loss moved the Crimson Tide to 28-16 on the season and 11-11 in Southeastern Conference play.

The teams traded leads in the third and fourth innings with Vanderbilt gaining the advantage for good in the bottom of the fourth and adding one more for insurance in the sixth. Kumar Rocker (11-1) picked up the win despite giving up six runs on six hits and five walks across 5.0 innings of work. Vandy reliever Nick Maldonado recorded his fourth save, tossing the final 2.1 innings. Tyler Ras (6-2) suffered the loss.

Alabama was first on the board with three runs in the third with Vanderbilt countering for four in the home half. The Crimson Tide came right back with three runs in the top of the fourth, but Vandy countered once again, this time with a four-spot to take a two-run lead. The Commodores widened the gap with one more in the sixth to make it a 9-6 game, the eventual final.

Vanderbilt was able to keep UA scoreless across the final 5.0 innings, but the Tide did not go quietly. Alabama was able to reach a baserunner in four of the final five frames and got runners in scoring position in three of those innings but stranded eight during that stretch. UA's best chance came in the seventh with two in scoring position and only one down but a flyout and groundout kept the Tide from mounting a comeback.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

"I thought tonight's game was a really good battle that could have gone either way. To Vanderbilt's credit, they answered both times we scored and were able to get a couple of balls up into the jet stream with runners on base and that was the difference in the game."

How It Happened

T3 | Alabama got on the board first with a three-run third. Jim Jarvis began the inning with a double before the Tide put runners on the corners thanks to a single from Caden Rose in the next at-bat. Peyton Wilson followed with a hit of his own, this one an RBI-single to right to give UA the lead. Wilson then stole second to put a pair in scoring position and one out later Zane Denton brought both runners home with a double to right. (3-0, Alabama)
B3 | The Commodores countered with four runs in the home half to take the lead. A leadoff double put a runner in scoring position and an RBI-single one out later got VU their first run. The next at-bat saw Carter Young send a ball over the wall in right to even things up. He was followed by Dominic Keegan, with Keegan recording a solo home run to put Vandy in front. (4-3, Vanderbilt)
T4 | Three runs helped UA regain the lead. Drew Williamson began the inning with a walk and moved to third on a double from T.J. Reeves. A wild pitch on ball four to Jarvis brought in Williamson and put Tide on the corners. One out later, Wilson put the Tide in front once again with a sacrifice fly to left. William Hamiter followed with a single back up the chute to score Jarvis and give UA a two-run advantage. (6-4, Alabama)
B4 | Vanderbilt took the lead right back with a four-run fourth. A pair of singles put two on before a two-out three-run home run from Enrique Bradfield Jr. gave the 'Dores the lead. A solo shot in the next at-bat from Young widened the gap to two. (8-6, Vanderbilt)
B6 | A two-out RBI-single added one more for the Commodores. (9-6, Vanderbilt)

Postgame Notes

All nine Crimson Tide starters reached base safely on Friday.
Eight of the nine Alabama batters recorded at least one hit on the night.
Jim Jarvis extended his hitting streak to five games with a 1-for-3 night. During his streak, the sophomore is batting .353 (6-17) with a double, one triple, three RBI, six runs scored and a pair of walks.

Alabama and Vanderbilt return to the diamond on Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch in Nashville. The Crimson Tide will call on right-hander Dylan Smith to even the series while the Commodores' starter is still to be announced after a late scratch of Jack Leiter. Fans can catch game two of the series on SEC Network+.

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