Alabama
10-0
UIC
4-4
Home Runs Power Baseball to 11-1 Win over UIC on Friday
3/3/2023 8:55:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide used a pair of homers from Shelton along with a grand slam from Seidl to secure the series-opening win
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball used three home runs to claim an 11-1 win in seven innings over UIC on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The victory moves the 20th-ranked Crimson Tide to 10-0 on the year.
Alabama jumped out front early with five runs on only one hit in the first. The lone hit was a grand slam from Tommy Seidl to stake the Tide to a big lead early. UA then added two in the second, including a solo homer from Colby Shelton, before UIC got on the board with one in the top of the third. The Crimson Tide answered with a run of its own in the fifth followed by three in the sixth, one of which came on Shelton's second homer of the evening, to secure the 11-1 win.
Shelton's two homers moved him to four on the season with the freshman adding two RBI and a pair of runs scored on Friday. Seidl finished with a career-high and Alabama season-high six RBI as part of a 2-for-3 night with a run scored. Andrew Pinckney and Jim Jarvis each contributed an RBI of their own, with Pinckney doubling and Jarvis matching Shelton's team-high two runs scored.
Grayson Hitt (2-0) picked up his second win of the season with 5.0 frames of one-run baseball. Hitt allowed four hits and issued three walks while striking out five. Hagan Banks followed with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief that included four punchouts.
From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"This was another great effort from our club. I really liked the way we came out hot today. The top of the order did a really great job of taking some borderline pitches and, obviously, Tommy Seidl put a good swing on that (grand slam) ball. When you score five in the first and you got Grayson Hitt on the mound with a fresh bullpen behind him, you're feeling pretty good. Grayson gave us a really good start, Hagan (Banks) was outstanding behind him and we had the three home runs. It was a good night for our club."
How It Happened
- B1 | The Tide loaded the bases with two down, drawing four straight walks. A fifth consecutive walk, this one to Jarvis, pushed across the game's first run. Tommy Seidl was next up, clearing the bases with an opposite field grand slam. (5-0, Alabama)
- B2 | Colby Shelton added to the lead with a solo home run. After a single from Caden Rose, the junior put himself in scoring position on wild pitch and a stolen base. Andrew Pinckney then brought Rose in with a hustle double back up the chute. (7-0, Alabama)
- T3 | A solo home run from Cole Conn got UIC on the board. (7-1, Alabama)
- B5 | With runners on second and third and two down, a throw to return the ball to the infield from the shortstop to the pitcher got under the pitcher's glove and allowed Jarvis to score from third. (8-1, Alabama)
- B6 | Shelton led off the inning with his second homer of the day. The Tide then loaded the bases with two down for Seidl, with the senior singling to right to plate a pair. (11-1, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- Alabama's 10-game winning streak to start the season ties for the fourth-longest in program history. The 10-game streak to start the new year has happened on three previous occasions, most recently by the 2002 team. The all-time record is 15 straight wins by the 1997 roster.
- Eight of the nine starters reached base safely in the game.
- Seven of the nine starters contributed at least one run.
- Tommy Seidl finished with a career-high and Alabama season-high six RBI in tonight's game. The six-RBI effort is the first by a Tide hitter since Tyler Gentry against South Alabama on March 3, 2020.
- Seidl hit the Tide's second grand slam of the season. Camden Hayslip recorded the first for UA in Tuesday's matchup with Jacksonville State.
- Colby Shelton homered twice in tonight's contest and is the second Tide player to do so this season. Shelton joined Ed Johnson, who had two home runs against High Point on Feb. 24.
- Shelton extended his hitting streak to seven games. Over that stretch, the freshman is batting .429 (9-21) with a double, four home runs, seven RBI, eight runs, five walks and a hit-by-pitch.
- Andrew Pinckney has recorded at least one hit in all 10 games this season.
- Will Hodo recorded a hit to move his hitting streak to six games. During the streak, Hodo is batting .400 (6-15) with a home run, three RBI, six runs, three walks and a hit-by-pitch.
- Caden Rose reached base safely in today's matchup and has now gotten aboard in 28 straight contests dating back to April 25 of last season.
- Drew Williamson has gotten aboard in all 10 contests to start his graduate season. Including the final game of last season, Williamson has gotten aboard in 11 straight games.
- ATTENDANCE: 3,316
Alabama and UIC will return to action on Saturday with a 2 p.m. CT first pitch in game two. The Crimson Tide will look to sophomore right-hander Ben Hess in the start with the Flames' starter still to be announced. Fans can catch all the action live on SEC Network+.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabmaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hitt, Grayson (2-0)
L: LANCOUR, Kade (2-1)
Batting:
HR: CONN, Cole 1
RBI: CONN, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CONN, Cole 1
SB: CONN, Cole 1
Batting:
2B: Pinckney, Andrew 1
HR: Shelton, Colby 2 ; Seidl, Tommy 1
RBI: Shelton, Colby 2 ; Pinckney, Andrew 1 ; Jarvis, Jim 1 ; Seidl, Tommy 6
Base Running:
RUNS: Shelton, Colby 2 ; Rose, Caden 1 ; Pinckney, Andrew 1 ; Williams, Max 1 ; Williamson, Drew 1 ; Hodo, Will 1 ; Tamez, Dominic 1 ; Jarvis, Jim 2 ; Seidl, Tommy 1
SB: Rose, Caden 1 ; Eblin, Bryce 1
CS: Eblin, Bryce 1
HBP: Jarvis, Jim 1 ; Seidl, Tommy 1 ; Eblin, Bryce 1
