Alabama
Vanderbilt
Trio of Homers Power Baseball to 11-2 Win over No. 5 Vanderbilt
5/4/2023 10:42:00 PM | Baseball
The Tide used three homers to account for eight runs in the series-opening win
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Three homers powered Alabama baseball to an 11-2 win over fifth-ranked Vanderbilt on Thursday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The series-opening victory moved the Crimson Tide to 31-15 on the season and 10-12 in Southeastern Conference play.
Alabama totaled 10 hits, including three home runs, and scored in five of the eight innings on Thursday. The scoring was highlighted by a pair of four-run frames in the second and eighth innings. The huge second came by way a of grand slam from Andrew Pinckney. The redshirt junior finished his night 2-for-2 with the grand slam, two walks, two runs and a team-high five RBI. The eighth included a three-run shot from Drew Williamson, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. Also homering was Ed Johnson, part of a 2-for-3 showing that included an RBI, one run and a walk.
The Tide's early offense allowed Luke Holman (6-2) to settle in for his team-high sixth win. The sophomore tossed 7.0 innings of two-run ball, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out seven across his career-high 98 pitches. He then turned the ball over to his bullpen with Alton Davis II and Braylon Myers holding Vanderbilt scoreless over the final 2.0 frames.
From Interim Head Coach Jason Jackson
"It was great to be back at home. Our fans were awesome. They really got behind the guys, and our guys feel that. Sometimes you go on the road, you got that 'you against the world' mentality, and you feed off of that. But after back-to-back weeks of (roadtrips), it was nice to be back at The Joe, nice to be back in front of our home crowd. I thought the crowd was awesome and provided an extra spark for our guys tonight."
How It Happened
- T1 | RJ Schreck hit a solo homer to get the Commodores on the board. (1-0, Vanderbilt)
- B1 | Dominic Tamez crossed the tying run with a sacrifice fly to center. (1-1)
- B2 | The Tide loaded the bases with two down before Andrew Pinckney cleared them with a grand slam. (5-1, Alabama)
- B4 | With runners on second and third, a sacrifice fly from Drew Williamson added one. (6-1, Alabama)
- T5 | The Commodores tacked on another a run with a two-out RBI-single. (6-2, Alabama)
- B7 | Ed Johnson widened the gap with a solo home run. (7-2, Alabama)
- B8 | Jim Jarvis led off with a single before stealing second. A walk to Tommy Seidl put two on for Pinckney, who delivered a single of his own to score one. After a Vandy pitching change, Williamson extended the Tide lead with a three-run home run. (11-2, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- Luke Holman matched his career-high mark for innings pitched with 7.0 in tonight's start. He also had 7.0 at South Alabama on March 14 of this season.
- Holman's 98 pitches were a new career-high total. His previous best was 89 against Auburn on April 14.
- The Tide recorded 10 hits on the night and has totaled double-digit hits in 29 games, including 10 SEC pairings.
- Alabama has hit a home run in 37 of 46 games this season and has produced multiple homers 26 times. The Tide has also posted two-or-more homers in 12 SEC contests.
- Andrew Pinckney recorded his first career grand slam and has now homered in six of his last seven SEC contests.
- Pinckney's grand slam is the Tide's sixth this season and first since March 11. Alabama's six grand slams this season are tied for the third-most in a single season since 1983. The program record since '83 is 11 by the 1984 team with the 1997 and 2009 Tide squads each recording seven.
- The redshirt junior has also reached base safely in his last 21 SEC contests.
- Pinckney's five RBI were a new career-high total. His previous best was three, which he accumulated on three occasions and most recently at LSU last weekend on April 28.
- Tommy Seidl has gotten aboard in 21 straight games dating back to March 28.
- Seidl has also recorded a hit in nine straight games dating back to April 18.
- ATTENDANCE: 3,418
Alabama and Vanderbilt return to the diamond on Friday night at 7 p.m. CT. The Crimson Tide will look to senior right-hander Garrett McMillan while the Commodores counter with junior Hunter Owen, a lefty. Fans can catch game two of the series on SEC Network.
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