Alabama
29-15, 10-10
Tennessee
28-15, 9-11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Tennessee | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 1 |
No. 13 Baseball Drops Both Games of Friday Doubleheader at Tennessee
4/24/2026 10:07:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide was outscored 21-4 in the two contests at Lindsey Nelson Stadium
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama baseball (29-16, 10-11 SEC) was unable to claim either of the two legs of Friday's doubleheader at Tennessee (29-15, 10-11 SEC), as the Crimson Tide was defeated 10-0 in eight innings in game one before an 11-4 loss in game two.
From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"The thing we talked about before this weekend started was, when the mistake happens, can we minimize it? Can you hold it down to one? Last night, we did a good job of that. We just a had a span where we go error, error, sac bunt, homer, error and when you do that, that's how crooked numbers happen and crooked numbers get you beat. You get that leadoff error and you don't get the next guy trying to get an out on a bunt, you take the out on the bunt and maybe they tie the game or go up one, but it doesn't get messy. Tennessee's at-bats in the second game weren't nearly as good as they were in the first game, and the second we open up the door by kicking the ball around, you saw them start racing to the bat rack. When you give up seven on the road without a lot of outs to play with, you're going to be in trouble."
Game One
No. 13 Alabama baseball (29-15, 10-10 SEC) was overwhelmed by Tennessee (28-15, 9-11 SEC) in the first leg of Friday's doubleheader at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, as the Crimson Tide was topped 10-0 by the Volunteers. The game was made official after eight innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Zane Adams (4-3) was responsible for seven hits, six runs (five earned), four walks and four strikeouts across 5.1 innings. Austin Morris succeeded Adams as the first man out of the bullpen, tossing 1.1 frames while not allowing a hit, though the right-hander was on the hook for two unearned runs. Evan Steckmesser gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in his lone inning.
The Tide mustered only three hits against Tegan Kuhns, who held Alabama to just three singles. Brady Neal, Bryce Fowler and Eric Hines recorded one hit apiece, with Fowler and Hines being the only men in the Alabama order to reach second base over eight innings.
How It Happened
- B2 | Trent Grindlinger lined a one-out, solo home run to right-center. (1-0 Tennessee)
- B3 | Jay Abernathy was plunked with the first pitch of the inning before Garrett Wright singled to right. Henry Ford then doubled to left to score Abernathy. With two in scoring position, Reese Chapman grounded out to second to bring in Wright, with Grindlinger following him an RBI single to left. (4-0, Tennessee)
- B6 | Blaine Brown opened the inning with a single to right and later stole second. After both Abernathy and Wright walked to load the bases, Ford bounced into an RBI fielder's choice, though the throw to first on the potential double play ball was not dug out and skipped away, allowing Abernathy to race home on the play. (6-0, Tennessee)
- B7 | With one out, Grindlinger was plunked before Manny Marin drew a walk. After Marin, Brown hit a groundball to first, but the throw towards second was overthrown into left field, allowing Grindlinger to score. Levi Clark then bounced into a fielder's choice at third, beating out the double play attempt to bring in Marin. (8-0, Tennessee)
- B8 | Ford worked a one-out walk before Blake Grimmer singled up the middle to put two men on. Chapman followed Grimmer with an RBI double to left, scoring Ford and moving Grimmer to third. After an intentional walk, Marin drove in the game-ending run with a groundout to second. (10-0, Tennessee)
Game Two
In a back-and-forth game early, No. 13 Alabama baseball (29-16, 10-11 SEC) saw Tennessee (29-15, 10-11 SEC) explode for seven runs in the 6th, leading to an eventual 11-4 Crimson Tide defeat.
Peyton Steele was the only man in the Alabama lineup to produce multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a home run. Steele's solo home run in the 3rd tied the score at 1-1 after the first eight men in the Tide lineup had been retired. Jason Torres also homered as part of a 1-for-3 night, as his solo homer in the 5th gave Alabama a 3-2 lead. Will Plattner was 1-for-4 with an RBI double, while Brady Neal drove in a run with a single to encompass his 1-for-4 line.
In his 11th start this season, Myles Upchurch (5-3) managed 5.0-plus innings, allowing five hits and four runs (three earned) with two walks and four strikeouts. Upchurch remained in the game at the start of the 6th, though consecutive errors, including a run-scoring misthrow of his own, kick-started the seven-run Volunteers avalanche. Ashton Crowther entered in the 6th and was unable to halt the Tennessee momentum, surrendering three hits and five runs (one earned) as well as a walk. Matthew Heiberger allowed one run and three hits in his one-inning appearance, while Owen Sarna was also responsible for a run on three hits.
How It Happened
- B2 | Reese Chapman, Manny Marin and Blaine Brown all singled with two outs, with Brown's base-hit up the middle scoring Chapman. (1-0, Tennessee)
- T3 | With two outs, Peyton Steele powered a solo home run to left-center. (1-1)
- T4 | Bryce Fowler missed a home run to left-center by mere inches, but settled for a double. Eric Hines was then intentionally walked, leading to Will Plattner's RBI double. (2-1, Alabama)
- B4 | Trent Grindlinger led off the inning with a solo homer to center. (2-2)
- T5 | Jason Torres answered with a solo homer of his own as the leadoff man in the 5th. (3-2, Alabama)
- B6 | Leading off, Stone Lawless reached base as the result of a throwing error and took second after the ball wound up out of play. Chapman then dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw towards third was errant, allowing Lawless to score and Chapman to reach second. Marin then followed with a successful sacrifice bunt that pushed Chapman to third. Brown then proceeded to line a two-run home run to left. After the homer, Levi Clark reached after a potential groundout was dropped at first base. Garrett Wright then walked, with Henry Ford singling into to center to score Clark. Blake Grimmer also singled before Grindlinger blooped a double into center to score two. Lawless closed the seven-run inning with an RBI groundout to shortstop. (9-3, Tennessee)
- B7 | Brown lifted his second homer of the game, a solo longball to right. (10-3, Tennessee)
- T8 | Justin Lebron singled up the middle to start the inning and advanced a base after a groundout. Brady Neal then lined an RBI single into right-center. (10-4, Tennessee)
- B8 | With runners at the corners and two outs, the Volunteers created a rundown between first and second, allowing a run to cross before the final out was made between the bases. (11-4, Tennessee)
Postgame Notes
- Brady Neal extended his on-base streak to 36 games after reaching base in both contests
- Justin Lebron saw his 23-game on-base streak and 12-game hitting streak snapped following an 0-for-4 line in game one
- Bryce Fowler led the Tide over the weekend, managing a .455 average (5-for-11) with four doubles, three RBI and two walks in his three games in Knoxville
Up Next
- Alabama will await a three-game home series against Vanderbilt beginning Thursday, April 30
- First pitch between the Crimson Tide and Commodores is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, airing on ESPNU
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tegan Kuhns (3-3)
L: Adams, Zane (4-3)
Batting:
2B: Henry Ford 1 ; Reese Chapman 1
HR: Trent Grindlinger 1
RBI: Henry Ford 2 ; Reese Chapman 2 ; Trent Grindlinger 2 ; Manny Marin 1 ; Levi Clark 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Garrett Wright 1 ; Henry Ford 2 ; Blake Grimmer 1 ; Trent Grindlinger 2 ; Manny Marin 1 ; Blaine Brown 1 ; Jay Abernathy 2
SB: Blaine Brown 1
HBP: Trent Grindlinger 1 ; Jay Abernathy 1
