| BSB/SB Home Runs Down Baseball in 13-5 Loss to Fifth-Ranked Vanderbilt

[UA Press Release]

Weekend at Home for Baseball as the Tide Welcomes Fifth-Ranked Vanderbilt - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball returns home this weekend to Sewell-Thomas Stadium for a three-game series with fifth-ranked Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide and Commodores begin the weekend with a 6 p.m. CT first pitch on Friday followed by an 8 p.m. start on Saturday. Things will wrap up on Sunday with the two teams slated for 1 p.m. on getaway day. The bookend matchups of the series will air live on SEC Network+ with game No. 2 being broadcast nationally by SEC Network.

This weekend at The Joe will feature numerous promotions when the Vanderbilt Commodores come to town. Games two and three of the series will be Alabama's "Academic Achievement Day". Local students at participating schools can use their issued promo code to redeem two free ticket vouchers that can be exchanged at the stadium for a pair of free tickets to the Saturday or Sunday matchup.

Sunday's series finale will also resume the Tide's "Kids' Day at The Joe" promotion. All kids 18-and-under can purchase a $5 general admission ticket. Children 12-and-under will also have the chance to take part in an Egg Race postgame. The holiday event will feature eggs scattered throughout the infield for kids 5-and-under while the outfield grass will be open to fans 6-12 years of age to take part in the race.

FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can follow this weekend's game via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+ (Friday | Sunday) / SEC Network (Saturday)
Listen: 102.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY: UA – Sam Finnerty (Sr., RHP) vs. VU – Drake Fellows (Jr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Brock Love (R-Jr., RHP) vs. VU – Kumar Rocker (Fr., RHP)
SUNDAY: UA – TBA vs. VU – TBA

LEADING OFF
• Alabama and Vanderbilt will meet for the 161st time in history when the two teams square off for the opener on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide holds the all-time series advantage, 95-62-3, including a 63-31-2 mark at home. The series with Vanderbilt is the Tide's longest-standing series against an SEC opponent, dating back to 1893 - Alabama baseball's second year in existence.
• The two league foes last met from May 18-20, 2017, in Nashville, with Vandy securing the series win in the first two games before the finale ended in a tie. In game three, the Tide held a 2-0 lead after two frames before the 'Dores scored a run in the sixth. Both teams tallied one run apiece in the seventh with VU tying things up on an Alabama balk in the eighth. Following the final out of that eighth, the umpires cleared the field with the threat of severe thunderstorms in the distance. The game was delayed for nearly two hours before it was eventually decided in a tie to close out the regular season.
• Alabama continues with its regular weekend starters for games one and two with a pair of right-handers in senior Sam Finnerty for the opener followed by Brock Love, a redshirt junior, on Saturday. Sunday's starter is still to be announced.
• Vanderbilt will also send a pair of right-handers to the hill to start the series. Junior Drake Fellows will toe the rubber on Friday followed by freshman Kumar Rocker in Saturday's pairing. The Commodore starter for Sunday is still to be announced.

ABOUT ALABAMA
• Alabama enters this weekend at 1-3 across the last four games. The Crimson Tide fell in three games over the weekend at fifth-ranked Mississippi State before rallying back for a 3-2 win at UAB on Tuesday evening in Birmingham.
• The Tide came up short in a 6-0 loss to Mississippi State on Friday evening at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs built a lead early with four runs in the second. State added two more in the seventh to put things out of reach. Alabama loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third but was unable to get on the board. The Crimson Tide had other opportunities throughout the night but could not battle back.
• Sam Finnerty suffered the loss despite another solid outing. The senior allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out four across his 6.0 innings and 86 pitches of work. He gave up a home run in the fourth, but steadied himself after that, retiring the next 12 in order until a pair of singles broke the streak in the sixth.
• Alabama suffered a 9-1 loss to State on Saturday afternoon. Two runs in the fourth with one in the fifth gave Mississippi State a 3-0 lead. The Crimson Tide was able to rally back for one in the seventh to cut the deficit to two, but a five-spot in the home half of the seventh and one more in the eighth gave the Bulldogs the series-clinching win on Saturday.
• For the second day in a row, the Tide received a solid outing from its starter, and, once again, Alabama's starter suffered the loss. Brock Love was on the losing end of Saturday's matchup, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks in 4.0-plus frames. The redshirt junior struck out four across his 79 pitches of work.
• Sunday saw the Tide fall to the Bulldogs, 13-3. Alabama was able to collect 11 hits compared to State's 17 but could not match the Bulldogs in runs. Seven of the nine starters recorded at least one knock with freshman T.J. Reeves, sophomore Tyler Gentry and junior Johnny Hawk each contributing two hits apiece. Hawk added a solo home run, his third of the season, to go with an RBI and a run scored.
• Alabama completed the 2019 series sweep of UAB with a 3-2 win at Regions Field in Birmingham on Tuesday night. The Crimson Tide pitchers combined for an impressive performance on the mound. Alabama used five arms to scatter seven UAB hits and allow two earned runs.
• Garret Rukes collected the win against the Blazers with 2.0 scoreless frames, allowing only one hit while striking out one. The redshirt sophomore entered with one on and proceeded to face the minimum, using a 6-4-3 double play in the seventh to cap off his night. Graduate Jeremy Randolph secured his sixth save of the season, working the final inning.
• The Tide's freshman duo of Reeves and Drew Williamson each contributed a team-high two hits to go with a run scored and one RBI apiece. Williamson added a double and two walks, finishing 2-for-3 at the dish to highlight the Alabama offense.

ABOUT VANDERBILT
• Tim Corbin is in his 17th season at Vanderbilt in 2019 and entered the new campaign with a record of 681-342-1 in Nashville and a 787-480-1 overall mark across his 21 years as a collegiate head coach. Corbin is joined by assistant coaches Mike Baxter and Scott Brown along with volunteer assistant coach David Macias.
• Vanderbilt returns 24 letterwinners, including eight positional starters and 11 pitchers, from the 2018 team that went 37-25 overall and 16-14 in SEC action to finish fourth in the East and seventh overall. The Commodores advanced as far as NCAA Super Regional play, falling to Mississippi State in Nashville. The 2019 roster is without 10 lettermen from a season ago, a number that includes one positional starter and six pitchers. The 2019 Vandy squad features 14 newcomers.
• The Commodores were selected to win the East and finish second overall in the SEC in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches. Vanderbilt received a league-leading six votes to be crowned SEC Champion.

 

[UA Press Release]

Back-and-Forth Contest Goes Against Baseball in 7-4 Loss to No. 5 Vanderbilt - University of Alabama Athletics



TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball fell in a back-and-forth contest with fifth-ranked Vanderbilt, 7-4, on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Following the series opener, the Crimson Tide is now 24-15 on the season and 4-12 in Southeastern Conference play.

"Obviously, a disappointing loss tonight to a really good Vanderbilt team," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon. "Our guys competed well. We gave up one in the first and came out and scored in the second, then we gave up the three-spot in the fifth and answered with two in the bottom of the fifth. Your margin for error is pretty slim against a team like that. I thought (Sam) Finn(erty) had some tough luck, gave up a couple of soft-contact hits there, and in the fifth, gave up the crooked number. It was disappointing to lose tonight because I thought we played pretty well."

Friday's series opener saw both teams trade blows early. The Commodores got on the board in the top of the first, but UA was able to answer with two runs in the bottom of the second. Vanderbilt tied things up with one in the fourth and took a lead with three in the fifth, but Alabama came right back once again. The Crimson Tide posted two in the home half of the fifth to make it a one-run game, but a single tally by Vandy in the sixth and one more in the ninth widened the advantage to 7-4, the eventual final.

The win went to Vanderbilt starter Drake Fellows (8-0). Fellows allowed four runs on six hits and two walks across his 7.0 innings of work. Tyler Brown (8) picked up the save for VU with a scoreless ninth. Alabama starter Sam Finnerty (5-5) suffered the loss despite another solid outing. The senior allowed six runs on nine hits and two walks with four punchouts. Finnerty kept things close but the three-run, rain-soaked fifth proved the difference on the night.

Vanderbilt started the night's scoring with a solo home run in the top of the first for the 1-0 advantage. Alabama answered an inning later with two runs in the second. Freshman Drew Williamson led off with a single and came across one out later when Joe Breaux sent a ball over the wall in right. The homer was the senior's third of the year and gave the Tide a 2-1 lead.

The Commodores evened things up in the fourth with one run and then took a 5-2 lead thanks to a three-run top of the fifth. Alabama came right back in the home half of that fifth to cut the lead to one with a pair of runs. Junior Johnny Hawk led things off with a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Two outs later, freshman T.J. Reevessingled to put runners on the corners for Morgan McCullough. The junior delivered, sending a double into the corner in right to plate both runners to make it 5-4 through five innings.

Vanderbilt added one more in the sixth to push the lead to 6-4. A solo home run in the ninth put the game out of reach for a 7-4 Commodore win in the opener.

McCullough and Breaux tied for the Alabama team-high total for RBI with two apiece. Holcombe led the Tide in hits with a 2-for-4 showing that included a stolen base.

Alabama and Vanderbilt return to the diamond tomorrow evening for an 8 p.m. CT first pitch at The Joe. The Crimson Tide will call on redshirt junior Brock Love, a right-hander, in the start while the Commodores counter with righty Kumar Rocker, a freshman. Saturday's contest will air live on SEC Network.

 

[UA Press Release]

Home Runs Down Baseball in 13-5 Loss to Fifth-Ranked Vanderbilt - University of Alabama Athletics


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Four home runs proved the difference on Saturday night as Alabama baseball fell, 13-5, to fifth-ranked Vanderbilt at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide is now 24-16 on the season, 4-13 in Southeastern Conference play.

Vanderbilt finished with 13 runs, 11 of which came on four home runs. Things were close through six innings, with the Commodores holding a 6-4 lead up to that point, but three in the seventh and four in the ninth put the game out of reach to help Vandy claim the series.

The win went to Vanderbilt starter Kumar Rocker (4-4) who tossed 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on one hit and four walks with two punchouts. Zach King (2) picked up his second save of the year, working the final 4.0 frames for the 'Dores. Alabama starter Brock Love (4-3) suffered the loss.

Vanderbilt used a pair of home runs across the second and third innings to build a 5-0 lead. The Commodores recorded a two-run homer in the second followed by a three-run shot an inning later. Vandy added one more run in the fourth for a 6-0 advantage before the Tide began its scoring.

Alabama got its first run in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff walk from Morgan McCullough eventually led to a run, with the junior scoring on an RBI-single two outs later from fellow junior Brett Auerbach. The Tide added one more tally in the fifth. This time the leadoff walk came from Kolby Robinson. Another free pass moved the junior shortstop to second and a flyout put him at third before a sacrifice fly from freshman T.J. Reeves scored Robinson, making it a 6-2 game through five.

The Crimson Tide continued to chip away at the Vandy lead, putting up two more in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Tyler Gentry started the frame with a single and was followed by another Auerbach single. The duo moved into scoring position on a passed ball before senior Joe Breaux came through in the next at-bat, sending a slow roller to first that stayed inside the line to allow Gentry to score and put Tide runners on the corners. A wild pitch then brought Auerbach in, narrowing the gap to 6-4.

Vanderbilt put things out of reach in the seventh. An RBI-single tallied the first run for the 'Dores before a two-run home run set things at 9-4. A four-run ninth for Vandy on the power of two, two-run home runs pushed things to 13-4. Alabama was able to rally for one in the ninth on a Reeves sac fly, but would get no closer.

Alabama and Vanderbilt wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. CT first pitch at The Joe. The Crimson Tide will look to graduate right-hander Jeremy Randolph in the start while the Commodores counter with senior Patrick Raby, also a righty. Fans can catch the holiday matchup on SEC Network+.