No. 18 Alabama Baseball Powers Past Samford, 11-6
Five home runs from four different players and a near-perfect start on the mound by Luke Holman were all No. 18 Alabama baseball needed on Tuesday night as it overpowered Samford on the road 11-6.
The win kept Alabama's undefeated season alive, extending its record to 13-0. The Crimson Tide's record for best start in program history is 15-0.
”This was a great effort by our club tonight,” Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon said. “I really liked the way we came out swinging the bats, scoring five of the first six innings to take an 11-0 lead. You pair that with Luke Holman, who gave us an electric 5.0 innings of no-hit baseball.
“I'm excited to get back out there tomorrow and continue to build some momentum.”
In the top of the first, an RBI-triple by center fielder Andrew Pinckney began the scoring for Alabama. However, the next seven runs for the Crimson Tide were off of five home runs. Shortstop Jim Jarvis, third baseman Colby Shelton and first baseman Drew Williamson each crushed a solo home run, with Jarvis' and Shelton's coming in the second and Williamson following up in the third.
In the top of the fifth, catcher Dominic Tamez powered a two-run home run over the fence in center field. That same inning, Shelton crushed his second home run of the night, this time a two-run blast to left-center field.
With the two home runs, Shelton has nine on the season in 12 games played.
In total, Alabama's bats combined for 12 runs in 40 at-bats with three singles, three doubles, a triple and five home runs. Four Crimson Tide hitters recorded two hits on the night, with those three being Shelton, Tamez, Jarvis and left field/pinch hitter Max Williams.
On the mound, Holman (3-0) did not surrender a single hit through 5.0 innings pitched. Not only that, but the sophomore right-hander walked just one batter while he struck out 12 of his 17 batters faced. In 61 total pitches, Holman threw 46 for strikes — a remarkable showing of efficiency for the Crimson Tide starter.
With the win, Alabama improved to 13-0 on the season and is one of four undefeated teams remaining in all of college baseball. Samford dropped to 6-6 with the loss. The Crimson Tide will return to Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Wednesday night to host Alabama State (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).
Alabama Stats
Samford Stats
How It Happened:
Final score: Alabama 11, Samford 6
Bottom 9
- Klein flied out to left. Ballgame. Alabama wins 11-6.
- Davis grounded out to short, and the Bulldogs are down to their final out.
- Bennett lined out to second. One out.
Top 9
- Alabama leaves two runners on base, and we head to the bottom of the ninth.
- Alex Gaeto is now on the mound for Samford, replacing Petschke.
Bottom 8
- Three up, three down for the Bulldogs as we head to the final inning.
- Hagan Banks replaces Probst on the mound.
Top 8
- After a leadoff single by Williams, Petschke retires three in a row to end the side.
Bottom 7
- Probst struck out Howe, and the inning is over.
- Steele hit by pitch, loading the bases once again.
- A wild pitch advances all three runners one bag. Davis scored. 11-6 Alabama.
- A walk loads the bases for the Bulldogs with two out.
- With two outs and runners on first and second, Furtado is replaced on the mound by Zane Probst.
Top 7
- Three up, three down for Alabama.
- Petschke replaces Fryman on the mound.
Bottom 6
- Furtado struck out Bortak to finally end the inning.
- Staton reached on a fielder's choice. A run crossed the plate. Two out, 11-5 Alabama.
- A single to left by Howe scores two runs for the Bulldogs. 11-4 Alabama. Still just one out.
- LHP Hunter Furtado replaces Woods on the mound.
- A bases-loaded walk scores the second run of the game for Samford. 11-2 Alabama.
- Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch. 11-1 Alabama.
- Bases loaded with one out after Woods walked Klein.
- The combined no-hitter is over as Davis singled to second base. Runners at the corners with one out. The ball bounced off of Portera's glove as second, bouncing into the outfield. The call could probably be ruled an error rather than a single, but that isn't the case.
- Kade Woods enters the game, replacing Holman. Final line for Holman: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K, 46 strikes in 61 total pitches.
Top 6
- Portera grounded out to first, and the inning is finally over.
- Rose doubled to right center, scoring Williams and Guscette. 11-0 Alabama.
- Swinney to pinch hit for Jarvis.
- Cole Fryman replaces Holifield on the mound.
- West drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Johnson. 9-0 Alabama. Bases still loaded with one out for Jarvis.
- Jaxson West in to pinch hit for Tamez.
- A double by Max Williams puts runners at the corners with one out. Guscette is then hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Tamez.
- Jake Holifield takes over on the mound for Ganley.
Bottom 5
- 12 strikeouts through five innings for Holman. Still no hits surrendered.
- Holman finally gives up his first walk of the game with one out.
Top 5
- A two-run blast for Shelton. That's his ninth home run of the season. 8-0 Alabama.
- Rose drew a four-pitch walk. Runner on first, two out for Shelton.
- Dominic Ganley takes over on the mound for Thompson.
- Dominic Tamez homered to center. 6-0 Alabama with one out.
Bottom 4
- That makes 10 strikeouts through four innings for Holman, and the Bulldogs once again can't get a man on base.
Top 4
- Three up, three down for the Crimson Tide in the fourth.
Bottom 3
- At the end of the third, Holman now has eight strikeouts. An unreal start on the mound for Holman.
Top 3
- Shelton struck out swinging, leaving three runners on base.
- Rose walked, loading up the bases for Shelton with two out.
- Tamez singled to right, followed by another single by Jarvis. Runners on first and second with two out for Rose.
- Williamson crushed a solo home run over the wall in right. 4-0 Alabama with nobody out.
- Turner Thompson replaces Watkins on the mound.
Bottom 2
- Three up, three down — all strikeouts for Holman.
Top 2
- Shelton belted a home run to center field, his eighth of the season. 3-0 Alabama.
- Pitching change for Samford: LHP Timmy Watkins takes over for Hobbs.
- Jarvis hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to right-center field. 2-0 Alabama.
Bottom 1
- Three strikeouts for Holman put the Bulldogs away. Inning over.
Top 1
- Guscette struck out swinging, and we'll head to the bottom of the first.
- Hobbs plunks the second Crimson Tide batter of the evening in Williamson. Runners at the corners with one out for Hamiter.
- An RBI triple by Pinckney scores the first run of the game. 1-0 Alabama. Runner on third, one out for Williamson.
- A ball from Hobbs gets us started, and we are underway.
Pregame
- Starting lineup for Samford:
- Starting lineup for Alabama:
- Weather conditions: clear skies, temperatures hovering in the low-70s Fahrenheit, winds blowing 10 m.p.h. due south-southwest.
- Umpires for tonight's game:
- HP: Larry Short
- 1B: Daniel Glidewell
- 3B: Gary Matherson
See Also:
From 'The Swamp' to 'The Joe': Mac Guscette's Road to Alabama Baseball
No. 20 Alabama Baseball Holds Off UIC to Finish Weekend Sweep
