No. 20 Alabama Completes Opening Weekend Sweep of Richmond
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On Friday and Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide outscored the Richmond Spiders 25-4.
That trend continued in Game 3 on Sunday afternoon, as the 20th-ranked Crimson Tide defeated Richmond 14-1 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
“Really good job on both sides of the ball,” head coach Brad Bohannon said. “Great pitching, great hitting, a lot of production up and down the lineup. […] We scored in five of six innings. […] Really, really good first weekend against a team that won 30 games last year [and] are picked to finish third in their league. […] I was really proud of the mentality we played with today."
"After having two games like Friday and Saturday, it would've been easy [for] a normal college baseball team [to] come out and lollygag around for a few innings. But our guys came out ready to play. Really good starting point for this group.”
Alabama (3-0) used its bats again to complete the series sweep of the Spiders. The Crimson Tide picked up 12 hits — including three going for extra bases. Right fielder Andrew Pinckney continued his hot streak at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double.
Pinckney finished the Richmond series 8-for-10 (.800) with a home run, two RBIs and two doubles.
Dominic Tamez and Drew Williamson were terrific at the plate on Sunday as well. Tamez went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Williamson had two hits as well, including a home run in the bottom of the second inning.
It hasn’t taken Williamson any time to get rolling at the plate early in the season.
“[The season is] such a long, grueling thing,” Williamson said. “It’s just [about] getting back comfortable in the box for me. You get out there and you have the anxiety and nerves back for the first time in a while. You want to jump at the ball and all that kind of stuff. It’s just [about] slowing the game down and getting back to the basics.”
Veteran Jacob McNairy got the start in Game 3 and was solid in his short amount of time on the mound. McNairy threw just four innings, allowing six hits but just one run. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out three.
The extremely difficult SEC schedule will begin in mid-March. Bohannon and his group know that winning every time out in nonconference play is crucial to the team’s hopes of making the NCAA tournament in 2023.
“I want to win every game,” Bohannon said. “But for me as a coach, it's just more about the mentality we play with and getting these kids to focus on the process of playing. […] We’re really not too worried about our win-loss record right now. We’ve got a lot of good players. If we’re playing the right way, the wins will take care of themselves.”
Alabama checked off its first box — sweeping the Spiders. The Crimson Tide has two more important games coming up next week. Alabama will host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday before welcoming in UT-Martin on Wednesday — who defeated the Crimson Tide in 2022.
Both Tuesday and Wednesday’s contests are scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
How It Happened
Seventh Inning
- FINAL (7): Alabama 14 | Richmond 1
- The Crimson Tide does get the mercy-rule win today, clobbering the Spiders again to finish off the opening weekend sweep. Big weekend for Brad Bohannon's group. You need to sweep these series — and they did.
- New pitcher for Alabama in the seventh is Zane Probst.
Sixth Inning
- Pinch-hitter Max Williams walks — bringing in another. Camden Hayslip knocks one into center to add two more. We're through six full.
- Alabama 14 | Richmond 1 | End 6th
- An error on Jared Sprague-Lott brings in a run for the Crimson Tide. Bases were full for pinch-hitter Ed Johnson — who was HBP. They're still loaded for Ryan Guardino — who will pinch-hit for Andrew Pinckney.
- Alabama 11 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 6th, 1 Out
- Jaxson West pinch-hits — and walks. Bases loaded with one out for Jim Jarvis.
- William Hamiter HBP. First and second, nobody out for pinch-hitter Will Portera.
- Hodo advances to second on a wild pitch.
- Will Hodo walks to begin the sixth for Alabama.
- Three up, three down for Brock Blatter in the sixth. Rose, Hamiter and Eblin due up for the Crimson Tide in the bottom half.
- Alabama 9 | Richmond 1 | Mid 6th
Fifth Inning
- Williamson strikes out to end the fifth inning. The Crimson Tide adds two more.
- Alabama 9 | Richmond 1 | End 5th
- Tamez with a base hit to right field, bringing in Guscette. Bases loaded for Drew Williamson now.
- Alabama 9 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 5th, 2 Outs
- Infield single for Andrew Pinckney. Bases loaded with two down for Dominic Tamez.
- Colby Shelton with a sacrifice fly — nice play by Alden Mathes in center. Still two on with two outs for the Crimson Tide.
- Alabama 8 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 5th, 2 Outs
- Jarvis reaches on a fielder's choice. Bases loaded for Colby Shelton with one out.
- Mac Guscette takes it up the middle for a base knock. First and second, one out for Jim Jarvis.
- William Hamiter leads off the bottom of the fifth with a base hit to right center.
- Pinckney makes the play in right field to end the threat. Hamiter, Eblin and Guscette coming up.
- Alabama 7 | Richmond | 1 Mid 5th
- Infield single for Alden Mathes. Runners on the corners, two outs for Richmond.
- Error on Bryce Eblin puts a leadoff baserunner on for Richmond.
- Jacob McNairy's day comes to an early end. RHP Brock Blatter replaces him on the mound.
- Final Line: 4 IP (63 TP), 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Fourth Inning
- Caden Rose strikes out to end the side.
- Alabama 7 | Richmond 1 | End 4th
- Spiders commit an error while turning the double play, pushing in another run for the Crimson Tide.
- Alabama 7 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 4th, 1 Out
- Guess what? Base hit for Andrew Pinckney. He's now 7-for-9 this weekend.
- Colby Shelton walks to open the inning for Alabama.
- What a beautiful double play turned by the Crimson Tide to end the inning. Shelton, Pinckney and Tamez due up in the bottom half of the fourth.
- Alabama 6 | Richmond 1 | Mid 4th
- Jared Sprague-Lott picks up his second hit of the afternoon for Richmond.
Third Inning
- The Crimson Tide adds five runs in the bottom of the third — blowing this one open. We head to the fourth.
- Alabama 6 | Richmond 1 | End 3rd
- Small ball. The Brad Bohannon way. Mac Guscette bunts Hamiter in from third.
- Alabama 6 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 3rd, 2 Outs
- Bryce Eblin rips one to left, bringing in two more. The Crimson Tide has been huge at the plate in big spots this weekend.
- Alabama 5 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 3rd, 1 Out
- William Hamiter is HBP. Tamez scores. Bases still full with one out for Bryce Eblin.
- Alabama 3 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 3rd, 1 Out
- Rose walks. The dishes are full with William Hamiter coming up to the plate. Huge at-bat here for the veteran.
- Drew Williamson walks. Two on, one out for Caden Rose.
- Dominic Tamez rips a double to the wall, scoring Pinckney. The Crimson Tide is ahead again.
- Alabama 2 | Richmond 1 | Bottom 3rd
- Double down the line for Andrew Pinckney with one out. He's on fire.
- Jacob McNairy avoids allowing any more — stranding two. Shelton, Pinckney and Tamez due up for the Crimson Tide.
- Alabama 1 | Richmond 1 | Mid 3rd
- RBI single from Alden Mathes. We're tied.
- Alabama 1 | Richmond 1 | Top 3rd, 1 Out
- Another base hit for the Spiders, this time from Christian Beal.
- Mikey Kluska rips one up the middle. Richmond has one on with one out.
Second Inning
- Jim Jarvis thought he was walked on the 3-1 pitch. Instead, he flies out to left to end the second inning. Crimson Tide gets one on the Williamson solo shot.
- Alabama 1 | Richmond 0 | End 2nd
- Mac Guscette is HBP. Two on, two out for Jim Jarvis.
- Caden Rose steals second after he's hit by a pitch. Still nobody out.
- And it has begun. Drew Williamson leaves the park for the Crimson Tide's first run of the afternoon.
- Alabama 1 | Richmond 0 | Bottom 2nd, 0 Outs
- Jacob McNairy works his way out of the one-out base hit. Williamson, Rose and Hamiter are due up for the Crimson Tide.
- Alabama 0 | Richmond 0 | Mid 2nd
- One-out base hit for Sprague-Lott.
First Inning
- The Crimson Tide is unable to do anything with the one baserunner. Eight innings to go.
- Alabama 0 | Richmond 0 | End 1st
- One-out infield single for Colby Shelton.
- Jacob McNairy strands one in the first for the Crimson Tide. Jarvis, Shelton and Pinckney will start it off in the bottom half.
- Alabama 0 | Richmond 0 | Mid 1st
See Also:
No. 20 Alabama Baseball Dominates Richmond, Clinches Series with 13-1 Win
No. 20 Alabama Hot at the Plate in Opening Day Win over Richmond
No. 20 Alabama Baseball Stifles Richmond on Opening Day, 12-3
