Bama Central

Live Blog: No. 18 Alabama Baseball at No. 15 Vanderbilt (Game 1)

The Crimson Tide's opener against the Commodores will give the winner an initial leg up in the SEC standings.
Will Miller|
Justin Lebron (1).
Justin Lebron (1). | Alabama Athletics

Not since the 2023 season have Alabama and Vanderbilt matched up. That changes starting Friday night in Nashville as the No. 18 Crimson Tide meets the No. 15 Commodores for the first of three huge games.

Alabama (35-10, 12-9 SEC) swept Missouri at home last weekend in the only SEC series it won for the month of April. The Crimson Tide has not won a conference series on the road since sweeping Texas A&M in College Station in March.

Vanderbilt (32-13, 12-9 SEC) went on the road last weekend and lost a series at Ole Miss, though it took one of the three games. The Commodores have been deadlocked with the Crimson Tide in the league standings before tonight's commencement of the head-to-head series.

Alabama last played at Hawkins Field in 2021 and went winless that May. The Crimson Tide defeated the Commodores two games to one in a May 2023 series played in Tuscaloosa. That kickstarted a run where Alabama wound up in a super regional for the first time since 2010.

The opening game will have a first pitch time of 7:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The contest was initially slated for 6 p.m. CT but was pushed back an hour and a half due to adverse weather conditions in the Nashville area.

Be sure to refresh your browser for live updates from Alabama at Vanderbilt. The most recent updates will appear at the top.

  • Bottom of the Eighth: Austin hits a three-run moon shot over the left field wall to give Vanderbilt its biggest lead of the night. Beau Bryans subbed in for Buchanan but three consecutive walks led to Ariston Veasey subbing in and a single by pinch hitter Jayden Davis brought in two more runs to increase the margin. With the bases loaded Vanderbilt needed one run to achieve the run-rule, and second baseman Mike Mancini was the one to get it done as he was walked. FINAL: VANDERBILT 12, ALABAMA 2
  • Top of the Eighth: Miller Green filled in for Thompson, but allowed a hit against Torres, the first batter he faced. Neal grounded into what is often a double-play but a shift by Vanderbilt advanced Torres to second and Neal was thrown out at first. Right fielder Bryce Fowler singled to center field and Lebron did the same but up the middle for Alabama's first run of the night to break the shutout. Green proceeded to throw a wild pitch and Fowler scored. Vanderbilt 6, Alabama 2.
  • Bottom of the Seventh: Rain has started to come down in Vanderbilt, which makes for a good metaphor for the game. The Commodores have started pouring onto the Crimson Tide as Austin and Johnston each brought in a run with a single and double respectively against Alabama pitcher Connor Lehman. Coulson Buchanan came in for Lehman but it didn't make much of a difference as right fielder Braeden Holcomb's double increased the score. Vanderbilt 6, Alabama 0.
  • Top of the Seventh: Alabama goes back on defense quickly once again after Thompson retires the side. Thompson's night ended here as he threw 11 strikeouts on 100 pitches and allowed just two hits. Brutal night for the Crimson Tide bats.
  • Bottom of the Sixth: The scoreboard is officially running. Following back-to-back singles by Austin and Nelson, Johnston adds another single to bring in the first run of the game. Fay was taken out of the game after this but it didn't immediately work as Matthew Heiberger allowed two more runs via singles by designated hitter Mac Rose and shortstop Jonathan Vastine. Vanderbilt logged five hits in the frame with eight players coming up to bat. Vanderbilt 3, Alabama 0.
  • Top of the Sixth: Snell earns Alabama's first extra-base hit of the night with a two-out double, but that would be all.
  • Bottom of the Fifth: Vanderbilt goes three-up three-down for the second time tonight, including Fay's fifth strikeout of the night. The play of the frame goes to Staton though, as he leaped into shallow right field for an out that has a chance at tonight's SportsCenter Top 10 on ESPN.
  • Top of the Fifth: Thompson strikes out the side yet again as he's up to 10 Ks on the night. Each of Alabama's hitters went down swinging and Thompson only threw one ball during the frame.
  • Bottom of the Fourth: Nelson, who leads Vanderbilt in batting average, on-base percentage, SLG and OPS, gets the best of Fay with a double in the first at-bat of the frame. Johnston followed it with a double down the right field line, but Nelson stayed at third––which ended up in the Tide's favor as he was caught in a rundown after a short chopper. Alabama escaped the inning with Commodore runners on first and second.
  • Top of the Fourth: Thompson strikes out Lebron once again and also fans Bonomolo for the second time. Thompson stuck out 14 batters in his last game at Charles Hawkins Field and he's on pace to hit that stellar mark once again (currently at 7). That said, designated hitter Coleman Mizell followed left fielder Kade Snell's walk with Alabama's first base hit of the night via a single to left center.
  • Bottom of the Third: Fay keeps his cool with two groundouts and his fourth strikeout of the game. Lebron made a really nice stop and throw on the second out of the frame. Vanderbilt's 11 at-bats only produces two baserunners.
  • Top of the Third: Thompson's perfect game ends with Alabama third baseman Jason Torres being hit by a pitch with one out. Thompson nearly hit catcher Brady Neal early in the count, but still managed to make Neal chase one for his fifth strikeout of the night. Alabama's first 10 at-bats only produces one baserunner.
  • Bottom of the Second: Fay seems to be settling into this one as he logged two strikeouts in the frame. Both of which coming against two of Vanderbilt's top-four players in OPS this season. However, Fay gave up his second hit of the night to 7-hitter and catcher Colin Barczi.
  • Top of the Second: Thompson strikes out the middle of the order. Bonomolo and second baseman Garrett Staton, two of Alabama's batters during the frame, are top-four on the team this season in batting average. But Thompson is getting the Tide looking and swing on strike three so far.
  • Bottom of the First: Alabama pitcher Tyler Fay gives up his first hit of the night via a double by Commodores center fielder RJ Austin at the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Vanderbilt first baseman Riley Nelson, who has been on an 11-game on-base streak, smashed one in center field but Richie Bonomolo Jr. stopped it at the warning track. Fay struck out the next batter.
  • Top of the First: The Crimson Tide goes down in the first part of the order. Highly touted shortstop Justin Lebron had a 3-0 count but Vanderbilt pitcher JD Thompson struck him out.

Pregame:

Alabama's lineup:
1. Bryce Fowler, right field
2. Justin Lebron, shortstop
3. Kade Snell, left field
4. Richie Bonomolo Jr., center field
5. Coleman Mizell, designated hitter
6. Garrett Staton, second base
7. Will Hodo, first base
8. Jason Torres, third base
9. Brady Neal, catcher
P: Tyler Fay (RHP)

Vanderbilt's lineup:
1. Rustan Rigdon, left field
2. RJ Austin, center field
3. Riley Nelson, first base
4. Brodie Johnston, third base
5. Braeden Holcomb, right field
6. Mac Rose, designated hitter
7. Colin Barczi, catcher
8. Jonathan Vastine, shortstop
9. Mike Mancini, second base
P: JD Thompson (LHP)

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Will Miller
WILL MILLER

Will Miller is the primary baseball writer for BamaCentral/Alabama Crimson Tide On SI. He also covers football and basketball. Miller graduated from the University of Alabama in December 2024 with experience covering a wide array of sports.

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