No. 23 Alabama Baseball Ties Program-Best Start, Blows Out Presbyterian College

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The No. 23 Alabama baseball team is still undefeated to start the 2025 campaign, and one win away from history.

The Crimson Tide defeated Presbyterian College by run rule on Friday in seven innings, winning 10-0 to tie the best regular season start in program history (15-0). Sophomore left-hander Zane Adams struck out a career-high 10 batters.

"It starts with the dude on the mound, and Zane was awesome tonight," head coach Rob Vaughn said. "I looked up in about the third, and he threw more pitches in the third last week than he had through three this week, and that's who he is. He's efficient."

Adams delivered the longest start of the season by a Crimson Tide starting pitcher. By design, Vaughn and the coaching staff build up pitch counts at Alabama during nonconference play so that when SEC play arrives (seven days from Friday), pitchers will be able to fully go. Adams pitched six innings Friday.

"I think the first thing that really stood out for me tonight was location," Adams said. "I think that was the biggest thing, was being able to throw five different pitches. Throw their timing off, rare back and throw a fastball when I needed it... I don't think it was one thing. I think everything was working tonight."

On the offensive end, there was not as much to write home about as is sometimes the case in a game where the winning team scores 10 runs. In its first night game, Alabama barreled many a baseball, only for them to drop into an outfielder's glove. Right fielder Bryce Fowler was the closest to sending a baseball out of the yard, taking the Blue Hose right fielder to the edge of the warning track in the fifth inning.

"I don't know if the air was just a little bit heavy," Vaughn said. "We just try to be all over the barrel. I want them on time. And there's one thing when you hit the high fly balls and they get knocked down, but those weren't that tonight. There were some, just lasers."

Shortstop Justin Lebron and first baseman Will Hodo each had three hits. Lebron had three more runs batted in, leading the team and bringing his season total to 37. Hodo, left fielder Kade Snell and catcher Brady Neal scored two runs each. Six of nine starters had at least one RBI; Fowler might well cite pure hard luck as the reason he did not make it seven; he missed it by mere feet.

Adams was credited with the win, while Presbyterian starter Kyle Mueller was hit with the loss. The Crimson Tide only used two bullpen arms, Zach Kittrell and Connor Ball, and they did not allow a hit. Presbyterian (7-8) had only five on the night. If Alabama wins Saturday's game, starting at 4 p.m. CT, it will set a new record for most wins to start a regular season.

"I love scoring runs. I love it. It's fun, it's exciting. he teams that win at the end of the year, the teams that play deep into June, the last team standing is going to be the guys that can pitch and play defense at a really high level," Vaughn said. "Pitching and defense travels too."

Vaughn was undeterred by the prospect of Saturday's opportunity being jinxed, citing his team's relentless fortitude, professional behavior and makeup as examples of why it is equipped to take advantage of such a game.

"Jinxes are for mentally soft people," he said. "This group is not mentally weak. They can handle it. It's cool. They deserve it. I think we just try to approach, and it sounds like the most cliched thing ever, but it was my conversation with them before the game.

"It doesn't matter who's in the other dugout. It doesn't matter whether we're 15-0 or 0-15. Our goal and our job is to come out and perform each day... It's a really workmanlike group. I sent these guys a text this morning, I saw a verse in the Bible... 'Those who are humble will be exalted, and those who exalt themselves are gonna get humbled.'"

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