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Vanderbilt Commodores

Game Preview: No. 18 Alabama at No. 15 Vanderbilt, Game 3

The Vanderbilt Commodores and Alabama Crimson Tide meet at Hawkins Field with the series on the line, but also some clarity in the SEC standings.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt's Brodie Johnston (9) hits a double during their game against Alabama at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, May 2, 2025.
Vanderbilt's Brodie Johnston (9) hits a double during their game against Alabama at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, May 2, 2025. | Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It probably doesn’t help to check the baseball standings every day, hoping to see some kind of break up the mid-tier SEC teams, but it’s the SEC. We probably won’t know how the teams will be seeded in the conference tournament until commissioner Greg Sankey flips a coin.

No. 15 Vanderbilt, No. 18 Alabama and No. 21 Oklahoma are all tied at 13-10 in SEC games with Tennessee

the first game of the series that started Friday and will conclude today. . Then there’s No. 10 Auburn and No. 23 Ole Miss tied with 12 conference wins each and they’re followed by Kentucky at 10-13. That’s six teams separated by two games (seven by three if you include Kentucky…and eight by four if you include 14-9 Georgia).

Throw in the fact No. 1 Texas is in serious jeopardy of being swept by No. 11 Arkansas (the top two teams in the SEC standings) and the standings are likely to grow murkier than clearer after today’s round of games.

We are guaranteed to get some clarity, though. Whoever wins today’s game between Vanderbilt and Alabama will win the series and move a game ahead of the other team in the standings (and who knows where the winning and losing teams will end up in the standings).

Here’s everything to know about Vanderbilt and Alabama’s series finale at Hawkins Field, including starting lineups, injury updates, weather forecast (no storms are in the forecast this time) and tv listings.

Vanderbilt Commodores Starting Lineup

  1. Rustan Rigdon, LF
  2. RJ Austin, CF
  3. Riley Nelson, 1B
  4. Brodie Johnston, 3B
  5. Braden Holcomb, RF
  6. Mac Rose, DH
  7. Colin Barczi, C
  8. Jonathan Vastine, SS
  9. Mike Mancini, 2B

Alabama Crimson Tide Starting Lineup

  1. Bryce Fowler, RF
  2. Justin Lebron, SS
  3. Kade Snell, LF
  4. Richie Bonomolo Jr., CF
  5. Will Hodo, 1B
  6. Garrett Staton, 2B
  7. Brady Neal, C
  8. Jason Torres, 3B
  9. Coleman Mizell, DH

Pitching Matchup

LHP Zane Adams (6-2, 5.08 ERA, 51.1 IP, 46 SO, 18 BB, 29 ER, .280 b/avg.) vs. RHP Connor Fennell (5-0, 2.38 ERA, 34 IP, 63 SO, 6 BB, 9 ER, .172 b/avg.)

Injury Report

Vanderbilt

Out

  • UTIL Jacob Humphrey
  • RHP Hudson Barton

Game Time Decision

  • INF Braden Holcomb

Alabama

Game Time Decision

  • LHP Tate Robertson

Weather Forecast

The skies will be party cloudy, but not until after lunchtime showers in Nashville. Temperatures will be in the mid-50s for most of the game and winds aren’t expected to be strong with gusts reaching up to 15 mph.

How to Watch

When: 3 p.m., Saturday

Where: Hawkins Field, Nashville, Tenn.

TV: SEC Network

Radio: Live Radio

Stats: Live Stats

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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