Baseball Falls, 4-1, in Low-Scoring Affair with Fifth-Ranked Vanderbilt

Friday, May 5

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

7 p.m.

Alabama

31-16, 10-13

Vanderbilt

34-12, 17-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Vanderbilt	0	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	4	8	0
Alabama	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	0

Baseball Falls, 4-1, in Low-Scoring Affair with Fifth-Ranked Vanderbilt

5/5/2023 10:05:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery Postgame Press Conference

Vandy starter Hunter Owen limited the Tide to one run on two hits for the win

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball suffered a 4-1 loss to fifth-ranked Vanderbilt on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide moves to 31-16 on the season and 10-13 in Southeastern Conference play.

The Commodores jumped ahead early, scoring one apiece in the second and third before adding a pair in the fifth. Alabama got one run back in the sixth on a Caden Rose solo homer but would get no closer. Vanderbilt was aided by an impressive start from Hunter Owen (4-0). The junior tossed 7.0 innings and allowed one run on two hits with nine strikeouts for the win. Nick Maldonado then closed things out in the ninth for his sixth save of the year.

Alabama starter Garrett McMillan (1-2) suffered the loss despite a solid outing. The senior allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts across 6.0 innings of work. He was followed by Hagan Banks and Aidan Moza, who combined for 3.0 scoreless frames to keep the Tide within striking distance on the back-end.

From Interim Head Coach Jason Jackson

"This was a really well-played game tonight from both teams. Obviously, their starter was very good – Hunter Owen – he pitched great. He had all four pitches going and did a great job of kind of shutting down our offense, which has been on fire and really clicking on all cylinders. We played well, too. Garrett McMillan had a really good start, navigated through some tough innings early on, but he seemed to get better as he went. Then, Hagan Banks and Aidan Moza did a good job coming out of the bullpen and keeping the game where it was. We just couldn't ever get anything going."

How It Happened

T2 | A solo home run from Parker Noland got Vandy on the board. (1-0, Vanderbilt)
T3 | The Commodores started the inning with a walk and a single before a double to left plated one. (2-0, Vanderbilt)
T5 | Vandy put a pair in scoring position and brought both runners home with back-to-back sacrifice flies. (4-0, Vanderbilt)
B6 | Caden Rose hit a ball over the wall in right for a solo shot. (4-1, Vanderbilt)

Postgame Notes

Alabama has hit a home run in 38 of 47 games this season.
Andrew Pinckney's reached base streak in SEC play ended at 21 games.
Tommy Seidl was held off the bases to end his reached base streak at 21 games.
Seidl's hitting streak also came to a close at nine games.
ATTENDANCE: 3,960

The Crimson Tide and Commodores return to the diamond on Saturday afternoon to decide the series. Alabama will call on right-hander Jacob McNairy for the start while Vanderbilt counters with Devin Futrell, a lefty. The rubber match is set for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch on SEC Network+.

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