No. 20 Alabama Baseball Defeats Tennessee Tech, 7-4

Drew Williamson had four RBIs as the Crimson Tide won its fourth straight game to open the season.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The bats stayed hot as Alabama defeated Tennessee Tech 7-4 inside Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Drew Williamson went 3-for-4, including a home run, and had four RBIs as the Crimson Tide had 11 hits as a team. Williamson was one of three players to hit one out of the park as Colby Shelton and Will Hodo each had a home run.

It wasn't the cleanest game as both teams had three errors, with two of those coming from Shelton. Head coach Brad Bohannon was honest about his team's overall performance after the game.

"I don't think we played noticeably well," Bohannon said. "The bright side is that I don't think we win that game last year. I thought Braylen [Myers] and Zane Probst in particular came in with multiple people on base and cleaned up some messes and the home runs certainly helped clean up some messes as well.

"The message to the team was 'We gotta play better, but hopefully we can learn from some mistakes we made today while winning the ball game.'"

Right fielder Andrew Pinckney had a similar message, saying the game showed that "we can still win and not have the greatest day."

Pinckney went 2-for-2 during the game while also being walked twice and hit by a pitch. The offense had a solid performance, but Tennessee Tech remained in striking distance the whole game, especially after the Golden Eagles scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to make it 6-4. 

Alabama added one more run in the bottom of the seventh, setting up Myers, who pitched a total of 2 and 2/3 innings for the save opportunity to end the game.

"A win is a win," Myers said.

Myers was credited with the save while Hagan Banks received the win and Tyler Zarella was the losing pitcher for Tennessee Tech.

 Alabama's next game will be against UT-Martin on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

Alabama box score

Tennessee Tech box score

How it happened...

Top 9

• Gilliland grounds out to end the game.

• Peyton Mills flies out

• Theo Bryant flies out

• Eddie Garza hits a leadoff single for Tennessee Tech. 

Bottom 8

• Seidl strikes out swinging to end the inning

• Jaxson Pease relieves MacCauley for Tennessee Tech

• Will Hodo is hit in the arm to load the bases with Tommy Seidl up to bat

• Williamson is walked

• Andrew Pinckney is walked. Drew Williamson is at the plate 

• Parker MacCauley is now pitching for Tennessee Tech. Austin Tuner is now playing center field

Top 8

• A 1-2-3 inning for Myers

• Will Portera replaces Colby Shelton at third base

Bottom 7

• Jarvis grounds out to second to end the inning

• Caden Rose hits a single to left field. Jim Jarvis is at the plate

• Tommy Seidl strikes out swinging

• Hodo hits a home run to right center, extending the lead to 7-4

• Will Hodo is the leadoff hitter

Top 7

• A flyout from Will Long ends the top of the inning. Tennessee Tech scores 2 in the frame to make it 6-4 Alabama

• Dyer's sacrifice fly allows Bryant to score.

• Braylen Myers relieves Hagan Banks

• A single from Hayden Gilliland loads the bases for Tennessee Tech

• Peyton Mills is walked

• Theo Bryant hit a single to deep right center, driving in Baunsgard

• Troy Baunsgard was able to reach first base on a throwing error from Shelton

Bottom 6

• Tamez flies out to end the sixth inning. Score is 6-2 Alabama

• Williamson hits a single to right field that drives in Rose. Pinckney advances to third base

• Taylor hits Pinckney in the back of the leg. 

• Colt Taylor is now pitching for Tennessee Tech

• Rose steals second, then advances to third on a throwing error by the catcher. It's two outs and Pinckney has a 2-1 count

• Rose reaches first base on an error by John Dyer

• Caden Rose leads off for Alabama

Top 6

• Banks pitches a 1-2-3 inning for the Crimson Tide

• Hagan Banks takes the mound for Alabama

Bottom 5

• Eblin flies out to end the inning.

• Seidl steals second base as Bryce Eblin is up to bat

• Daniel Walter now takes the mound for Tennessee Tech

• Tommy Seidl hits a single to left field

• Hodo flies out after Austin Turner tracks the ball to the warning track

• Dom Tamez strikes out swinging. Will Hodo up to bat

• Drew Williamson hits a two-run home run to right field. Score is 5-2 Alabama

• Pinckney hits a leadoff single to start the bottom of the inning

Top 5 

• Probst gets out of the jam after after Dyer's ground ball leads to a fielder's choice

• A third straight walk loads the bases. Zane Probst relieves Leger

• A throwing error by Leger allows both runners to advance into scoring position

• Leger walks back-to-back hitters

• After getting the first two batters out, Leger walks Theo Bryant IV

• Jake Leger is on the mound for Alabama

Bottom 4

• Shelton lines out to the second baseman to end the bottom of the inning

• Both Jarvis and Rose advance on a wild pitch

• Jarvis is walked to put runners at first and second. Shelton to the plate

• A bad throw by the pitcher allows Rose to reach second. An error was charged to Beasley

• Caden Rose is walked with two outs, bringing Jim Jarvis to the plate

• Josh Beasley is now pitching for Tennessee Tech. Tommy Seidl is the leadoff hitter

Top 4

• Williamson gets the final out as he dove to first base after picking the ball and slipping 

• Green flies out

• Holman walks Will Long. Jackson Green up to bat

• John Dyer hits a home run to left field, the second one Holman has given up. Score is 3-2 Alabama

• Gilliland grounds out to Jarvis to start the top of the inning

Bottom 3

• Will Hodo flies out to right field and Williamson is doubled up to end the bottom of the inning. Alabama tacks on two more runs to give itself a little cushion

• Dom Tamez flies out for the first out of the inning

• Williamson hits a single to short right-center field. Pinckney scores, giving Alabama a 3-1 lead

• The right fielder Theo Bryant remains in the game. Pinckney is on third base as Drew Williamson is up to bat

• Pinckney hit another deep shot to right field. He had a chance to score but Brad Bohannon held him up at third base after it appeared the right fielder was hurt

• Shelton hits a home run over the right fielder's outstretched glove. Score is 2-1 Alabama with Pinckney up to bat

• Colby Shelton to lead off the bottom of the inning

Top 3

•  Holman pitches his first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon.

Bottom 2

• Jarvis flies out, leaving two runners stranded. Score is still 1-1

• Rose flies out. Jim Jarvis will hit with two outs and two runners on base

• Eblin hits a single to right field. Caden Rose is up to bat

• Seidl flies out. Bryce Eblin to bat with one out

• Hodo is walked, bringing Tommy Seidl to the plate

• Tyler Zarella is now on the mound for Tennessee Tech. The first batter he'll face is Will Hodo

Top 2

• Holman gets his first strikeout of the game. Both runners are in scoring position with two outs

• Shelton elects to get the out at first base while the runners advance into scoring position. Austin Turner to bat with one out

• Holman walks Will Long to put runners on first and second. No outs as Jackson Green steps up to the plate

• An error by Shelton allows John Dyer to make it to first base

Bottom 1 (Alabama hitting)

• Tamez grounds out to end the first inning. Score is tied after Jarvis scores the run

• Williamson grounds into the double play but Jarvis was able to score. Shelton advances to third base with Dominic Tamez at the plate. Score is tied 1-1

• Pinckney is walked to load the bases. Drew Williamson is up to bat and Tennessee Tech already has someone warming up in the bullpen

• Shelton is walked, putting runners on first and second. Andrew Pinckney is up to bat

• Jarvis advances on a wild pitch

• Jim Jarvis gets on base with a leadoff single. Colby Shelton to the plate

Top 1 (Tennessee Tech hitting)

• Gilliland grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. Inning ends with Tennessee Tech leading 1-0 

• Mills hits a single over Bryce Eblin's glove, allowing Bryant to advance to third base. Runners at the corners with Hayden Gilliland at the plate

• Theo Bryant hits a single to left field. Peyton Mills is up to bat with one out

• Tennessee Tech's Troy Baunsgard hits a home run to left field. Score is 1-0 Golden Eagles

• Luke Holman throws the first pitch and the game is underway

Pregame

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ 

🐘 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/MZ4x79EUqD

— Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) February 21, 2023