Pinckney, Williamson Lift Alabama Baseball to Series-Opening Mashing of No. 5 Vanderbilt

The Crimson Tide emphatically won Game 1 against the fifth-ranked Commodores — the same day former head coach Brad Bohannon was fired amidst a gambling probe.

Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Bets placed on Alabama Baseball have been suspended by multiple states. If the Crimson Tide (31-15, 10-12 SEC) continues to play like this, maybe it should stay that way — for fairness purposes.

In Game 1, it wasn’t bets — it was blasts.

Alabama threw the first punch in its weekend set against No. 5 Vanderbilt, winning 11-2 on Thursday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

It’s a 1-0 start for interim head coach Jason Jackson — the pitching coach on former head coach Brad Bohannon’s staff.

"I just kind of told them, it's business as usual," Jackson said. "You go out, you play your game — that's what we [wanted to] do tonight. Everything we want to accomplish is right here in front of us. […] That was the basic message."

The biggest swing of the night came off the bat of Andrew Pinckney, who delivered a grand slam over the scoreboard in the second inning to put the Crimson Tide up 5-1 early.

Pinckney went 2-for-2 with five RBIs — walking twice as well.

It didn’t stop there. Alabama continued to pour it on late — including a 424-foot three-run blast off the bat of Drew Williamson in the eighth inning.

RHP Luke Holman, who was infamously scratched from his start in Baton Rouge last Friday night — was sensational on the mound given the circumstances.

Holman went seven innings, allowing just two runs on four hits.

He struck out seven and walked just one.

"Luke was outstanding," Jackson said. "It was good to see him back out there after not pitching last week with the back deal. I thought he was really good. He came out and gave up the run in the first but he really settled in. […] Any time you can do that and save some bullpen it's huge."

Game 2 between Alabama and Vanderbilt is set for Friday at 7 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.

"I think they're all big. I don't think you can make one [win] bigger than the other," Jackson said. "We had really played well at LSU. […] I thought we played our tails off and didn't come back with anything to show for it. To come back and get back in the win column tonight [was huge]."

How It Happened

See Also:

The Phone Call Greg Byrne Needs to Make to Save Alabama Baseball: All Things CW

Alabama Fires Head Baseball Coach Brad Bohannon

Instant Reaction to Firing of Brad Bohannon: Just a Minute