BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas - An eight-run fifth inning propelled Alabama baseball to a 12-1 win over Texas A&M in seven innings on Saturday at Blue Bell Park. The Crimson Tide is now 34-17 on the season and 12-14 in Southeastern Conference play.

The Crimson Tide jumped out front early, using a three-run homer from Andrew Pinckney to take a 3-0 lead after one inning of play. The Tide added one more in the third before the huge eight-run fifth. In that fifth, the Tide recorded six hits, including a pair of home runs - Pinckney's second three-run shot of the day along with a two-run homer from Shelton. The Aggies would plate one on a solo shot in the sixth but would get no closer, with the game ending after seven innings due to the run rule.

Pinckney led the Alabama offense with a 3-for-5 day that included his two homers, two runs and a career-high and team-best six RBI. Shelton also contributed two RBI as part of a 2-for-4 day with a walk, and one run scored. Jim Jarvis matched Shelton's RBI total and finished 2-for-4 for with two runs and a hit-by-pitch.

The huge offensive day allowed Tide starter Garrett McMillan (2-2) to settle in for the win. The senior allowed just one run on six hits and a walk with a season-high seven strikeouts across 6.0 innings of work. Braylon Myers followed with a scoreless seventh to ensure the series-tying win.

From Interim Head Coach Jason Jackson

"I was excited to play early today after a rough one last night. We came out and attacked in the first inning, putting three runs on the board before they recorded an out. (Andrew) Pinckney giving us that three-run home run in the fifth was a big lift and got us out of the gates hot, and then we carried that momentum the rest of the way."

How It Happened

• T1 | A leadoff single by Jim Jarvis followed by a walk to Tommy Seidl put two aboard for Andrew Pinckney. The redshirt junior capitalized on the opportunity, sending a three-run shot over the scoreboard in left. (3-0, Alabama)
• T3 | Ed Johnson drew a two-out walk before moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. The extra 90 feet helped him come all the way home on a single from Mac Guscette. (4-0, Alabama)
• T5 | The Tide plated eight in the inning, loading the bases with one down for Jarvis, who proceeded to single to right to score a pair. Seidl followed with an RBI-single before Pinckney cleared the bases with his second homer of the afternoon. A hit-by-pitch put Drew Williamson aboard before a two-out two-run homer by Colby Shelton capped the inning. (12-0, Alabama)
• B6 | Jace LaViolette hit a solo homer to get the Aggies on the board. (12-1, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• Today's start time was moved back 45 minutes due to rain. The game was then delayed for 35 minutes in the bottom of the sixth.
• Garrett McMillan tied his season-high total for innings pitched with 6.0 in his start. He also threw 6.0 frames against Vanderbilt on May 5.
• McMillan's seven strikeouts are the most by the senior this season. His previous best in 2023 was four, which he threw on two occasions and most recently at Missouri on April 22.
• Alabama scored eight runs in the fifth inning of today's matchup. That's the most runs in a single inning by the 2023 squad and the first eight-run inning by UA since March 12, 2022, in the fourth inning against Binghamton.
• UA's six hits in that fifth inning are tied for the most in a single frame this season. The Tide had six hits in an inning on two previous occasions, most recently in the fifth inning of the March 31 game at Arkansas.
• The Tide finished with 12 hits in today's game and has totaled double-digit hits in 31 games this season, including 11 SEC contests.
• Alabama has hit a home run in 42 of 51 games this season and produced multiple homers 29 times. The Tide has also hit two-or-more homers in 15 SEC contests.
• Andrew Pinckney finished with a career-high six RBI in today's game. His previous best was five against Vanderbilt on May 5. The six RBI ties for the most by a Tide player in a single game this season.
• Pinckney recorded the first two-homer game of his career. It was also the Tide's eighth two-homer game as a team and second of the weekend after Colby Shelton hit two on Friday.
• Shelton hit his team-leading 19th home run of the season in today's matchup. Shelton's 19 homers are the most since Kent Matthes hit 28 in 2009.

Alabama and Texas A&M will meet on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT to decide the series. The Crimson Tide will send right-hander Jacob McNairy to the mound while the Aggies will likely counter with Troy Wansing, a lefty. The series finale will air nationally on SEC Network.