Early offense, strong pitching lift Bama past Ole Miss
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama baseball used early offense to claim a 4-1 win over Ole Miss on Thursday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide is now 36-17 on the season and 14-14 in Southeastern Conference play.
Alabama loaded the bases in the first and came away with two runs before adding a single tally in the third on an Andrew Pinckney solo homer. The Tide then added one more in the fourth on an RBI-single from Jim Jarvis to put the game out of reach. Ole Miss got on the board in the seventh with one run but would get no closer for the 4-1 final.
The early offense allowed Alabama starter Luke Holman (7-3) to settle in for the win. Holman tossed 6.2 innings and allowed just one run on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts. He then turned the ball over to his bullpen with Kade Woods and Alton Davis II combining to hold the Rebels scoreless over the final 2.1 frames. Davis II picked up his seventh save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
From Interim Head Coach Jason Jackson
"Luke Holman was fantastic tonight. He did a really good job on short rest. Pitchers are all big on their routines, and not only was it a short week for Luke but we had some lightning delays, and it was raining so those kind of things can sometimes get a guy out of whack. But Luke came out like a champ and did a great job of pitching deep into the ballgame for us. That's a really good offensive team Ole Miss has over there, and he did a good job of slowing them down."
How It Happened
B1 | The Tide loaded the bases to start the first before a one-out single from Dominic Tamez scored the game's first run. Then, with two down and the bases still loaded, Ed Johnson drew a four-pitch walk to push across one more tally. (2-0, Alabama)
B3 | Andrew Pinckney added one with a solo homer. (3-0, Alabama)
B4 | Caden Rose got aboard with a two-out hit-by-pitch and stole second. He then came home on an RBI-single from Jim Jarvis. (4-0, Alabama)
T7 | A two-out double to right got the Rebels on the board. (4-1, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- The first pitch was moved back 1:50 from the rescheduled start time of 4 p.m. CT.
- Alabama has hit a home run in 44 of 53 games in 2023.
- Pinckney has homered in three straight games. He also had two on Saturday at Texas A&M followed by a Sunday bomb. Pinckney has recorded 11 home runs in his last 16 games, dating back to April 18 at UAB.
- The redshirt junior has now recorded a hit in each of his last five games dating back to May 9 against Troy in Montgomery.
- Pinckney has also reached base safely in 25 of the Tide's 28 SEC games this season.
- Colby Shelton has gotten aboard in his last 18 games dating back to April 11.
- Ed Johnson has reached base in his last 13 games dating back to April 21.
- Attendance was 2,904.
Up Next
Alabama and Ole Miss will return to the diamond tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT for game two of the series. The Crimson Tide will send right-hander Garrett McMillan to the mound while the Rebels counter with righty JT Quinn. Friday's contest will air on SEC Network+.