HOOVER – Using a constant hitting attack and a solid pitching effort, the No. 28 Crimson Tide baseball team coasted to a perfect 6-0 record, beating No. 25 Georgia 13-2 Wednesday at Regions Park in Hoover.
In what was the first start of his career, Taylor Wolfe worked his way out of trouble in route to his first win of the year. The freshman from Fortson, Ga., gave up two runs over four innings while striking out seven against his former hometown team.
“I thought Wolfe was really good considering tonight was his first start as a freshman,” head coach Mitch Gaspard said. “I thought the nerves were calm.”
After a somewhat rocky start in the first inning, Wolfe was able to settle down in the second by striking out the side in order. Wolfe pitched his way out of trouble in the third before finally giving out a two-run double to UGA designated hitter Brett Deloach in the fourth.
“When I first got out there I was a little amped up,” Wolfe said. “ I just settled in and threw pitches like I knew how to do, no matter what I just have to throw the way I know how to.”
Alabama’s bullpen slammed the door, not giving up a run over the games final five innings. Relievers Adam Scott and David Head both made their season debuts, pitching one inning each without surrendering a run.
“ It was nice to get David [Head] and Adam [Scott] back on the mound,” Gaspard said. “I thought they were pretty clean, the bullpen overall did a very nice job.”
Nathan Kilcrease worked one inning and remained perfect on the season, as he has all 15 batters he has faced this season.
The Tide scored early and often, compiling 14 hits and capitalizing on five Georgia errors, and Alabama tallied its runs in bunches, scoring multiple runs in five innings.
The Tide was led by three hitters: Josh Rutledge, Clay Jones and Jake Smith, all of which had at least two hits in the game.
Clay Jones had a career high six RBIs in the game, including a three run homer in the seventh inning.
“He just threw me a breaking pitch for a ball and I knew he was probably going to come at me with fastball next and I just centered it up,” Jones said.
In his last three games, Jones has six hits and 12 RBIs while hitting a homerun in all three games.
“I feel good right now,” Jones said. “We have been working hard and I am just seeing the ball well right now.”
Smith returned to the same field in which he injured his ankle last year in the SEC tournament, going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.
“It was fun coming here,” Smith said. “It’s a great park to play in. Thank God I didn’t have any more mishaps like last year. It was a good win, and it is great to be back out here.”
Alabama is off to its best start since the 2002 season, where the Tide won its first nine games. Alabama travels to Charleston S.C., this weekend for a three-game series with the College of Charleston.
“If we play the way we are capable of playing, we can compete with anyone in the country,” Smith said. “We just have to keep rolling from here.”
