Alabama baseball’s offense has gotten off to a hot start this season. As of Thursday, the team’s batting average was .350, the 10th best in college baseball and the second best in the SEC.
The Crimson Tide is also first in college baseball in runs scored, with 112.
A big part of the team’s success at the plate has been its ability to get on base at a high rate. The .505 team on-base percentage — which means batters get on base more often than not — is the third best in college baseball and the second-best in the SEC.
The Crimson Tide has also been using the whole diamond, hitting the ball to the opposite field. This season, the team has adopted a hitting philosophy in which batters try not to move their feet at the plate, which has also contributed to their .505 team on-base percentage.
Not moving their feet has resulted in them getting hit by pitches more often and walking more, which has led to more opportunities to get on base.
“The biggest thing we buy into is not moving our feet. We’re going to get hit or get on base any way we can,” shortstop Justin Lebron said.
Will Hodo has been hit by a pitch nine times already on the season through 12 games. Lebron and infielder Brennen Norton have been hit four times, tied for the second most on the team.
The Crimson Tide is tied for sixth in college baseball and individually ranks second in the SEC with 24 hit-by pitches so far this season, and it is tied for second in college baseball and first in the SEC in walks with 77.
Alabama also has five players in the starting nine with more walks than strikeouts. It’s rare to have one player with that ability on a team, but the Crimson Tide has five, including junior college additions Richie Bonomolo Jr. and Bryce Fowler, outfielder/designated hitter Coleman Mizell, left fielder and team captain Kade Snell, and LSU transfer Brady Neal.
“This is me talking as a pitcher,” Snell said of the team’s ability to work counts and walk more than strike out. “It is really annoying when you throw your best stuff and we don’t even bat an eye at it.”
Snell credited the coaching and support staff — such as head coach Rob Vaughn, assistant coach Anthony Papio, player development coordinator Mikey White, and recruiting operations assistant Garrett Wood — with improving the team’s ability to work counts.
“That’s how you slug the baseball; the more walks you get will lead to better hitter counts, which will lead to more hittable pitches … those go hand and hand,” Vaughn said. “It’s something they work on every day.”
The Crimson Tide have also been getting it done with the long ball. The team is seventh-best in college baseball with a slugging percentage of .599 and second in the SEC. A big part of that is constantly being ahead in counts, which leads to seeing more hittable pitches.
Alabama is fourth in college baseball and second in the SEC with 19 home runs, as well as the fifth-most hits in college baseball and the most in the SEC with 108 on the season.
Being among the top teams in college baseball in all these hitting categories has led to a historic 12-0 start to the season. With SEC play just around the corner, the Crimson Tide will try to maintain that success.
