Alabama’s pitching was considered its weak link to start the season. Through 22 games, it has been consistent, allowing just 3.5 runs per game, including four shutouts.
The bullpen has come up big, throwing 97 ⅓ innings, led by sophomore pitchers Davis Vainer, Deacon Medders and junior transfer Mason Duke, who have all thrown 15 ⅔ innings.
“There’s such a big difference between one inning versus a full time through the order versus getting a second or third look, whether that’s in one game or later in the weekend,” coach Brad Bohannon said. “I think that’s been a small piece of why our bullpen has been so good this year.”
Dylan Duarte is one of the pitchers that has fit into a one time through the order role. As Alabama’s Sunday starter last year, he threw 61 ⅔ innings before being shut down for an injury. Now, he usually pitches in the back end of the game. He has totaled 12 innings, two wins and two saves.
“Being a weekend starter is the ultimate challenge in college baseball,” Bohannon said. “It is really hard to face a SEC lineup for the third or fourth time. Dylan has been awesome in the one or two inning role, and I think that you will see that expand over time. He’s really equipped to pitch one time through the order.”
Alabama travels to Knoxville, Tennessee to face Tennessee for its weekend series. The last time the two teams played was in 2016, when Tennessee came to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the first SEC series in the renovated Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Volunteers’ pitching staff is led by their young starting rotation.
“They are young on the mound,” Bohannon said. “We’ll see a very talented freshman on Friday, a sophomore [Garrett] Stallings who has been through the league a year and Will Neely, who is a junior, who has a lot of SEC experience.”
Stallings is tied for the team-lead in wins, with three. His best start of the year was against Memphis, when he went the distance, allowing only one run.
Freshman Garrett Crochet started against then No. 8 Ole Miss last Friday. He finished with the win after allowing six runs over six and two-thirds innings.
In the back half of its bullpen, Tennessee has sophomore Zach Linginfelter. He has collected two saves in his seven appearances, and has a 3.68 ERA.
“He has a big arm,” Bohannon said. “He’ll be up to 96 or 97 [mph].”
Offensively the Volunteers are led by senior catcher Benito Santiago. Santiago is hitting .338 and has a team high 10 doubles. Shortstop Andres Lipcius, who leads the team in hits [28], RBIs [22] and runs [18], is another huge factor in the game. Lipcius also is tied for the team lead in home runs with three.
First pitch on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. eastern.
