Alabama needed a big victory after losing it’s last seven games. On Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, it got its first win against a top-10 opponent, defeating No. 7 Kentucky 4-2.
The Crimson Tide took down the Wildcats behind strong pitching and timely hitting.
“Good win for us,” coach Brad Bohannon said. “Certainly wasn’t perfect, but we haven’t swung the bats great the week and a half. We strung together a lot of tough quality at-bats tonight. A lot of hard contact against one of the best pitchers in the country.”
Alabama (17-10, 2-5 SEC) scored four runs off 11 hits against Sam Hjelle, who came in with a 2.97 ERA and was the SEC Pitcher of the year last season.
“We haven’t been getting that big hit,” junior Cobie Vance said. “I think we brought it to them today. Past couple of games we have been feeling it out and letting them come to us instead of going and getting it. Today we came out and brought it to them.”
After Alabama fell behind by a run in the second inning, it responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Joe Breaux tripled to score Chandler Avant and then scored on an RBI groundout by Hunter Alexander.
Alabama added a run in the third inning to extend its lead to 3-1. Kentucky cut into the lead with a solo home run in the sixth inning.
Vance got a big two-out single for Alabama in the eighth inning to extend the lead to two runs. Brohannon suggests it may have helped boost the pitchers.
“It’s hard to quantify the feeling as a coach or just in the dugout,” Brohannon said. “When you play a team with 31 home runs between three guys, you can’t hit a two-run home run with no one on base. It gave the guys comfort and it gave the pitchers a little more confidence just to make them earn in.”
Sam Finnerty pitched well for Alabama, in his 5.2 innings of work. He struck out three and walked three. Only one of the two runs he allowed were earned.
“They’re a really good hitting team,” Finnerty said. “They don’t chase much and they put really good swings on really good pitches. It’s big to slow things down and take a deep breath and take it one pitch at a time.
Deacon Medders closed out the final two innings for Alabama. He needed just four pitches to get through the eight, with a double play aiding him. In the ninth inning, he struck out the side to put the Wildcats to sleep, collecting his third save of the season.
Alabama and Kentucky continue the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.
