No. 24 Alabama (23-12, 8-5) won their eighth straight contest 6-3 over the top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (31-3, 12-1) Friday night.

Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon dubbed the Volunteers “the best team in the history of college baseball.” They are the first to ever win their first 12 SEC games. 

That record now reads 12-1 after Friday night. 

The Crimson Tide looked a little overwhelmed in the first inning. After Tennessee starting pitcher Chase Burns quickly retired Alabama, the Tennessee offense scored two runs off Garrett McMillan. It looked as if the Volunteers were going to run Alabama off the field.

After the first inning, it was all Crimson Tide. Owen Diodati cut the Volunteers’ lead in half in the second inning, sending a moonshot over the wall. Diodati hit another home run in his next at-bat in the fourth inning. It was the second game of his career with two home runs. 

An unlikely home run came off of the bat of shortstop Jim Jarvis as well in the third inning.

Alabama recorded 11 hits and six runs on the best pitching staff in the SEC. Only two teams have scored six or more runs on Tennessee this season: No. 7 Texas and James Madison. Seven of the Crimson Tide’s nine starters recorded a hit.

After a rough start, McMillan settled in. After allowing two runs in the first frame, he only surrendered one run in the next 4.1 innings pitched. He also had five strikeouts. 

The bullpen, once a weak point, is getting stronger. In the 3.2 innings thrown by Hunter Hoopes, Brock Guffey and Dylan Ray, the Volunteers only mounted two hits.

“This was just a total, complete effort,” Bohannon said. “Garrett McMillan kind of nibbled early and pitched through a lot of traffic – the game almost got out of hand on us in the first couple of innings – but he settled in and put up some zeroes. We got some production up and down the lineup. Obviously Diodati with the two home runs was big, and it was big to score in the ninth. Our bullpen was outstanding. Hunter Hoopes and Brock Guffey did a great job of getting us to Dylan Ray. This was just a great win over a great team, and I’m excited to get out here and play again tomorrow.”

The turnaround continues for Alabama, who looks to take the series Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Right-hander Jacob McNairy will be on the mound for the Crimson Tide. First pitch is at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.