March 4, 2022

By Alex Thompson

University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball came away with a 5-1 win over Murray State on Friday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

The series-opening victory moved the Crimson Tide to 7-4 on the young season.

Garrett McMillan (1-0) was brilliant in his third start of the season, picking up the win in the series opener. McMillan struck out a career-high and Tide season-high tying seven across his six innings of work. The junior scattered three hits and did not issue a walk before handing it over to Dylan Ray. The Tide reliever entered for the final three frames, allowing one run on one hit while striking seven of the 10 batters he faced for the save.

The Crimson Tide’s offense produced 11 hits - including two from Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) - on the way to five runs of support for McMillan and Ray. Alabama posted a pair of runs in the second, added one in the fourth and put up another two in the sixth.

Tommy Seidl and Andrew Pinckney led the offense, each contributing 3-for-4 efforts. Seidl homered and added an RBI to go with a pair of runs, while Pinckney recorded his first triple of the season and led the Tide with a career-high tying three runs scored.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

“I'm really glad to get a win today. Garrett McMillan and Dylan Ray did an outstanding job and when you punch out 14 and don't walk any, that’s just a tremendous, tremendous effort. G-Mac and D-Ray did their job, and I’m really proud of those guys and happy for them. If we can continue to pitch like that, then we're going to be in every game that we play and have a chance to have a really good season.”

How It Happened

B2 | Back-to-back singles by Tommy Seidl and Andrew Pinckney put two aboard to start the inning. Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) then sent a 2-2 pitch into right field to score Seidl and advance Pinckney to third. Pinckney then came across thanks to a wild pitch in the next at-bat. (2-0, Alabama)

B4 | Pinckney led things off with an infield single. He moved into scoring position on a groundout and came around to score one out later on an RBI-single from Caden Rose. (3-0, Alabama)

B6 | Seidl homered to start the inning for his first roundtripper as a member of the Crimson Tide. Pinckney followed with his third hit of the contest, this one a triple to left. The redshirt sophomore came in to score in the next at-bat on another RBI-single from Diodati. (5-0, Alabama)

T8 | A leadoff home run by Jacob Pennington got the Racers on the board. (5-1, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

-Alabama’s pitchers totaled 14 strikeouts in today’s contest and have now recorded 10-or-more punchouts in five games this season.

-The combination of Garrett McMillan and Dylan Ray did not issue a walk on the afternoon. Alabama’s pitchers have not issued a walk in the last 18 2/3 innings, dating back to the ninth inning of the UT-Martin contest on Tuesday.

-McMillan and Ray each struck out seven batters to tie the season-high total by an Alabama pitcher. Jacob McNairy also punched out seven in his start on Wednesday against Troy.

-The Crimson Tide finished with 11 hits and have totaled double-digit hits in six games this season.

-With his 1-for-4 effort, Drew Williamson has recorded a hit in 10 straight games. Over the streak, the senior is batting .366 (15-41) with five doubles, two home runs, nine RBI, six runs scored, a pair of walks and one hit-by-pitch.

-Tommy Seidl finished with a season-high tying three hits and has now totaled two-or-more hits in six of his nine starts this season, including four straight contests.

Alabama will go for the series win over Murray State on Saturday afternoon at The Joe. The Crimson Tide calls on junior left-hander Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.) for the start while the Racers counter with right-handed sophomore Cade Vernon.