NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Guided by Riley Quick’s career-best start, No. 18 Alabama baseball evened its series with No. 15 Vanderbilt with a 5-2 win on Saturday at Hawkins Field. The victory improves the Crimson Tide to 36-11 overall and 13-10 in Southeastern Conference play.

Quick (7-2) set the tone for the Tide, tossing career-highs in innings pitched (6.0) and strikeouts (9) while surrendering just two earned runs to go with four hits and two walks. After allowing a run in the opening frame, the big right-hander proceeded to retire 12 consecutive Commodores between the first and fifth innings. Quick struck out at least one batter in five of his six full innings of work, including striking out the side in the second. Braylon Myers entered in the seventh, striking out two in his lone inning of work. Carson Ozmer tossed the final 2.0 innings in the win, retiring all six men he faced while striking out the side in order in the ninth to earn his 14^th save of the season.

Coleman Mizell sparked the Alabama lineup in the nine-hole, managing a 2-for-4 line with a solo home run and a double. Garrett Staton doubled twice to encompass his 2-for-4 day, while Kade Snell also produced a pair of hits, including a double. Richie Bonomolo Jr. drove in two of the Tide’s five runs, finishing 1-for-5.  

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

“Every time this group has needed to respond, they’ve done just that. Riley Quick was phenomenal getting us out of the gate and we competed our tails off offensively. Proud of the effort, and we will be ready to run it back tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.”

How It Happened

• B1 I The Commodores opened the scoring after a one-out single eventually scored following a balk. (1-0, Vanderbilt)
• T3 I Justin Lebron and Kade Snell both drew one-out walks with Lebron later stealing third. Richie Bonomolo Jr. bounced into a fielder’s choice to drive in Lebron. (1-1)
• T5 I Coleman Mizell led off the inning with a solo home run to left. With one out, Lebron was hit by a pitch before Kade Snell and Richie Bonomolo Jr. both singled, with the latter driving in the Tide shortstop. Garrett Staton closed the inning with a double to left to bring in Snell. (4-1, Alabama)
• B7 I A walk, a wild pitch, and a single to left plated Vanderbilt’s second run. (4-2, Alabama)
• T8 I Staton opened the eighth with a double, while a flyout to center advanced him to third. A two-out wild pitch allowed Staton to score. (5-2, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• Carson Ozmer recorded his 14^th save of the season on Saturday, tying him with Ben Short for the most saves in a single season in program history
• The save was Ozmer’s eighth consecutive converted save, a streak that began on March 30
• Ozmer locked down his fifth multi-inning save following his 2.0-inning effort
• Alabama struck out 14 Vanderbilt hitters on Saturday, marking the 21^st game this season the Tide pitching staff has produced 10-plus strikeouts
• The Tide improved to 12-8 against ranked opponents with the victory
• Kade Snell advanced his hitting streak to nine games on Saturday, going 16-for-36 (.444) with two doubles, three homers, 11 RBI and seven walks in that stretch
• Garrett Staton contributed two doubles in the win, marking a new career-high
• Richie Bonomolo Jr. extended his on-base streak to 10 games
• Justin Lebron stretched his on-base streaks to nine games
• Bryce Fowler’s eight-game on-base streak was snapped on Saturday
• ATTENDANCE: 3,802

­­Up Next

• Alabama and Vanderbilt will close the series on Sunday, May 4
• First pitch for the rubber game between the Crimson Tide and Commodores is set for 3 p.m. CT, airing on SEC Network