TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The rain came and Alabama’s bats followed. Playing through a drizzly Friday afternoon the Alabama baseball team opened its season with a 16-2 win over Valparaiso.
The victory marked the beginning of the Brad Bohannon era at Alabama and offered a promising look at a new brand of Crimson Tide baseball. During Alabama’s disappointing 19-34-1 season last year, it only recorded double-digit runs eight times. Friday, all but one member of Alabama's starting lineup recorded a hit as the Crimson piled up a total of 17 and batted around twice on the afternoon. Joe Breaux was the lone starter to not record a hit. He went 0-for-2 with two walks and was hit by a pitch.
The 16 runs are the most Alabama has scored in a season-opening game since 1958 when it won 20-1 at Tulane.
Despite lighting up the scoreboard Alabama struggled from the plate early. The Crimson Tide started the game 0-for-6 with runners and scoring position and stranded five runners in the first three innings combined. That changed in the fourth inning when Alabama put together seven hits as part of an eight-run rally.
After giving up a two-out solo home run in the top of the first Alabama starter Sam Finnerty (1-0) settled down going six innings while allowing the lone run on five hits with two strikeouts. Valparaiso starter Jon Tieman (0-1) went 3 1/3 innings giving up seven runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking three.
Here are some notes from the game:
Tide's top performers
Junior college transfer Jett Manning went 3-for-3 with three RBIs in his Alabama debut. That included a two-run home run to right field in the sixth inning, Alabama’s fist of the season.
Cobie Vance also had three hits, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Playing in his new position of third base, the junior dove to his right to snag a ground ball down the line before throwing the runner out at first in the sixth inning. Gene Wood, Hunter Alexander and Chandler Avant all had two hits apiece for Alabama.
It was over when
Alabama batted around in the bottom of the fourth to score eight runs and put the game out of reach.
Back-to-back singles from Avant and Manning put runners on first and third to start the inning before a two-run double from Sam Praytor gave the Crimson Tide its first lead of the game.
Wood extended the lead with a one-out single to right to score Praytor to make it 3-1. Alexander then hit a bases-loaded double to bring in two more runs. John Trousdale brought in an additional two runs with a single up the middle before Manning finished off the scoring with a sac fly to right.
On deck
Alabama continues its three-game series against Valparaiso on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT. The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games can be streamed online by using SEC Network+.
Jake Walters will start Game 2 of the series for Alabama. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound right-hander returned for his senior season this year after leading the Crimson Tide's rotation last season with a 5-5 record and a 3.98 earned run average over 72 1/3 innings pitched. Valparaiso will send senior Trey Ferketic to the mound. The right-hander sat out last season after transferring from San Diego.
Alabama has yet to announce who it will start on the mound for Sunday’s game. Valparaiso will throw senior Wes Gordon who was 2-4 with a 5.80 ERA last season.
Alabama will return to Sewell-Thomas Stadium for a midweek against Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday at 3 p.m. before beginning a three-game series against Washington State on Friday.
