Alabama football coach Nick Saban throwing out first pitch Photo by Marion R. Walding/UA Media Relations
Alabama football coach Nick Saban throwing out first pitch Photo by Marion R. Walding/UA Media Relations

Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban tossed out the first pitch Friday night as the Alabama Crimson Tide launched SEC baseball play. The Crimson Tide won the game 4-1. You can read about the game below.

ALABAMA BASEBALL: Alabama 4, Vanderbilt 1 (source: UA Media Relations)
TUSCALOOSA – Alabama sophomore left-hander Adam Morgan held the SEC’s No. 1 rated offensive team to one run on six hits in six-plus innings, leading the No. 21 Crimson Tide to a 4-1 series opening win over No. 18 Vanderbilt at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Friday night.

Morgan blanked the Commodores through six innings before allowing a pair of two-out hits in the seventh inning that put the Vanderbilt on the board. Connor Harrell stroked a two-out single to right and scored on an Anthony Gomez double to centerfield for the Commodores only run.

Morgan (3-0) held the SEC’s top hitting team to one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and three walks. Vanderbilt came into the game hitting .352 and was averaging almost nine runs and 12 hits per game this season.

Senior third baseman Jake Smith and junior catcher Brock Bennett provided the offensive support. Smith was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and Bennett went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Smith’s home run gave the Tide a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning and Bennett’s two-run single made it 3-0.

Alabama improved to 15-1 overall, tying the school record for wins through 16 games, and 1-0 in SEC play, while Vanderbilt falls to 15-3 and 0-1 in SEC play. The series continues Saturday at 3:05 p.m. (CST) and the game will be televised by FSN South.