Alabama on a Roll

 With the win Alabama completes the series victory over Tennessee and improves their record to 11-9 overall and 2-1 in the SEC. The Volunteers drop to 10-9 in all and 1-2 in conference play.

"I told the team, you have to win games a lot of different ways," UA head coach Mitch Gaspard said. "Obviously, today was one of those rare commodities where you score eight runs in the first inning. What I was most proud of the team today was that after the eight runs, we kept playing and our guys had constant pressure throughout the game. All weekend we had really good energy, was very competitive throughout, even in last night's game we were just a little sloppy at times but we continued to play."

Star Freshmen

Salem had hits in all five games last week, which included two multiple hit games and his fourth three-hit game of the season. He finished the week with a team-high seven RBI from the leadoff spot in the order, which included a career-high four RBI in Alabama’s 15-1 victory over the Tennessee on March 17.

After going 1-for-4 in both games against Memphis, Salem collected six of his eight hits on the weekend versus Tennessee. He was 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the opener against the Vols, was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in game two, then exploded with a 3-for-5, four-RBI game on Sunday. The four RBIs marked the most by an Alabama player in a single game this season.

Big Bats

Trailing 7-3, the Crimson Tide put together a rally in the eighth for their most explosive inning of the game. Moore led off with a stand-up double and Booth followed in the next at-bat with a single to drive him in. Smith's double down the left field line put runners on second and third for Overstreet, whose groundout drove in Booth. Cameron Mike capped off the inning when his RBI single to center on the first pitch he saw to cut the deficit to 7-6. But it would not be enough as the Tide went scoreless in the ninth.

Turn Up

The Alabama offense exploded for 13 hits on Saturday as the Crimson Tide defeated VMI, 10-5, in the second game of the series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The winning pitcher was Alabama’sJon Keller (1-0), moving Alabama to 2-0 on the season, and the losing pitcher was Campbell Henkel (0-1), as the Keydets dropped to 0-2.

“Pitching wise wasn't really where we wanted to be,” UA head coach Mitch Gaspolio said. “Jon (Keller) gave us an ok start and Keaton Haack came in and did a good job. Being a freshman, he pitched with a lot of poise and composure. Offensively, it was a good day for us. The top half of the line-up helped out a lot today. Ben (Moore) ran his first one out and we had a couple guys with three hits. Booth's hit in the eighth inning was really big for us as it helped stretch out the lead a little bit.”