TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 12 Alabama baseball held off a late Tennessee charge, as the Crimson Tide bested the top-ranked Volunteers 6-5 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Thursday night. The win improves the Tide to 22-1 overall and 4-0 in Southeastern Conference play.

Justin Lebron led the Alabama offense with a 1-for-4 effort, highlighted by his three-run double in the second. Will Plattner finished 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, one RBI and one run scored. Kade Snell closed 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and two runs scored, while Will Hodo was 1-for-4, scoring a run. Richie Bonomolo finished hitless but was responsible for a pair of RBI.

Zane Adams took the mound for his sixth start of the season, as the sophomore was responsible for five runs (four earned), allowing six hits and a walk with six strikeouts over a season-high 6.1 innings. Matthew Heiberger was the first man out of the bullpen, scattering two hits over his 1.1 scoreless frames. Carson Ozmer earned his sixth save of the season, tossing the final 1.1 innings while surrendering just one hit.  

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

“A good win. Our guys were up for the occasion tonight. Zane (Adams) was just behind a little bit early and didn’t have command on some of the secondary stuff early, but then he settled in and was unbelievable. Matthew (Heiberger) came in, did his job, and then (Carson) Ozmer obviously doing what he does there at the end. Just a very well pitched game. I tell these guys all the time, you have no idea when when the game is won or lost, it could be in the first, could be in the ninth. We’ve had some of these in the ninth lately. Today, it happened to be in the second. I thought we just kept stringing good at-bats together. And then finally, (Justin) Lebron gets a big swing to kind of blow it open and give us the lead. So, proud of our guys and proud of the effort. It’s emotional, it’s fun, but we didn’t come here to just win a game. We’ve got to line up and be able to match it and come back ready to go again tomorrow and we’re excited for the challenge.”

How It Happened

• T1 | The Volunteers drew a two-out walk before a two-run home run gave the visitors the early lead. (2-0, Tennessee)
• T2 I A pair of errors by the Tide allowed for an RBI groundout to score an unearned run. (3-0, Tennessee)
• B2 I A single, a hit-by-pitch and an error loaded the bases for the Tide. Will Plattner and Richie Bonomolo Jr. earned consecutive bases-loaded walks, bringing in two runs. With the bases still full, Justin Lebron punctuated the inning with a bases-clearing double, giving the Tide the lead. (5-3, Alabama)
• B3 I With one out, Kade Snell singled and Plattner doubled, leading to Bonomolo Jr’s RBI groundout. (6-3, Alabama)
• T7 I Tennessee produced three singles to load the bases with one out. With the bases full, an RBI infield single and a sacrifice fly tallied two runs for the Volunteers. (6-5, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• The win over No. 1 Tennessee improves the Tide’s record to 22-35 (.385) all-time against top-ranked teams
• The Tide has won its first four conference games of 2025, marking its first 4-0 start in SEC play since 2003
• Justin Lebron produced his 13^th multi-RBI game on Thursday
• Will Hodo extended his hitting streak to 10 consecutive games in the win. Hodo is 18-for-41 (.439) with four doubles, a triple, four home runs, 14 RBI and 11 runs scored during that span
• Hodo also extended his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games on Thursday
• Will Plattner now owns a five-game hitting streak, going 9-for-17 (.529) with three doubles, three RBI and three runs scored in that stretch
• Coleman Mizell raised his on-base streak to 22 games while Kade Snell furthered his on-base streak to 20 games
• ATTENDANCE: 4,341

Up Next

• Alabama will aim to secure the series win when the Tide and Volunteers return to Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Friday, March 21
• The contest is scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. CT start, with the game airing on SEC Network+