Alabama's Brady Neal Leads Crimson Tide to First Series Win Over Florida Since 2008

Senior outfielder has been the team's most consistent hitter this season

Mar. 21, 2026 at 11:22pm

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Brady Neal, a senior outfielder for the University of Alabama baseball team, has led the Crimson Tide to their first series win over the University of Florida since 2008. Neal has been the team's most consistent hitter this season, batting a team-high .373 with a 1.080 OPS, 9 extra-base hits, 24 RBIs, and 15 walks. His offensive explosion came at a crucial time for the Alabama lineup, which had struggled to provide steady run support during a recent four-game skid.

Why it matters

This series win over a ranked Florida team is a significant accomplishment for the Alabama baseball program, which has not defeated the Gators in a series since 2008. The performance of Brady Neal, who has emerged as the team's best hitter, has been a key factor in the Crimson Tide's success and could portend good things for the rest of the season.

The details

In the pair of wins over Florida, Neal is hitting .625 with 4 RBIs and 2 walks. Overall this season, the senior outfielder has been a revelation, batting .373 with a 1.080 OPS - a major improvement from his .219 average a year ago. Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn has praised Neal's consistent and carefree play, saying "it's kind of filtered through our team a little bit."

  • The series win over Florida took place on March 21, 2026.
  • Alabama last defeated Florida in a series in 2008.

The players

Brady Neal

A senior outfielder for the University of Alabama baseball team who has emerged as the Crimson Tide's best hitter this season, batting .373 with a 1.080 OPS, 9 extra-base hits, 24 RBIs, and 15 walks.

Rob Vaughn

The head coach of the University of Alabama baseball team, who has praised Neal's consistent and carefree play this season.

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What they’re saying

“He's probably been our most consistent hitter all year. There's no secret, I've praised him [Brady Neal] a lot this season so far, take away the performance, but for the way he's playing. It's like he's playing wiffleball. [...] he's having fun playing baseball, he's playing free. That's really hard to do in this league. [...] it's kind of filtered through our team a little bit.”

— Rob Vaughn, Alabama Head Coach

What’s next

The Crimson Tide will have a chance to sweep No. 18 Florida on Sunday, with head coach Rob Vaughn emphasizing the importance of the team showing up with "energy, with focus, with intensity" for the final game of the series.

The takeaway

Brady Neal's breakout season has been a key factor in Alabama's first series win over Florida since 2008, showcasing the team's ability to defeat a ranked opponent. This success could be a sign of good things to come for the Crimson Tide baseball program, as they continue to build momentum and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.