The eventual star of Alabama and Kentucky’s SEC tournament opener was foreshadowed a few minutes before the first pitch.

Near the Crimson Tide dugout, about 80 minutes after the game was scheduled to begin, Andrew Pinckney was honored by the conference as a co-scholar athlete of the year. The fourth-year player posed for a photo and was applauded by coaches and teammates. Throughout the following nine innings, Pinckney would spark the dugout a couple more times.

Alabama’s starting right fielder played a central role in a 4-0 victory at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Pinckney saved a run defensively in the second, hit a home run in the fourth and scored again in the sixth while three Tide pitchers held UK hitters to six hits. Since May 4, Alabama has conceded more than five runs in a game just once.

With the win, Alabama continued a late push that’s redefined its season. After being on the bubble of potential host teams, — and handling a betting scandal with its former coach Brad Bohannon — the Tide entered today projected to hit the road for the NCAA regional. Defeating Kentucky though, gives Alabama nine victories in its last 11 games and at least two more chances to improve starting against one-seed Florida tomorrow.

Under interim coach Jason Jackson, Alabama has a very good chance to host its first regional since 2006.

Pinckney’s highlight reel started early when Reuben Church lofted a fly ball to Pinckney in right field. As he readied for Devin Burkes to tag up and go home, the UA dugout rose to its feet and some leaned over a railing. When UA’s Mac Guscette caught Pinckney’s rocket and withstood a collision, the pro-Bama crowd erupted and gray jerseys emptied onto the field.

“You could tell they were trying to scrap for runs,” Pinckney said. “Everybody pretty much knew he was gonna go. My teammates were yelling ‘four’ the whole way.’ I just wanted to make a good throw in.”

The umpires reviewed the play but confirmed the contest would stay scoreless. Throughout the replay, Minigione shared some words with the Tide dugout and a UA coach stepped out to confront him. The managers were separated and both benches were warned.

“I was trying to figure out where I was supposed to be,” Minigione said of the incident postgame. “Normally on a replay, you’re supposed to be in the box. I was going back and then I was going back and forth. There was some chirping going on and things like that so that’s all. It’s a competitive game.”

Shortly after, Pinckney lifted a pitch opposite field past the bullpen and off the facade as the Tide once again celebrated at home plate. UK’s outfielders tried to track it down but eventually stopped running and stared at Pinckney’s 16th home run of the year.

Making his first start in two weeks, and the second of his UA career, Hunter Furtado threw a season-best five scores innings. He struck out two and escaped multiple jams in the opening three innings. He also benefited from a night with little wind blowing outward as a couple of flyouts by the Wildcats died on the warning track.

“(Furtado has) done a lot out of the bullpen for us,” Jackson said. “Made a spot-start a couple weeks ago in the midweek game. We thought he looked really good in the outing so when this opportunity came up, I didn’t want to throw some of those weekend guys on two days short rest, te opportunity presented itself for Hunter. The matchup looked good with throwing a left-handed pitcher against them. So we went to Hunter and said, ‘Its yours if you want it.’ He said, ‘Heck yeah, I want it.’”

Kade Woods and Alston Davis II combined to finish the shutout with three strikeouts and one groundball double play to give Alabama two more games in Hoover.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].