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Alabama LB enjoying success in return to baseball diamond
By Nick Cole
Published:
You may know Keith Holcombe as the Crimson Tide linebacker that blocked a punt against Florida in last season’s SEC championship game.
As it turns out, Holcombe is far more than just a football player.
He’s also a key piece to the Crimson Tide baseball team this spring after a two-year layoff from the game.
Entering play against Houston on Sunday, Holcombe leads the Crimson Tide baseball team with a .457 on-base percentage, and is third on the team with a .345 batting average.
Alabama is off to a 10-4 start to the season, and has moved inside the Top 25 of some college baseball polls.
Holcombe was a 37th round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, but decided to pursue football only when he came out of high school.
That changed this spring, when Holcombe decided to pull double-duty and return to the baseball diamond.
He explained that decision to AL.com’s Michael Casagrande on Saturday:
“To be honest, I missed it,” Holcombe said. “Coming in from high school, playing then coming straight over to football, I mean it’s a different world. Talking to both sports, they said I would have an opportunity to play both so I jumped on it. Here I am, fulfilling the dream.”
Holcombe took part in Alabama’s football practice on Friday before hustling over to baseball facility to get ready for Friday night’s game.
It’s a juggling act he plans to continue all spring, though it could get complicated with football scrimmages and the A-day game all falling on Saturdays during which the Crimson Tide baseball team is scheduled to play.
Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.
