Crimson Tide Baseball Hosts West Alabama at the Joe
4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Game 28: WEST ALABAMA TIGERS at Alabama Crimson Tide
April 2, 3003 Sewell-Thomas Stadium (6,118) Tuscaloosa
6:30 PM (CT)
Apr 2 at Alabama 6:30 p.m. (CT)
CTSN (WRTR, 105.5 FM)
Apr 4 at Auburn 6:30 p.m. (CT)
CTSN (WRTR, 105.5 FM)
Apr 5 at Auburn 3 p.m. (CT)
CTSN (WRTR, 105.5 FM)
Apr 6 at Auburn 1:36 p.m. (CT)
CTSN (WRTR, 105.5 FM), CSS (Live TV)
RADIO: The games will be aired locally on WRTR-FM (105.5) or WACT-AM (1420) in Tuscaloosa. David Crane and Chris Stewart will call the action.
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live stats (home games only) and audio broadcasts can be found at www.rolltide.com
TICKETS: Season tickets are available by calling the Alabama Ticket Office (205-348-2262). Single-game tickets and standing-room only tickets are available for $5 each and the gates will open two hours prior to each game.
RANKINGS: Alabama (16th USA Today Sports Weekly, 17th NCBWA, 20th Collegiate Baseball and 23rd NCBWA) is ranked in three of the four polls this week. Auburn (6th Baseball America, 6th Baseball Weekly, 7th NCBWA and 11th Collegiate Baseball) is the second-highest ranked team UA has faced this season. Alabama beat No. 2 Rice (6-5) at the Minute Maid Park Classic in Houston (Feb. 16), the Owls only loss this year.
BAMA HOSTS WEST ALABAMA AT THE JOE
The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team looks to end a two-game home losing streak as they host the West Alabama Tigers Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The West Alabama game marks the final game of a four-game home stand for the Crimson Tide. Alabama is 15-4 (.789) at the Joe this season and has posted a 51-6 (.895) ledger in its last 57 regular season home games. Tonight's game marks the first meeting between the two schools since April 18, 2001 when Alabama posted an 8-5 win here at the Joe. Beau Hearod had two RBI and Jared Woodward earned a three-pitch save in the ninth inning for the Crimson Tide.
THE RECORDS
Alabama (20-7, 5-4 SEC) looks to snap a two-game losing streak tonight against West Alabama. Overall, Alabama has lost four of its last six games, dating back to March 22. West Alabama (20-19, 4-5 Gulf South Conference) has lost three straight games and five of the last seven, dating back to March 23.
THE COACHES
Alabama's Jim Wells is in his ninth season at the Capstone, compiling a 391-159 (.711) record at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Overall, Wells is 583-248 (.701) in his 14th season as a Division I head coach. West Alabama head coach Gary Rundles is 63-79 (.444) in three seasons in Livingston. Overall, Rundles is 435-356 (.487) in 16 years as a head coach.
LAST TIME OUT
After falling behind 11-2 in the sixth inning, Alabama almost pulled off a miraculous comeback before finally falling 11-10 to LSU in the series finale on Sunday. UA scored four runs in the sevneth and added four more in the ninth, loading the bases with only one out. Justin Meier struck out Grant Redding and Bobby Burns fouled out to the catcher as the Tigers held off a furious rally. LSU hit four home runs, including two by Clay Harris, to build a nine-run lead. Adam Pavkovich (3-for-4, 3 RBI) and Travis Garner (3-for-4, 2 2B) had three hits each for Alabama. Beau Hearod slammed his league-leading 11th home run and added three more RBI, giving him an SEC-best 48 RBI this year.
NEXT GAME
Alabama travels to Auburn on Friday, April 4 (6:30 p.m.) for the opener of a three-game SEC series.
Starting Pitching Rotation
No Name B-T 2003 Stats
38 Jared Woodward R-R 8 G, 4 GS, 2-0, 5.40 ERA
34 Josh Allums L-L 7 G, 4 GS, 1-1, 4.70 ERA
ALABAMA VS. WEST ALABAMA
Alabama holds a 21-9 (.700) series lead over West Alabama, in a series that dates back to the 1964 season.
*Alabama has won the last seven meetings between the two schools, with the last meeting taking place on April 18, 2001 here in Tuscaloosa.
*West Alabama's last win over Alabama with 3-2 decision at Livingston during the 1980 season.
*The two schools met 24 times from 1964-83 before the series was halted. It was resumed 12 years later with Alabama winning a double header from UWA during the 1995 season in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 6-0 in his career against West Alabama. He is 5-0 here at the Joe and won the only meeting at Livingston in 2000.
UWA coach Gary Rundles is 0-1 in his career against Alabama, losing 8-5 here at the Joe on April 18, 2001.
ALABAMA VS. IN-STATE FOES
Alabama has enjoyed a great deal of success against in-state teams, compiling a 432-215 (.668) all-time record against teams from the state of Alabama.
*Coach Jim Wells is 74-25 (.747) against in-state opponents in his nine year career at the Capstone.
*The West Alabama game (April 2) will mark his 100th career game against against another team from the state of Alabama.
*The next four games, in fact, will be against in-state schools as UA travels to Auburn this weekend for a three-game SEC series.
*Alabama has an 11-game winning streak against in-state teams, dating back to a 10-4 loss at South Alabama on March 6, 2002.
*The current 11-game winning streak is the second-longest under Wells, who led the Crimson Tide to 14 straight wins from 1995-97.
*Dating back to the 2001 season, Alabama is 14-1 (.933) in its last 15 games against in-state schools.
*Alabama went 10-1 (.909) last year against in-state teams and closed the year with a nine-game winning streak.
*So far this year, Alabama has beaten Samford (3-2) and UAB (15-8) on the road for a 2-0 record against in-state teams.
ALABAMA RECORD VS. IN-STATE SCHOOLS
School UA Record Wells Record
Ala. Christian 4-1 0-0
Alabama State 5-0 0-0
Auburn 127-103 18-13
AUM 2-0 0-0
BSC 25-14 3-0
Faulkner 2-1 0-0
Jax State 17-5 3-2
Montevallo 11-2 0-0
North Alabama 18-3 2-0
Samford 81-7 12-0
South Alabama 46-45 10-5
Springhill 9-4 0-0
Stillman 17-0 0-0
Troy State 12-3 4-1
UAB 31-12 10-5
West Alabama 21-9 6-0
WELLS YEAR-BY-YEAR VS. IN-STATE SCHOOLS
Year Record
1995 9-5 (.643)
1996 11-0 (1.000)
1997 9-3 (.750)
1998 9-5 (.643)
1999 8-1 (.889)
2000 9-1 (.900)
2001 5-5 (.500)
2002 10-1 (.909)
2003 2-0 (1.000)
BAMA VS. NON-DIVISION I FOES
Alabama has compiled a 197-56-1 (.778) all-time record against non-Division I teams. The record breakdown is as follows.
*Alabama has played 30 games with West Alabama, more than any other non-Division I school.
*The other two most frequently played opponents are Rollins College (20 games) and Cumberland (19 games).
Last Series
Opponent Meeting Record
Ala. Christian 1985 4-1
AUM 1990 2-0
Augusta College 1990 2-0
Bham College 1917 9-2
Central of KY 1912 5-1
Columbus College 1989 6-2
Cumberland 1915 13-4-2
Delta State 1983 4-6
Ferris State 1986 1-0
Fla. Southern 1955 2-0
Huntingdon 1990 13-1
Lehigh 1907 1-0
Marion Military 1918 12-2
North Alabama 2002 18-3
Oglethorpe 1924 6-3
Rollins College 1957 9-10-1
St. Benedictine 1978 1-1
St. Bernard 1975 3-0
Sewanne 1922 20-6
Springhill College 1973 9-4
Stillman 1975 17-0
Union 1910 11-1
West Alabama 2001 21-9
West Florida 1995 5-2
Williams College 1907 1-0
BAMA AT HOME
Alabama has compiled a 15-4 (.789) record at the Joe this season.
*Dating back to 2001, Alabama has compiled a 51-6 (.895) ledger in its last 57 regular season home games.
*Alabama had its nine-game home winning streak end with a 10-6 loss to LSU on March 29.
*As a team, Alabama is batting .320 (207-for-646) with 25 home runs and 159 RBI this season in 19 games.
*Alabama has averaged 9.8 runs and 10.9 hits per game at home.
*On the mound, UA is compiled a 2.84 ERA at home and has fewer hits (158) and almost as many strikeouts (165) as innings pitched (171.0).
Alabama Home Stats Leaders (Through April 1)
Player Stats
Pavkovich .431, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 31 R
Welch .413, 2 HR, 20 RBI
Hearod .409, 7 HR, 36 RBI
Garner .373, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 21 R
Rice .317, 4 HR, 18 RBI
Johnson 4 G, 1GS, 2-0, 1.96 ERA
18.1 IP, 12 H, 4 ER, 21 K
Tankersley 5 G, 5 GS, 3-0, 2.04 ERA
35.1 IP, 33 H, 8 ER, 45 K
MORE HOME SERIES SUCCESS
Alabama has won 58 of 66 weekend series at home under coach Wells since 1995.
*Dating back to the 2001 season, Alabama has won 11 of its last 13 home weekend series, with its only series loss coming last year to Ole Miss.
*Alabama has split two SEC home series this season, sweeping Georiga (Mar. 14-16) and dropping two out of three to LSU (Mar. 28-30).
*Including non-conference play, Alabama has won four of five home series this season.
*The Crimson Tide won seven of eight home series last year, including an astonishing seven three-game sweeps. Four of those seven series sweeps came in SEC play.
*In 2002, Alabama swept Georgia Southern, Arkansas State and SE Louisiana in its three non-conference series.
*In SEC play, Alabama swept Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Miss. State in three-game series. Florida, Auburn and Miss. State were all ranked in the Top 25 at the time of their series with Alabama.
*From 1996-2000, Alabama won 29 consecutive three-game series here at home, including 18 straight in SEC play.
*LSU (2001) is the only team to sweep Alabama at Sewell-Thomas Stadium under coach Wells. The Tigers won all three games (4-2, 8-7, 8-3) with Alabama here in 2001.
Alabama Home Series (Since 1995)
Year Series Won-Lost
1995 7 5-2
1996 7 6-1
1997 8 8-0
1998 7 7-0
1999 8 8-0
2000 8 7-1
2001 8 6-2
2002 8 7-1
2003 5 4-1
THE JOE
Alabama fans have made Sewell-Thomas Stadium (aka - The Joe) one of zaniest places to watch a college baseball game. Alabama posted the nation's best home record three consecutive years (1997-99), including a school record 37-4 (.902) in 1999. Joe Caruso, an All-American second baseman and fan favorite, added to the lore of the stadium during his four-year career (1994-97) at Alabama. Another ballpark tradition is the playing of "Cotton Eyed Joe" during the middle of the fifth inning.
This upbeat song literally has the fans dancing in the aisles as they cheer on their beloved Crimson Tide.
*Alabama had its 24 game non-conference home winning streak snapped on Feb. 22 in an 8-7 loss to SE Missouri State. Prior to the SEMO loss, UA had not lost a non-conference home game since a 10-6 setback to UAB on April 10, 2001.
*Alabama led the nation in home wins in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2002.
*The Crimson Tide won a school-record 37 home games in 1999, posting a 37-4 (.902) record at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
*Alabama matched the all-time record with 32 regular-season home wins last year, which included a modern day record 27-game winning streak.
*The Crimson Tide went 32-2 (.941) at home during the regular season last year and fashioned a 35-4 (.897) overall mark. The 1997 (32-3, .914) and 1999 (32-4, .889) teams also won 32 regular season home games.
*Alabama's regular-season home winning percentage (32-2, .941) last year was the best in school history.
Home Record Under Coach Wells
Year Record (Pct.)
1995 22-10 (.688)
1996 25-9 (.735)
1997 36-3 (.923)
1998 30-3 (.909)
1999 37-4 (.902)
2000 24-10 (.706)
2001 26-9 (.743)
2002 35-4 (.897)
2003 15-4 (.789)
Totals: 250-56 (.817)
*Alabama set the modern day school record with 27 consecutive home wins last season. The streak began with a 17-0 win over Jacksonville State on May 1, 2001 as Alabama won the final four home games of the 2001 season.
*The Crimson Tide extended that streak by winning its first 23 home games last year. The school-record 27-game home winning streak came to an end on April 19, 2002 when Ole Miss handed Alabama a 4-3 loss.
*The previous school record was a 24-game winning streak (Apr 21, 1996-Mar. 8, 1997).
Most Recent Home Winning Streaks
Rank Strk Date
1. 27 5-1-01/4-17-02
2. 24 4-21-96/3-8-97
3. 16 2-27/4-3-99
4. 15 4-17-99/2-11-00
HOME COOKING
The Crimson Tide continued its non-conference domination winning its 25th consecutive three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium against the UMass Minutemen (Mar. 7-9).
*Alabama has never lost a non-conference home series under coach Wells.
*The last time Alabama lost a three-game series at home to a non-SEC team was to Notre Dame in 1994. After winning the opener 5-2, Bama dropped the next two games (5-4, 10-7) to the Irish.
*Alabama also has 13 series sweeps to its credit in those 25 home series wins over non conference foes.
*During its current streak, Alabama has lost the first game of the series four times and in all four instances bounced back to take the series.
*In 1995, Alabama lost the first game to Penn State (4-3) before bouncing back to take the next two games (4-3, 8-0). The PSU series was scheduled for a Saturday-Sunday-Monday series and that series also featured an inside-the-park home run.
*In 1996, the Crimson Tide dropped a 13-8 decision to UNC Greensboro in the opener before coming back to win the next two games (9-3 and 12-3).
*In 2000, Alabama lost the first game of the series to both Central Florida and Purdue, but won both series.
*UCF won the opener 8-5, but Alabama rebounded for 18-4 and 10-5 wins in the final two games.
*Purdue also claimed the first game (10-9), but fell the next two days (9-4 and 5-0) to Bama.
*On Feb. 22, Alabama blew a 7-2 lead in the sixth inning and lost the series opener 8-7 to SEMO, but rebounded to win the next two games (16-1 and 9-4).
