Alabama Baseball Hits the Road to Jacksonville State
2/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 4: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE AT JAX STATE GAMECOCKS
RUDY ABBOTT FIELD -- JACKSONVILLE, ALABAMA
FEB. 19, 2004 -- JSU OPENER; UA FIRST ROAD GAME -- 6:30 PM
Date Game Time Radio
Feb 18 Alabama at Jax State 6:30 PM WACT (1420 AM)
Feb 20 Cincinnati at Alabama 6:30 PM CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
Feb 21 Cincinnati at Alabama 4 PM WACT-AM (1420)
Feb 22 Cincinnati at Alabama 2 PM WRTR-FM (105.5)
ON THE MOUND: UA - Andrew Walker (1 GS, 0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. JSU - C.R. Palmer (16 GS, 7-5, 4.67 ERA in 2003)
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 http://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. Tickets for the Jacksonville State game are $8 each and the gates will open at 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon at Rudy Abbot Field.
RANKINGS: Neither team is ranked in this week's polls.
BAMA HITS THE ROAD AT JAX STATE
After winning its first home series of the year, the Alabama Crimson Tide hits the road Wednesday, Feb 19 for a 6:30 p.m. game with the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Rudy Abbott Field. The game marks the 2004 season opener for JSU. The Jax State game is the earliest midweek non-conference game for Alabama since Feb. 00, 1992 when the Crimson Tide played Samford in Birmingham. The Bulldogs won that 10-inning game, 5-4. Alabama opened the season this past weekend, taking two of three from the New Orleans Privateers in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide won its 11th straight season opener with a 4-1 victory last Friday night. Bama dropped a 2-1 pitchers duel on Saturday, before bouncing back to claim a bizarre 12-11 come-from-behind win on Sunday afternoon.
THE RECORDS
Alabama (2-1) opened the season by winning its 26th consecutive non-conference home series last weekend. The Jax State game is Alabama's first road game of the 2004 season. The Crimson Tide posted a 0-0 road record last year, including 0-0 non-conference road record. Jacksonville State (0-0) is playing its 2004 season opener tonight.
THE COACHES
Alabama's Jim Wells is in his 10th season with the Crimson Tide program. He has compiled a 411-177 (.699) record at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Overall, Wells is 603-266 (.695) in 15 seasons at Northwestern State and Alabama. Jax State head coach Jim Case has compiled a 55-57 (.491) record in his first two years with the Gamecocks. Prior to taking over at JSU, he served as assistant coach at UAB and Miss. State.
THE SERIES
Alabama holds a 17-6 (.739) series lead over Jax State, but has had its share of trouble with the Gamecocks in recent years. JSU posted a 5-3 win last year in Tuscaloosa and has won three of the last six meetings overall with Alabama.
HOMECOMING
Two Alabama players return to their hometown area for Wednesday night's game. Junior first baseman Zac Welch hails from Wellington and played at Alexandria High School, about 10 miles from the JSU campus. Sophomore left fielder Evan Bush is from Southside HS in nearby Etowah County.
NEXT GAME
Alabama will return to the Joe on Friday night to open a three-game series with the Cincinnati Bearcats. The series opener is Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. Jax State hits the road this weekend by playing at LSU in its first-ever visit to Alex Box Stadium.
ON THIS DATE
Feb 16, 2003 -- Alabama upsets No. 2 Rice 6-5 to claim the championship at the 2003 Minute Maid Park Classic in Houston. Freshman Allen Ponder (5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K) was the winning pitcher with five scoreless innings of relief in his Alabama debut.
Feb. 18, 1995 -- Jim Wells era begins with 2-1, 11-inning win over Middle Tennessee State at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Junior shortstop Brett Taft's infield single scores Todd Nodine with the winning run. Wednesday will mark the 10th anniversary of Wells first game at Alabama.
Feb. 18, 1999 -- Alabama opens its home schedule on an Thursday night by posting a 3-1 win over Samford at the Joe. B.J. Green (9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K) was the winning pitcher for the Tide.
Feb. 20, 2002 -- Freshman Taylor Tankersley (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K) makes his Alabama debut with an impressive win over Georgia State in Tuscaloosa. Carlos Sosa belted three hits for the Crimson Tide, including his first career home run.
Feb. 21, 1995 -- Alabama defeats Troy State at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in the first game against an in-state opponent in the Wells era.
Feb. 21, 1997 -- Alabama opens a three-game by defeating Michigan 21-3 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Feb 21, 1998 -- Dan Chavers (3-4, 3 HR, 5 RBI) tied the UA single-game record with three home runs in the Crimson Tide's 13-5 win over Arkansas State in Tuscaloosa.
Feb. 22, 1997 -- Alabama makes it two in-a-row with another lopsided win over Michigan, 19-3.
JACKSONVILLE STATE SERIES
Alabama leads the all-time series with Jacksonville State, 17-6 (.739). The two teams first met in 1967, with Alabama taking a pair of game from the JSU to open the season.
*The Gamecocks claimed a 5-3 win over the Crimson Tide last year in Tuscaloosa, handing UA its fifth straight home loss of the season.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 3-3 (.500) in his career against Jax State, including a 1-1 mark here in Jacksonville.
*JSU head coach Jim Case is 1-1 (.500) against Alabama, including an 11-10 loss to the Crimson Tide in 2002.
UA-JSU SCOREBOARD
1967 W 5-0
W 8-0
1969 W 2-1
W 12-5
1972 W 8-5 (DH)
W 13-3 (DH)
1973 W 7-1
W 6-1
1974 W 4-1 (DH)
W 7-2 (DH)
1975 L 9-2 (DH)
W 4-2 (DH)
1976 W 8-6 (DH)
W 1-0 (DH)
1980 L 9-7
L 6-4 (Jacksonville)
1981 W 6-4
1999 L 5-3 (Jacksonville)
W 3-0
2000 L 8-5
2001 W 17-0 (7 innings)
2002 W 11-10 (Jacksonville)
2003 L 5-3
OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE
Alabama owns a 122-17 (.878) record against the current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Jacksonville State and Samford joined the league this season and are playing in the OVC for the first time. in 2004.
Alabama vs. OVC Schools
Last Series
Opponent Meeting Record
Austin Peay 2001 5-0
E. Illinois 1998 1-0
E. Kentucky 1996 2-1
Jacksonville State 2002 17-6
Morehead State 1992 4-1
Murray State 1996 8-1
Samford 2002 81-8
SE Missouri State 2002 1-1
Tennessee Tech 1994 4-0
UT-Martin NA 0-0
2003 122-17
SCOUTING REPORT: JAX STATE
The Gamecocks were 32-26 last year, their final season in the Atlantic Sun Conference. JSU posted a 19-14 record in the A-Sun, good for a third place finish.
JSU is a first-year member of the Ohio Valley Conference and the preseason favorite to win the league, according to the league's head coaches.
Coach Jim Case brings a veteran team into the 2004 season, hoping to build off last year's success.
Five position players return, including two infielders, two outfielders and one catcher.
Senior Matt Ruckdeschel (.328, 0 HR, 30 RBI) and sophomore Shundell Russaw (.269, HR, 15 RBI) are back in the outfield.
JSU also returns corner infielders Clint Carroll (.344, 0 HR, 17 RBI) and Brian Haskins (.309, 3 HR, 21 RBI) as well as catcher Richard Turner (.243, HR, 12 RBI).
On the mound, JSU brings back 14 wins and 11 saves from last year's staff, including seniors C.R. Palmer (7-5, 4.67 ERA) and Bobby Wynns (2-2, 5.56 ERA, 5 SV) and sophomores Josh Forrest (3-1, 2.39, 6 SV) and Clark Jinks (2-2, 7.31 ERA).
Two transfers should see immediate playing time for the Gamecocks. Robby Goodson (1B/RHP) and Winston Pearson (OF) both joined JSU this summer after leaving Miss. State, where they saw substantial playing time last season under Ron Polk.
JSU is expected to send Palmer to the mound in the Alabama game. Last year, he appeared in 19 games (16 GS) and posted a 7-5 record and 4.67 ERA. The Douglasville, Ga., native worked 79 innings and allowed 90 hits, 41 earned runs, 21 walks and struck out 60 batters.
ROAD WARRIORS
Alabama has has been pretty successful on the road in the Jim Wells era, posting an 100-89 (.529) record in 189 road games.
*Alabama has had only three losing road records (1998, 2001 and 2003) under coach Wells, but have had two in the last three years.
*The Crimson Tide posted a 9-11 (.450) record on the road last year, losing three of its last four road games.
*Over the last two season, Alabama is 19-21 (.475) in road games.
*In addition, Alabama has won 22 of its 38 SEC road series under Wells, but has lost seven road series in the last two years.
*Alabama lost three SEC road series (South Carolina, Georgia and LSU) in 2001 and lost all five road series last year.
*In fact, entering the 2004 season, Alabama has lost seven straight SEC road series, the longest under coach Wells.
*Overall, Alabama has lost 13 of its last 16 SEC road games.
Wells Year-By-Year Road Record
Year All Games SEC Games
1995 11-7 (.611) 7-5 (.583)
1996 17-6 (.739) 10-5 (.667)
1997 12-7 (.632) 9-6 (.600)
1998 13-14 (.481) 7-8 (.467)
1999 10-10 (.500) 8-7 (.533)
2000 12-10 (.545) 7-8 (.467)
2001 6-14 (.300) 6-9 (.400)
2002 10-10 (.500) 7-8 (.467)
2003 9-11 (.450) 5-10 (.333)
Totals 100-89 (.529) 66-66 (.500)
BAMA ON THE ROAD
Alabama was 9-11 (.450) on the road last season, losing all five SEC series against No. 21 Florida, No. 6 Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee and No. 15 Miss. State.
*The Crimson Tide also lost one NCAA Regional game at No. 8 Texas A&M in the College Station Regional.
*Alabama has won all four non-conference road games last year, beating Samford, UAB, Northwestern State and Centenary.
NON-CONFERENCE ROAD STREAK
Alabama has won its last seven non-conference road games, dating back to the 2002 season.
*The last time Alabama lost a non-SEC road game during the regular season was Mar. 5, 2002 when the Crimson Tide dropped a 10-4 decision to South Alabama at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile.
*Since then, the Crimson Tide has reeled off seven straight non-conference regular-season road wins, including all four last season.
Non-Conference Road Winning Streak (7)
Year Result
2002 Alabama 17, Oklahoma 3 (Oklahoma City)
Alabama 5, UAB (Birmingham)
Alabama 11, Jax State 10 (Jacksonville)
2003 Alabama 3, Samford 2 (Birmingham)
Alabama 15, UAB 8 (Birmingham)
Alabama 12, Northwestern State 8
Alabama 11, Centenary 9
ALABAMA SUCCESS
Traditionally, Alabama has had little trouble with in-state teams, compiling an impressive 451-119 (.791) all-time record with schools in the state of Alabama.
BAMA ALL-TIME VS. IN-STATE SCHOOLS
Opponent Series Record
Alabama Christian Bama leads, 4-1
Alabama State Bama leads, 5-0
Auburn Bama leads, 130-105
Bham Athletics Bama leads, 6-0
Bham College Bama leads, 9-2
Bham Southern Bama leads, 25-14
Faulkner State Bama leads, 2-1
Greensboro Bama leads, 4-1
Jax State Bama leads, 17-6
Marion Military Bama leads, 12-2
Montevallo Bama leads, 11-2
North Alabama Bama leads, 18-3
Samford Bama leads, 81-8
South Alabama Bama leads, 47-44
Stillman Bama leads, 17-0
Springhill College Bama leads, 9-4
Troy State Bama leads, 12-3
UAB Bama leads, 31-12
West Alabama Bama leads, 21-10
*Coach Wells has been even more impressive against in-state teams, posting a 75-29 (.712) record since his arrival in 1995.
WELLS ALL-TIME VS. IN-STATE SCHOOLS
Opponent Series Record
Auburn Bama leads, 22-15
Bham Southern Bama leads, 3-0
Jax State Series Tied, 3-3
North Alabama Bama leads, 2-0
Samford Bama leads, 13-1
South Alabama Bama leads, 11-3
Troy State Bama leads, 4-1
UAB Bama leads, 11-5
West Alabama Bama leads, 6-1
