Alabama Baseball Hosts Southern Miss on Wednesday
3/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 15: SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES vs. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM -- TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA -- 6:30 PM
MARCH 10, 2004 -- BUCK NIGHT AT THE JOE
Date Game Time Radio
Mar 10 Southern Miss at UA 6:30 PM CTSM, WRTR-FM (105.5)
Mar 12 SE Missouri State at UA 6:30 PM WACT-AM (1420)
Mar 13 SE Missouri State at UA 4 PM TBA
Mar 14 SE Missouri State at UA 2 PM TBA
ON THE MOUND: UA - Andrew Walker (RHP, 3 GS, 0-0, 4.66 ERA) or Jeffrey Norris (LHP, 2 G, 1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. USM - Daniel (RHP, 3 G, 2 GS, 1-1, 5.40 ERA)
RADIO: The games will be aired locally on WRTR-FM (105.5) or WACT-AM (1420) in Tuscaloosa. David Crane will broadcast the Southern Miss on the Crimson Tide Sports Network (WRTR-FM, 105.5 in Tuscaloosa).
PROMOTIONS: The Southern Miss game is "Future All-American Night" at the Joe. The game is also "Buck Night" as all bleacher seats are just one dollar ($1) for the Bama-USM game.
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.
BAMA HOSTS RED-HOT SOUTHERN MISS
One of the hottest teams in the nation brings its act to Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Wednesday, Mar. 10 as the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team plays host to the nationally-ranked Southern Miss Golden Eagles in a 6:30 p.m. game. Southern Miss enters the game with an eight-game winning streak and one of the nation's most lethal offensive attacks. USM averages 9.6 runs and 12.2 hits per game this season and boasts a .337 (146-for-433) team batting average. Three Golden Eagle starters are hitting .400 or better this season. USM also boasts a solid pitching staff, anchored by on the game's top closers in senior RHP Austin Tubb (5 G, 2-0, 2 SV, 1.29 ERA). Alabama head coach Jim Wells will be coaching his 600th game with the Crimson Tide tonight as he faces the Golden Eagles. One thing that is for certain when the Tide and Golden Eagles meet is that one winning streak will come to an end on Wednesday night. The Golden Eagles are riding an eight-game winning streak since dropping a 9-2 decision to South Alabama on Feb. 24. Alabama enters the game with a 10-game winning streak against the Golden Eagles, including eight straight wins here in Tuscaloosa. Southern Miss has not beaten Alabama since 1987.
THE RECORDS
Alabama (10-4) is coming off a disappointing third-place finish at the 2004 Gent Classic in Shreveport this past weekend, losing to La. Tech (6-1) and Kansas State (2-1). Bama has won eight straight home games this season. Southern Miss (11-1) is one of the nation's hottest teams with an eight-game winning streak after clinching the championship at the Lake Area Classic in Lake Charles, La. over the weekend.
THE COACHES
Alabama's Jim Wells is in his 10th season with the Crimson Tide program. He has compiled a 419-180 (.699) record at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Overall, Wells is 611-269 (.696) in 15 seasons at Northwestern State and Alabama. Wells is 10-0 (1.000) in his career against the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss head coach Corky Palmer has compiled a 223-148 (.601) record in seven years in Hattiesburg. The 2003 C-USA Coach of the Year, led USM to the conference and tournament championship last year. He is 0-8 (.000) against UA.
THE SERIES
Bama leads the all-time series, 65-22. UA has won the last 10 meetings and 32 of 34 since 1981.
NEXT GAME
Alabama hosts SE Missouri State this weekend at the Joe. The series opener is Friday at 6:30 p.m.
ON THIS DATE
Mar 8, 2002 -- Senior Lance Cormier set the Alabama career record for innings pitched breaking Al Drumheller's record of 285 career innings. Cormier won his fifth game of the season as UA beat SE Louisiana 7-2 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Cormier finished his career with 384 2/3 innings pitched from 1999-2002.
Mar 9, 1999 -- Senior Darren Wood hit for the cycle, leading Alabama to a 5-3 win over Southern Miss at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Wood singled, doubled, tripled and homered in four consecutive at-bats to become the second player in school history to hit for the cycle.
Mar 10, 2002 -- Alabama hosted its 1,000,000th all-time fan at the Joe with a 7-6 win over SE Louisiana. Freshman LHP Taylor Tankersley recorded his first career save in the win.
Mar 10, 1996 -- Senior Brett Taft snapped a 4-4 tie with a two-run triple in the top of the 12th inning to give Alabama a 6-4 win over the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. The extra inning win clinched the series forAlabama at Frank Foley Field.
Mar 11, 1995 -- Junior Joel Colgrove took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before allowing a leadoff home run to Illinois' Tom Sinak. The Boligee native finsihed with the complete-game vicotry allowing two runs and four hits as the Crimson Tide beat the Fighting Illini 6-2 in second round action a the Continental Airlines Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas.
Mar 11, 2000 -- Alabama swept a double header from Kentucky on a bitterly cold day at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, winning 5-4 and 6-5. In the opener, Bama scored two run in the bottom of the ninth for the win as Darren Wood (double) and Sam Bozanich (single) plated the tying and winning runs. In the nightcap, lefty Jonathan Blankenship became the 6th UA pitcher to win 20 career games as he beat the Cats 6-5.
Mar 12, 2002 -- Sophomore LHP Jeffrey Norris made his first career start as Alabama blasted Miss. Valley State, 19-0 on a soggy night at the Joe.
Mar 12, 1999 -- Senior G.W. Keller's grand slam highlighted a eight-run, ninth inning as Alabama rallied to beat Tennessee 12-7 in the first game of a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville.
Mar 13, 1998 -- Junior Andy Phillips slugged a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to life Alabama to a 5-4 win over the Georgia Bulldogs at Frank Foley Field. The three-run balst was Phillips second game-winning home run of the season and third of his UA career. The win also the sixth in a row for Alabama and in all six games the winning run came as a result of a home run.
Mar 14, 1999 -- Alabama played its 3,000th game in school history and posted a 12-5 win over Tennessee in Knoxville. The Crimson Tide snapped a 5-5 tie by scoring seven run in the top of the seventh for the win.
ALABAMA HITTING NOTEBOOK (Mar. 9, 2004)
Name G AVG. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB
Alabama 14 .284 462 87 131 27 2 10 80 54 91 15-21
S. Miss 12 .337 433 115 146 25 5 16 105 61 91 9-16
SEMO 8 .278 263 41 73 10 2 2 36 23 54 5-8
NOTES: In 14 games this season, Alabama is batting only .284 (131-for-462) with 10 home runs and 80 RBI...UA is averaging 6.2 runs and 9.4 hits per game this season...The Crimson Tide has been held to three runs or less five times this season, including one run three times...In its four losses this year, Alabama is batting only .163 (20-for-123) with one home run and five RBI...In the four losses, Bama has scored only six total runs and averages 1.25 runs and 5.0 hits per game...In addition, Alabama has 40 strikeouts in those four losses, averaging 10 per game, or one for every three a-bats...Alabama ranks 12th in the SEC with a .284 batting average...Bama is hitting 48 points lower than the league average of .322 as of March 9th...The Crimson Tide also ranks last in the SEC in slugging percentage (.417) and on-base percentage (.371) through 14 games...Alabama has a 19-3 scoring advanatge in the eighth inning this season...Alabama also had an 11-1 scoring edge in the third inning and a 10-2 scoring edge in the fourth inning...Bama is 5-1 in night games...The Crimson Tide is hitting .222 (4-for-18) with the bases loaded this season, while opponents are hitting just .111 (1-for-9)...Alabama pinch-hitter are 1-for-10 (.100) in the first 14 games, while opponent pinch-hitters are just 1-for-14 (.071)...As a team, Alabama is batting .266 (41-for-154) with 2-outs this year, including 28 RBI...Opponents hit just .193 (27-for-140) with two outs, including 17 RBI...Alabama batted only .219 (21-for-96) at the Gent Classic (Mar. 5-7)...Alabama has only two home runs in the last eight games...UA has outscored the opposition 10-0 in the third inning and 10-1 in the fourth inning at home this year...Alabama was no-hit for 6 2/3 innings and managed only one hit in its 2-1 loss to Kansas State on March 7th...The one hit is the fewest number of his by an Alabama team in the Jim Wells era...The Crimson Tide has not been no-hit since 1968...Bama has one extra base hit in 13 of 14 games games this year...Over the last seven games, opponents are hitting just .133 (8-for-60) with two outs...Bama scored a season-high 13 runs in its 13-3 win over SE Louisiana (Feb.27)...Alabama also matched its season high with 12 RBI in the win over the Lions...UA also had 12 RBI against New Orleans (Feb. 16) and Cincinnati (Feb. 21)...Bama hit a season-high five home runs in a 12-0 win over Cincinnati on Feb 21, 2004...The five home runs were the most by Alabama since hitting five home runs against Ole Miss on April 24, 2000...Eight of Alabama's nine home runs this season have been solo home runs...All 10 home runs have come with one out or less this year...
ALABAMA PITCHING NOTEBOOK (Mar. 9, 2004)
Name G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
ALABAMA 14-14 10 4 4 2.61 124.0 96 40 36 32 108 1
S. Miss 12-12 11 1 2 3.22 109.0 92 46 39 43 85 0
SEMO 8-8 3 5 0 7.29 63.0 75 60 51 48 53 0
Name G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
UA Starters 14-14 7 2 0 2.53 78.1 62 23 22 17 62 1
Opp Starters 14-14 2 8 0 4.70 69.0 75 47 36 28 53 2
UA Bullpen 14-0 3 2 4 2.76 45.2 34 17 14 15 46 0
Opp Bullpen 14-0 2 2 1 5.36 48.2 56 40 29 26 38 0
NOTES: Alabama continues to boast a strong pitching staff through 14 games this season...The Crimson Tide sports a 10-4 record, with four saves, and a 2.61 ERA this season...In 124 innings, UA has allowed 96 hits, 40 runs and 36 earned runs, with 32 walks and 108 strikeouts...UA starters are 7-2 with a 2.53 ERA this season...The starters have worked 78 1/3 innings and allowed 62 hits, 23 runs and 22 earned runs, with 17 walks and 62 strikeouts...Opponents are batting .212 (62-for-292) against the Tide starters...The bullpen is 3-2 with four saves and 2.76 ERA this season...The pen has worked 45 2/3 innings and allowed 34 hits, 17 runs, 14 earned runs, with 15 walks and 43 strikeouts...The Alabama bullpen has stranded 13 of its last 17 inherited runners...The bullpen has allowed only four runs (1.07 ERA) in its last 33 2/3 innings this season...The pen had an 18.1 scoreless inning streak from Feb.22-March 3...In addition, Alabama's pen did not allowed a run in 11.2 innings against SE Louisiana (Feb. 27-29), including a 8.2 scoreless innings in the series finale...Alabama ranks fourth in the league in ERA (2.61), fourth in saves (4), fifth in opponents average (.212), fifth in innings pitched (124.0) and fifth in strikeouts (108)...Alabama has allowed only 22 runs in the last 10 games (2.2 per game)...At the Gent Classic (Mar. 5-7), Alabama allowed only eight runs, but lost two games...The Crimson Tide has allowed only one home run in the last six games...Opponents are batting .133 (8-for-60) with 2-outs over the last seven games against the Tide...Alabama made a season-high three errors in its win over UAB (Mar 3)...Alabama has played five errorless games this season and eight games with one error or less...Bama has not allowed an earned run in the last 11 games...Bama has allowed only four unearned runs all season...The Crimson Tide walked only two batters in the SE Louisiana series (Feb. 27-29)...Bama stranded all six inherited runners in a 3-2 win over Cincinnati (Feb. 22)...The Crimson Tide bullpen threw 11 1/3 scoreless innings in the SE Louisiana (Feb. 27-29) series and allowed only five hits and struck out eight batters...Senior RHP Seth Johnson (8 G, 16.1 IP) has not allowed an earned run this season...
WELLS TO COACH 600TH GAME AT BAMA
Alabama head coach Jim Wells will be coaching his 600th all-time game with the Crimson Tide tonight against Southern Miss.
*Now in his 10th year at the Capstone, Wells is second all-time at Alabama for games and wins.
*Here is a look at Wells milestone games at Alabama.
WELLS MILESTONE GAMES
No. Opponent Date
1 Middle Tennessee State Feb. 18, 1995
100 at Kentucky April 5, 1996
200 Miami, Fla. (CWS) June 2, 1997
300 South Carolina April 2, 1999
400 Nevada (NCAA) May 27, 2000
500 Auburn April 26, 2002
600 Southern Miss March 10, 2004
WELLS SECOND ON BAMA ALL-TIME GAMES, WINS LIST
Alabama head coach Jim Wells ranks second in the school's all-time list for games coached and wins as he enters his 10th season with the Crimson Tide.
*Currently, Wells has coached 599 games at Alabama since being named head coach on June 4, 1994.
*Former UA skipper Dr. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) holds the school record with 804 games during his 15-year career.
*Wells is 223 games away from tying Shollenberger's school-record mark.
*Last year, Wells moved into second place on the all-time list for games coached when he surpassed Tilden "Happy" Campbell (1935-42, 1947-63) with his 528th game at Alabama on Feb. 22, 2003. Campbell coached 527 games for the Crimson Tide in his two stints as head coach.
*In addition, Wells is UA's second winningest coach with 419 career wins at the Capstone.
*He surpassed Campbell's second-place mark during the 2002 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional. He tied the mark with a win over Auburn (6-3) and then moved into sole possession of second place with a 7-4 win over SE Missouri State.
*Shollenberger is the school's all-time winningest coach with 487 career wins. Wells is now 68 wins shy of tying the school's all-time mark for career victories.
Alabama's All-Time Victory Leaders
1. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) 487
2. Jim Wells (1995-Present) 419
3. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 355
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 236
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 106
Alabama's All-Time Games Coached
1. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) 822
2. Jim Wells (1995-Present) 599
3. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 527
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 443
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 185
SOUTHERN MISS SERIES
Alabama leads the all-time series with Southern Miss, 65-22, in a series that began in 1962. The two teams played on an annual basis from 1962-87, with the exception of 1970. After the 1987 season, the series took a 10-year hiatus before being resumed for the 1997 season. The Crimson Tide and Golden Eagles have met at least once during the regular-season every year since 1997, with the exception of last year.
*Alabama has not lost to Southern Miss since the series was renewed in 1997, winning all 10 meetings.
*The Crimson Tide posted a 22-game winning streak over the Golden Eagles from 1981-87.
*Since the 1981 season, Alabama is 32-2 (.941) in the 34 meetings with USM.
*UA head coach Jim Wells is a perfect 10-0 (1.000) in his career against USM.
*USM head coach Corky Palmer is 0-8 (.000) in his career against Alabama.
*The Crimson Tide and Golden Eagles met in the 1999 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, with Alabama winning both meetings to advance to the Super Regionals. After posting a 10-4 win in second-round action, Alabama pulled out a 7-6 win in the championship game and benefitted from a seventh-inning triple play against the Golden Eagles.
*Alabama holds a 40-9 (.816) all-time record against Southern Miss here in Tuscaloosa, including an eight-game winning streak.
*The Crimson Tide has won 21 of the last 22 meetings with the Golden Eagles here in Tuscaloosa.
*In games played in Hattiesburg, the Crimson Tide holds a 22-13 (.629) lead.
*The two teams have met twice at neutral sites, splitting a two-game series in Jackson, Miss. in 1979.
BAMA VS. CONFERENCE USA
Alabama owns a 189-76 (.713) all-time record against teams from Conference USA.
*Alabama is 4-0 (1.000) against the league this season, having beaten Cincinnati (Feb. 20-22) and UAB (March 3) here in Tuscaloosa.
*The league was formed in 1995-96 and since that time, Alabama is 26-7 (.788) against member schools.
*Since the formation of the league, Alabama has faced Southern Miss (10-0), UAB (9-4), Houston (4-2), Cincinnati (3-0) and Tulane (0-1).
SCOUTING REPORT: Southern Miss
The Golden Eagles (11-1) are ranked in all four major polls and enter the week as one the nation's hottest baseball teams.
*USM is coming off three straight wins at the Cox Communications/Lake Area Classic hosted by McNeese State this past weekend. Southern Miss beat Indiana State (3-1), Oklahoma State (21-5) and McNeese (6-5, 10 innings) for the championship.
*Overall, USM has won eight straight games.
*The Golden Eagles bring a lethal offense to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday night, hitting .337 (146-for-433) as a team through 12 games with 25 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs and 105 RBI.
*USM averages 9.6 runs and 12.2 hits per game this season.
*Three USM starters -- Matt Shepherd (.571, 0 HR, 7 RBI), Jarrett Hoffpauir (.510, 2 HR, 21 RBI) and Ryan Frith (.409, 5 HR, 14 RBI) -- are hitting better than .400 on the season.
*Shepherd is an excellent leadoff hitter and has hit safely in all 12 games for USM this season. He also has 11 multiple hit games in 2004.
*Hoffpauir has seven multiple hit games and leads the club with five multiple RBI games this season.
*The Eagles are also solid on defense. USM has made only 10 errors in 12 games this season for a stellar .980 fielding clip.
*On the mound, USM boasts a deadly one-two punch in right handers Cliff Russum and Anthony DeWitt.
*Russum is 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA this season in three starts. In 19 innings, he has allowed 11 hits, two earned runs, five walks and fanned 16 batters.
*DeWitt is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his three starts this season. The senior has worked 19 innings and allowed 16 hits, five earned runs, six walks and 16 strikeouts.
*The USM bullpen is also solid, anchored by preseason All-American and senior Austin Tubb (Shelton State CC). The Hoover, Ala., native is 2-0 with two saves and a 1.29 ERA in five appearances this season on the mound.
TIDES OF MARCH
Alabama has posted a 121-51 (.703) record in the month of March since 1995.
*Since 1995, Alabama has averaged 13.1 wins per season in the month of March, including a pair of 15-win seasons in 1997 (15-4) and 1999 (15-4).
*The school record for wins in the month of March is 17 set by the 1981 (17-3) and 1984 (17-3) teams.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 199-94 (.679) in his 13-year career in the month. He was 78-24 (.765) in his five years at Northwestern State.
*Alabama was 13-5 (.722) last year in the month of March, including a season-high 10-game winning streak from Mar. 4-21, 2003
WELLS YEAR-BY-YEAR MARCH RECORD
Year Record (Pct.)
1995 14-7 (.667)
1996 14-7 (.667)
1997 15-4 (.789)
1998 13-4 (.765)
1999 15-4 (.789)
2000 11-8 (.579)
2001 10-7 (.588)
2002 14-5 (.737)
2003 13-5 (.722)
2004 2-2 (.500)
TOTALS 121-51 (.703)
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 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 in 2002, which included a modern day record 27-game winning streak.
*The Crimson Tide went 32-2 (.941) at home during the 2002 regular season 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) in 2002 was also the best in school history.
*Alabama set the modern day school record with 27 consecutive home wins in 2002.
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 in 2002. 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).
HOME COOKING
The Crimson Tide continued its non-conference domination winning its 28th consecutive three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium as it swept a three-game series from the SE Louisiana Lions.
*The streak was in jeopardy during the opening weekend of the 2004 season against New Orleans.
*Alabama came within one out of losing its first non-conference home series in the coach Wells era, before scoring three runs with two outs to pull out a narrow 12-11 win in the series finale against UNO.
*The Crimson Tide led 7-3 before UNO scored seven runs in the seventh to take a 10-7 lead. After closing the gap to 10-9 in the eighth, Alabama gave up a run without a hit in the ninth to fall behind 11-9.
*Bama scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, the final two coming on Zac Welch's hard ground ball that caromed off the shoulder of UNO second baseman Austin Wassermann, allowing pinch-runner Aaron Tennyson to score from third and Allen Rice to score the winning run from second base.
*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 15 series sweeps to its credit in those 28 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.
*Last year, 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).
