Alabama Opens Four-Game Road Trip in Mobile on Wednesday
3/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 27: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE AT SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS
HANK AARON STADIUM -- MOBILE, ALABAMA -- 6 PM
MARCH 31, 2004 -- BAMA OPENS 4-GAME ROAD TRIP IN PORT CITY
Date Game Time Radio/TV
Mar 31 at South Alabama 6 PM CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
Apr 2 at Arkansas 6:35 PM CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
Apr 3 at Arkansas 2:05 PM CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
Apr 4 at Arkansas 12:35 PM CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
ON THE MOUND: UA - 24 Andrew Walker (RHP, 6 G, 4 GS, 0-0, 4.26 ERA) vs. USA - 16 Jeramy Simmons (8 GS, 4-2, 3.16 ERA) or 38 Josh Emke (LHP, 6 G, 0-0, 6.10 ERA)
RADIO: The games will be aired locally on WRTR-FM (105.5) or WACT-AM (1420) in Tuscaloosa. David Crane and Chris Stewart will broadcast the South Alabama game on WRTR-FM (105.5) and the network.
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 to the Alabama-South Alabama game are on sale at the Mobile Baybears ticket office and are $10 each for the game at Hank Aaron Stadium.
UA ON THE ROAD THIS WEEK
After playing four home games last week, the Alabama Crimson Tide is on the road with four games this week for its 2004 Spring Break Tour. The four-game road trip begins at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile on Wednesday, March 31 as the Crimson Tide faces the South Alabama Jaguars. The game is set for 6 p.m. as the home of the Mobile Baybears, the Class AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres. After the game in Mobile, Alabama travels to Fayeteville, Ark., to face the Arkansas Razorbacks in a three-game weekend series at Baum Stadium. Alabama and South Alabama have struggled at the plate this season. The Crimson Tide is hitting just .270 as a team, while the Jags are a little better at .287 for the year. Alabama has lost five of its last eight games, while South Alabama has won five of eight, including two wins over Southern Cal at Stanky Field (Mar. 12-14). Both teams dropped series to nationally ranked opponents over the weekend. Alabama lost two at home to No. 5 Ole Miss, while South Alabama lost two of three at No. 19 Oral Roberts over the weekend. In the Crimson Tide's lone win, freshman left-hander Wade LeBlanc (9 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K) held the fifth-ranked Rebels to one run and six hits (five singles) for his third complete game of the season. For his efforts, he was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Mar. 29 by the league office.
THE RECORDS
Alabama (17-9, 2-4 SEC) has lost five of its last eight games overall. South Alabama (10-14, 0-0 Sun Belt) has played a challenging schedule and has won five of its last eight games.
THE COACHES
Alabama's Jim Wells is in his 10th season with the Crimson Tide program. He has compiled a 426-185 (.697) record at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Overall, Wells is 618-274 (.692) in 15 seasons at Northwestern State and Alabama. USA head coach Steve Kittrell has compiled an 808-445-1 (.645) record in his 21st season in Mobile. Overall, Kittrell is 841-465-1 (.644) in 22 seasons in the dugout.
HAMMERIN' HANK
Alabama meets South Alabama for third time at Hank Aaron Stadium on Wednesday night. Hank Aaron Stadium is one of two minor league parks (Hoover Met, April 14 & SEC Tournament) to host the Crimson Tide this season. Hank Aaron became baseball's all-time home run leader on April 8, 1974 off LA Dodgers RHP Al Downing. The 30th anniversary of that event is next Thursday.
NEXT GAME
Alabama plays its second SEC road series of the 2004 season this weekend against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The series opener is set for Friday, April 2 at 6:35 p.m. (CT) from Baum Stadium.
ALABAMA HITTING NOTEBOOK (Mar. 31, 2004)
Name G AVG. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB
Alabama 26 .270 864 172 233 53 6 19 152 100 158 27-38
S. Alabama 24 .287 836 158 240 48 4 20 136 77 179 28-38
Arkansas 26 .297 874 184 260 44 5 16 159 129 153 33-40
NOTES: Alabama continues to struggle on offense this season and now ranks 12th in the SEC in hitting (.270), slugging percentage (.411), on-base percentage (.360) and total hits (233)...UA's current batting average (.270) is the lowest since Feb. 20 (.262)...The Crimson Tide also ranks 10th in runs scored (172) and RBI (152)...Alabama's .270 batting average is 46 points below the SEC average...Alabama is 12th in the league in SEC play with a .196 batting average in six conference games...The Crimson Tide is 84 points below the league average in SEC play...The Crimson Tide did not strike out in its 2-1 win over Ole Miss (Mar. 28), marking the first time since April 7, 2001 (vs. Georgia) that an Alabama batter did not strike out in a game...In addition, Alabama has struck out only three times in the last two games...Alabama has posted a 15-5 (.750) record in non-conference games this season...Alabama is 14-6 (.600) against RHP and 3-3 (.500) record against lefties...The Crimson Tide is 8-5 (.615) in day games and 9-4 (.692) in night games this season...Bama is 3-5 (.275) in one-run games...In games decided by two runs or less, Alabama is 6-7 (.462)...Alabama has only one home run in its last six games...For the year, Bama has 18 home runs in 26 games...Alabama has scored three runs or less 10 times...Bama has six hits or less 11 times, including five of its six SEC games this season...Bama had three straight pinch-hit singles in the ninth inning against Ole Miss (Mar. 26)...Alabama scored a season-high 20 runs in wins over Morehead State (Mar. 24) and SE Missouri State (Mar. 14)...The Crimson Tide scored 20 runs in back-to-back home games for the first time since 1998...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...Alabama posted a season-high seven-game winning streak from Feb. 20-March 3...Bama scored a season-high 13 runs in its 13-3 win over SE Louisiana (Feb.27)...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.
ALABAMA PITCHING NOTEBOOK (Mar. 31, 2004)
Name G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
ALABAMA 26-26 17 9 6 2.71 229.0 186 83 69 62 232 3
S. Alabama 24-24 10 14 3 5.35 205.1 247 153 122 94 181 4
Arkansas 26-26 17 9 7 3.47 230.2 253 126 89 61 173 0
Name G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
UA Starters 26-26 12 5 0 2.95 146.2 124 56 48 34 142 3
Opp Starters 26-26 5 13 0 4.13 137.1 141 86 63 47 93 4
UA Bullpen 23-0 5 4 6 2.30 82.1 62 27 21 28 90 0
Opp Bullpen 22-0 4 4 3 6.86 82.2 92 86 63 53 65 0
NOTES: The Crimson Tide pitching staff ranks among the best in the SEC through 26 games this season...Alabama ranks among the league leaders in ERA (2nd, 2.71), opponents batting average (2nd, .200), strikeouts (2nd, 232), pickoffs (3rd, 6), innings pitched (5th, 229.0) and saves (6th, 6)...Alabama has allowed a league-high 29 doubles this season...In SEC play, Alabama leads the league with 56 strikeouts in six games...The Crimson Tide also ranks sixth in the league with a 4.67 ERA in conference games...Alabama sports nearly a 4:1 strikeout (232) to walk (62) ratio this season...The Crimson Tide has allowed three earned runs or less in 19 games this season...Alabama pitchers have struck out 10 or more batters nine times this season, including a season-high 16 in a 20-2 win over Morehead State (Mar. 24)...The Crimson Tide added 15 strikeouts in a 4-2 loss to Ole Miss (Mar. 28)...In four games last week, Alabama pitchers struck out 51 batters...Every Alabama starter this season has a 10+ strikeout game with the exception of Brent Carter...UA has posted four shutouts this season, beating Cincinnati (Feb. 21), Centenary (Mar. 6), SE Missouri (Mar. 13) and SE Missouri (Mar. 14)...The Crimson Tide posted back-to-back shutouts against SE Missouri (Mar. 13-14) for the first time since blanking Ole Miss in consecutive games April 6-7, 1990...Bama went 21 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over four games at SE Missouri (19.1) and Birmingham Southern (3.0)...The Alabama starters threw 27 consecutive scoreless innings over four games against SE Missouri and Birmingham Southern...Alabama also tossed 22 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings at home from Mar. 12-24...The Alabama bullpen has been solid all season...In the last 18 appearances, (69.0 IP, 55 H, 11 ER, 20 BB, 77 K) the bullpen has allowed only 11 earned runs (1.44 ERA)...The bullpen had an 18.1 scoreless inning streak from Feb.22-March 3...In addition, Alabama's pen did not allow a run in 11.2 innings against SE Louisiana (Feb. 27-29), including a 8.2 scoreless innings in the series finale...In terms of defense, Alabama is third in the league with a .973 fielding clip and ranks fourth in the conference in fewest errors (26)...In SEC play, Alabama is third with a .973 fielding mark and ranks second in the league in fewest errors (6)...Alabama has played 10 errorless games this season and has made one error or less in 18 of 26 games...For the first time in the Wells era, Alabama played a three-game SEC without an error at Georgia (Mar. 19-21)...Alabama has had two stretches this season of 30 or more innings without an error...The Crimson Tide went 30 1/3 innings without an error from Mar. 10-14 and repeated that feat with 30 1/3 errorless innings from Mar. 17-24...Alabama made a season-high three errors against UAB (Mar. 3) and Ole Miss (Mar. 26)...
THE HISTORY OF ALABAMA BASEBALL
The Alabama Crimson Tide is competing in its 111th season of intercollegiate baseball this year. Bama played its very first game on July 1, 1892 at Birmingham's Lakeview Park as coach Shelby Fletcher's team posted a 6-3 win over Sewanee.
*Since then, Alabama has posted a 2,128-1,239-23 (.631) record in 3,390 games.
*In SEC play, Alabama has posted a 758-581-3 (.566) all-time ledger in 1,342 league games.
*Alabama became the 17th school in NCAA history to record 2,000 wins with a 12-0 win over Winthrop on March 4, 2001.
*Alabama posted its 2,100th all-time win on April 19, 2003 with a 7-3 win at Ole Miss.
*Alabama notched its 750th all-time SEC win on April 13, 2003 with a 4-1 win over Kentucky.
*Sophomore left-hander Brent Carter was the winning pitcher in both milestone wins for the Crimson Tide last season.
*Alabama has also won more SEC Championships (13) than any other school. In addition, UA has also won six SEC Tournament Championships, including five under coach Jim Wells (1995-96-97-99-02).
*The Crimson Tide has also played in 14 NCAA Tournaments, winning five NCAA Regional Championships. UA has also advanced to the College World Series five times, reaching the national championship game in 1983 and 1997. In addition, the Tide has one fourth-place finish and two fifth-place finishes at the CWS.
*The Crimson Tide also boasts an impressive professional baseball history sending well over 100 former players into the pro ranks. Alabama currently has two Major League players (Frank Menechino and Dustan Mohr) and a number of minor league stars.
*Two former members of the Crimson Tide baseball family have been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Joe Sewell was inducted in 1977 and broadcaster Mel Allen, who spent 39 years with the Yankees, won the Ford Frick Award in 1978.
*In all UA has produced 11 First-Team All-Americans, 18 Second and Third-Team AA picks and 10 Freshmen All-American selections. A total of 71 players have been named First-Team All-SEC and another 78 were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
*Jeff Laubenthal won the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Award in 1993.
SOUTH ALABAMA SERIES
Alabama leads the all-time series with South Alabama, 47-44.
*Alabama has won seven of the last meetings with South Alabama, including last year's wild 17-16 win at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
*UA's 17-16 win last year in Tuscaloosa is the highest scoring game in the series.
*South Alabama won the last meeting here at Hank Aaron Stadium, winning 10-4 in 2002. The Jags win snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide.
*The Alabama-South Alabama series began in 1967 with the Crimson Tide winning a pair of 3-2 games in Tuscaloosa.
*South Alabama earned its first series win in 1968, posting a 5-4 win at Stanky Field.
*Alabama is 14-26 (.350) all-time against South Alabama here in Mobile, but has split the 16 meetings with the Jags in the port city since 1984.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 11-3 (.000) in his career against South Alabama.
*USA head coach Steve Kittrell is 20-33 (.000) in his career against the Crimson Tide.
*This is the third meeting between the two schools at Hank Aaron Stadium, the home of the Mobile Baybears, the Class AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
*Alabama won the first meeting here at Hank Aaron Stadium (8-2) in 2000, while the Jags posted a 10-4 in 2002.
SUN BELT CONFERENCE
Alabama owns a 99-67 (.596) record against the teams from the Sun Belt Conference.
*Alabama has played at least one game with every member of the league with the exception of New Mexico State.
*The Crimson Tide is 2-1 (.667) against the Sun Belt Conference this season after opening the season with a series win over New Orleans (Feb 13-15) in Tuscaloosa.
*South Alabama, the preseason favorite to win the league, has played the most games of any Sun Belt team against Alabama. The Tide and Jags have met 91 times since 1967.
SCOUTING REPORT: South Alabama
South Alabama, the preseason favorite to win the 2004 Sun Belt Conference title, has gotten off to a slow start and brings a 10-14 record into the Alabama game on Wednesday.
*Much like the Crimson Tide, the Jaguars have struggled on offense this season with a .287 (240-for-836) batting average with 20 home runs and 136 RBI in 24 games.
*The Jags are averaging 6.6 runs and 10 hits per game this season.
*Despite its 10-4 overall slate, South Alabama has played better of late, winning five of its last eight games, including a series win over Southern California (Mar. 19-21) in Mobile two weeks ago.
*Junior third baseman Justin Hawarah (Monroe County HS) is the leading hitter with a .395 (30-for-76) batting average. He leads the Jags with nine doubles and as added 12 RBI.
*This past weekend at Oral Roberts, Hawarah went 2-for-11 (.182) in the three-game series.
*Freshman center fielder Clark Secchiari (Fairhope) is the second-leading hitter with a .354 (23-for-65) average. He has added 15 runs, three doubles, one home run and six RBI.
*Against Oral Roberts, Secchiari was 3-for-9 (.333), playing in two of three games.
*On the mound, the Jags have struggled with a 10-14 record and 5.35 ERA this season. USA pitchers have worked 205 1/3 innings and allowed 247 hits, 153 runs, 122 earned runs, 94 walks and 181 strikeouts.
*After opening the season by losing two of his first three decisions, junior RHP Jeramy Simmons has established himself as the ace of the staff.
*Simmons has won his last three starts for South Alabama, beating Ohio State, Southern Cal and No. 19 Oral Roberts in succession.
*For the season, Simmons has made eight starts and compiled a 4-2 record with a 3.16 ERA. He has worked 51 1/3 innings and allowed 50 hits, 21 runs, 18 earned runs, 16 walks and 50 strikeouts.
*On defense, USA has made 37 errors in 24 games for a .959 fielding percentage. Junior 3B Justin Hawarah leads the team with nine errors in 22 games.
ARKANSAS SERIES
Alabama leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 27-11 (.711) since the first meeting in 1992.
*All 38 meetings between the two schools have taken place since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1991-92.
*Alabama enters the 2004 series in Fayetteville having won the last eight series with Arkansas.
*After winning back-to-back series in 1994 and 1995, Arkansas has not won another three-game series from the Crimson Tide.
*In addition, Alabama is 21-2 (.793) in the last 23 meetings with Arkansas, dating back to 1996.
*Alabama has won the last four meetings with Arkansas, including a three-game sweep last season in Tuscaloosa.
*The Crimson Tide has also won the last four series meetings here in Fayetteville. Arkansas' last series win at home took place at George Cole Field in 1994 as the Hogs swept the Crimson Tide.
*Alabama is 11-7 (.611) in 18 games here in Fayetteville, including a 9-3 (.750) mark here at Baum Stadium.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 23-6 (.793) as head coach of the Crimson Tide against the Razorbacks.
*Including his five years at Northwestern State, Wells is 23-8 (.742) against the Hogs.
*Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn is 0-3 (.000) in his career against Alabama.
*Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn replaced Jim Wells at Northwestern State. Wells (1990-94) was at NSU for five years before taking the Alabama job.
*The day Wells was hired at Bama, Van Horn was leading Central Missouri State to the Division II national championship at Paterson Filed in Montgomery, Ala.
*Van Horn left NSU after two years and went to Nebraska before coming back to his alma mater last year.
*Wells and Van Horn have taken five teams to the College World Series. Wells took Alabama to Omaha in 1996, 1997 and 1999, while Van Horn took Nebraska in 2001 and 2002.
*Both coaches have made back-to-back trips to the College World Series.
SCOUTING REPORT: Arkansas
The Arkansas Razorbacks enter the week with same identical record at Alabama. The Razorbacks host Wichita State on Tuesday, Mar. 30 at 6:35 p.m. before turning their attention to Alabama this weekend.
*Also on campus this weekend is Arkansas' annual spring football game which will kickoff at Noon on Saturday afternoon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
*On the diamond, Arkansas is batting .297 (260-for-864) with 16 home runs and 159 RBI. The Hogs average 7.1 runs and 10.0 hits per game in 26 games this season.
*Arkansas leads the SEC with 40 HBPs this season.
*The Razorbacks are second in the league with 18 sac flies.
*Arkansas has also grounded into more double plays (30) than any other SEC team.
*Clay Goodwin leads the UA attack with a .473 (26-for-55) batting average with three home runs and 12 RBI in 16 games.
*The Razorback offense also relies on the services of Blake Parker (21 G, .351, 5 2B, 13 RBI), Danny Hamblin (20 G, .351, 1 HR, 9 RBI) and Jake Dugger (24 G, .333, 2 HR, 18 RBI).
*Arkansas pitchers are 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA this season. The staff has worked 230.2 innings and allowed 253 hits, 126 runs, 89 earned runs, 61 walks and 173 strikeouts.
*Arkansas has at least one win from 11 different pitchers this season.
*The Razorbacks have at least one save from three different pitchers.
*The Hogs have used seven different starters on the mound this season, including seven starts each from Clint Brannon (7 GS, 0-1, 2.81 ERA) and Charley Boyce (7 GS, 3-1, 3.25 ERA). Jay Sawatski (3 GS, 3-2, 6.83 ERA) and Daryl Maday (5 G, 3 GS, 2-0, 1.69 ERA) have three starts each, while Justin White (7 G, 2 GS, 1-1, 4.87 ERA) has made two starts on the mound.
*Out of the pen, Arkansas has the services of Caton Hall (6 G, 1-0, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA), Matt Stallings (7 G, 1-0, 1.64 ERA), Boyd Goodner (10 G, 2-1, 2.00 ERA), Trey Holloway (8 G, 1-0, 2.53 ERA), Brian McLelland (7 G, 1-0, 2.92 ERA) and Zach Butler (8 G, 1-1, 6.17 ERA).
*Ryan Lennerton (5 G, 3 GS, 0-2, 5.65 ERA) has seen action as both a starter and reliever this year.
*The Razorback pitching staff has allowed an SEC-high 20 home runs this season.
*On defense, Arkansas has made 51 errors in 26 games for a .951 fielding clip. The 51 errors are the most by any team in the SEC.
*Arkansas has allowed 39 unearned runs in 26 games this year.
*In SEC play, Arkansas ranks 10th in hitting (.247), 11th in ERA (5.70) and sixth in fielding (.976).
17 UP, 9 DOWN
Alabama has compiled an 17-9 (.000) record in its first 26 games of the 2004 season. Here is how the Crimson Tide fares in its 17 wins and nine losses.
*In its 17 wins this season the Alabama Crimson Tide has:
*Hit .317 (183-for-578) with 15 home runs and 137 RBI
*Averaged 8.8 runs and 10.8 hits per game
*Compiled a 1.82 ERA (153 IP, 104 H, 31 ER and 145 K)
*Committed 16 errors in those 17 games
*In its nine losses this season the Alabama Crimson Tide has:
*Hit .175 (50-for-286) with three home runs and 15 RBI
*Averaged 2.3 runs and 5.6 hits per game
*Struck out 74 times in 286 at-bats (1:4)
*Compiled a 4.50 ERA (76 IP, 82 H, 38 ER)
*Committed 10 errors in nine losses
WADE LEBLANC NAMED SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
An early season candidate for national and SEC "Freshman of the Year" honors, University of Alabama rookie left hander Wade LeBlanc was named to the SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Mar. 29.
*LeBlanc and Ole Miss sophomore left-hander Brae Wright matched zeroes for eight innings before Alabama prevailed 2-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Mar. 28 in a classic pitchers' duel at the Joe.
*The Lake Charles, La., native limited the fifth-ranked Rebels to one run and six hits en route to his team-leading third complete game of the season, with one walk and eight strikeouts.
*LeBlanc shutout Ole Miss for eight innings before he allowed a two-out, solo home run to Seth Smith in the ninth inning. Alabama then rallied for two runs in its half of the inning to give LeBlanc his team-leading fifth win of the season.
*It marks the second time this season an Alabama pitcher has been honored by the league office. On Mar. 15, freshman left-hander Brandon Belcher was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week after posting wins over No. 18 Southern Miss and SE Missouri State.
*For the season, LeBlanc has appeared in eight games and made seven starts for the Crimson Tide. He has compiled a 5-1 record and 1.58 ERA this season, making himself a legitimate candidate for National and SEC "Freshman of the Year" honors.
*LeBlanc has worked 51 1/3 innings and allowed 34 hits, nine runs, nine walks and 44 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .just .184 (34-for-185) against the lefty.
SCHEDULE GETTING TOUGHER
As the season rolls into conference play, the competition gets tougher for the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team.
*Playing in the toughest baseball conference in the nation, Alabama embarks on a 30-game league schedule that features eight teams ranked in this week's four baseball polls.
*Overall, Alabama has 10 of its opponents ranked in at least one of the four major polls this week.
*LSU and South Carolina are consensus Top 5 teams, with the Tigers ranked as high as No. 1 in the country by Collegiate Baseball. LSU is ranked third in the other three polls.
*South Carolina is ranked fourth in two polls and fifth in the remaining two polls this week.
*Alabama plays at both South Carolina (April 23-25) and LSU (April 30-May 2) this season in back-to-back weekends in April and May.
*However, the brutality of the schedule does not end there, as Alabama also faces Auburn (April 16-18), Florida (May 7-9) and Miss. State (May 14-16) all at home in the coming weeks.
*In addition, Alabama has played four other teams that are currently ranked in at least one of the four major polls this week, including Kansas State, Southern Miss, Birmingham Southern and Georgia.
*The highest profile win of the season came against No. 18 Southern Miss on Mar. 10 here in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide hit four home runs en route to an easy 9-3 win over the Golden Eagles, snapping an eight-game winning streak by USM.
*Alabama suffered a 2-1 loss to Kansas State in the final game of the Gent Classic (Mar. 7). It was the Wildcats eighth straight win. K-State is now 16-6 on the season and ranked this week for the first time.
*Birmingham Southern handed Alabama a 4-3 loss on Mar. 17 in the first-ever game played between the schools on the BSC campus. BSC is ranked this week for the first time in history at the Division I level.
*BSC has beaten Georgia, Alabama and Miss. State this season, with the win over Georgia and Miss. State coming on the road. BSC handed Miss. State a 10-1 setback at Dudy Noble on Mar. 23.
*The Crimson Tide dropped two out of three at then No. 35 Georgia (Mar. 19-21) in Athens to open SEC play.
*Alabama lost two of three at home to No. 5 Ole Miss on Mar. 26-28.
CUTTING UP THE OPPOSITION
Alabama recorded a season-high 16 strikeouts in its 20-2 blowout win over Morehead State on Mar. 24. The 16 strikeouts are the second-highest total in the Jim Wells era.
*The highest strikeout total is 17 against Murray State on March 12, 1996 here in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama has recorded 129 double-figure strikeout games in the Wells era, including nine this year.
*Alabama had a pair of double-digit strikeout games against Ole Miss in its latest SEC series. The Tide had 12 strikeouts on Mar. 26 and added 15 strikeouts on Mar. 28.
*The Crimson Tide struck out Ole Miss All-American Stephen Head four times on Mar. 28.
*Alabama also struck out Georgia freshman phenom Josh Morris four times in a Mar. 19 game at Athens.
*The Crimson Tide's best season was in 1999 when the Tide recorded 23 double digit strikeout games.
