Alabama Travels to South Carolina for Weekend Series
4/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Games: 40-42: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE AT SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
SARGE FRYE FIELD -- COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- 7 PM (ET)
APRIL 23, 2004 -- BAMA LOOKS TO END SEC LOSING STREAKS
Date Game Time Radio/TV
Apr 23 at South Carolina 7 PM ET CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
Apr 24 at South Carolina 4:06 PM ET CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5);
FOX SportsNet South
Apr 25 at South Carolina 1:30 PM ET CTSN, WRTR-FM (105.5)
ON THE MOUND: UA - 23 Wade LeBlanc (LH, 10 GS, 5-3, 2.01) vs. USC - 23 Billy Buckner (RH, 10 GS, 4-2, 3.32)
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 Carolina series on WRTR-FM (105.5) and the network. The Saturday game will be featured on FOX Sports Net South as the "SEC Baseball Game of the Week" with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Larry Conley (analyst) calling the action.
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live stats (home games only) and audio broadcasts can be found at http://www.rolltide.com/
TICKETS: 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 FACES NINTH-RANKED GAMECOCKS
The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team opens the second half of Southeastern Conference play with the first of two straight SEC road series against a Top 10 team as the Crimson Tide meets No. 9 South Carolina here in Columbia. The series opener is set for 7 p.m. (ET) on Friday, April 23. The two teams also meet Saturday at 4:06 p.m. (ET) and Sunday at 1:0 p.m. on the USC campus. The second game of this series will be featured the "SEC Game of the Week" on FOX Sports Net South with Dave Neal and Larry Conley calling the action. The Crimson Tide opens the second half of its SEC schedule with hopes of making a late-season run to the SEC Tournament, but faces the undaunting task of playing South Carolina and LSU, the preseason favorites to win the Eastern and Western Division titles, respectively. Alabama has not won an SEC series this season and has lost eight in a row, dating back to last year. The Crimson Tide's last SEC series win came April 25-27,2003 against No. 15 Arkansas in Tuscaloosa.
Since then, Alabama has lost series to Tennessee, South Carolina, Miss. State, Georgia, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Auburn. Alabama has also lost nine straight SEC road series, dating back to the final two road series in 2002 (Georgia and LSU). The Crimson Tide lost all five road series last year and has lost both series away from home this year. Alabama also seeks its first-ever series win over USC here in Columbia.
THE RECORDS
Alabama (23-16, 5-10 SEC) has matched the worst 39-game record in the Jim Wells era. The 2000 team also posted a 23-16 record after 39 games. After starting the season with a 14-4 record, Alabama has lost 12 of its last 21 games. The South Carolina Gamecocks (27-10, 7-8 SEC) are in the midst of the longest homestand of the season. USC opened the year by winning its first 18 games, but key injuries have seen the Gamecocks lose 10 of their last 19 games.
NEXT GAME
Alabama and South Carolina meet in the middle game of this three-game series on Saturday at 4:06 p.m. (ET).
BAMA VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina holds a slim 16-15 (.516) series lead over Alabama. The two teams first met at the Joe Sewell Classic in 1973, with both teams swapping a pair of shutouts.
*Alabama in the very first meeting 1-0, only to see Carolina bounce back with a 6-0 win the next day.
*Alabama and South Carolina only met six times prior to the Gamecocks joining the SEC in 1992. Alabama posted a 4-2 record in those games, including a 1-1 mark in a pair of NCAA Atlantic Regional appearances in Coral Gables, Fla., in 1986.
*Since joining the SEC, South Carolina owns a 14-11 (.560) lead over Alabama. The Crimson Tide did, however, win the first-ever SEC meeting, 8-4.
*Alabama seeks its first-ever series win over South Carolina in Columbia. The Gamecocks took series wins in 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2002.
*South Carolina holds a 9-3 (.750) series lead over Alabama in Columbia.
*The Crimson Tide owns a 9-6 (.600) series lead over USC in Tuscaloosa, but lost all three games last year at home to the Gamecocks.
*Alabama owns a 3-1 (.750) lead in neutral site games.
*South Carolina has won the last two series with Alabama and three of the last four, dating back to 2000.
*South Carolina has won the last five regular-season meetings between the two teams. Alabama's last regular-season win was a 10-6, 13-inning decision in Columbia in 2002.
*Alabama has won the last two post-season meetings, including a 7-2 win over the SEC Champions to claim the 2002 SEC Tournament championship.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 11-12 (.526) in his career against USC.
*USC head coach Ray Tanner is 11-8 (.533) against the Crimson Tide.
Alabama-South Carolina Series File
At Tuscaloosa: UA leads, 9-6
At Columbia: USC leads, 9-3
Neutral Sites: UA leads, 3-1
Wells vs. USC: 11-12 (.526)
Tanner vs. UA: 11-8 (.533)
SCOUTING REPORT: South Carolina
South Carolina (27-10, 7-8 SEC) reeled off 18 straight wins to open the 2004 season, but has struggled of late losing 10 of its last 19 games.
*The recent struggles can be attributed to the loss of both middle infielders with injuries. Second baseman Steven Tolleson and shortstop Kevin Melillo have missed the better part of a month this season.
*Both returned to the lineup in Wednesday's 5-2 win over The Citadel at Sarge Frye Field.
*Tolleson is batting .388 (26-for-67) in 19 games with two home runs and 12 RBI.
*Melillo (.322, 5 HR, 23 RBI) has played in only 23 games for USC.
*Despite the injuries and some lineup shuffling, the Gamecocks have a powerful batting order.
*In 37 games, Carolina is batting .323 (430-for-1,331) with an SEC-leading 64 home runs and 292 RBI.
*The Gamecocks are averaging 8.3 runs and 11.62 hits per game this season.
*Carolina has three of the SEC's top 10 hitters this season, including Davy Gregg (5th), Landon Powell (6th) and Steve Pearce (7th) as of April 19th.
*Gregg is batting .382 (50-for-131) this season with 17 RBI in 37 games as the leadoff hitter. He also paces the team with 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
*Powell is also hitting a robust .382 (58-for-152) with 11 home runs and 44 RBI. He leads the club in runs scored (40), hits (58) and RBI (44).
*Pearce has had a solid year, hitting .374 (55-for-147) with a team-high 12 home runs and 40 RBI.
*Brendan Winn (37 G, .357, 10 HR, 38 RBI) leads the Gamecocks with a .705 slugging percentage.
*Over the years, coach Ray Tanner and pitching coach Jerry Meyers have put together top-notch pitching staffs and this year in no exception.
*The Gamecocks are 27-10 with a 3.46 ERA, with one complete games and 10 saves. The staff has worked 330 innings and allowed 293 hits, 145 runs, 127 earned runs, 75 walks and 378 strikeouts.
*USC leads the league with 378 strikeouts this season and had compiled a better than 5-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio this season.
*Carolina averages 10.31 strikeouts per nine innings this season.
*The SEC weekend rotation is solid with Billy Buckner, Matt Campbell and Aaron Rawl.
*Buckner, a JuCo transfer from Young Harris College, has posted a 4-2 record and 3.32 ERA in 10 games this season. He has worked 59 2/3 innings and allowed 51 hits, 26 runs, 22 earned runs, 16 walks and a team-high 74 strikeouts.
*Campbell is 5-2 with a 3.64 ERA this season, with the lone complete game.
He has worked 54 1/3 innings and allowed 44 hits, 28 runs, 22 earned runs, 11 walks and 67 strikeouts.
*Campbell leads the staff with a 6-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio.
*Rawl, who was instrumental in the Gamecocks World Series run the last two years, is 7-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 10 starts this season. He leads the staff in games started and wins.
*Junior RHP Chad Blackwell is the ace out of the bullpen for the Gamecocks.
In 21 appearances, Blackwell is 2-2 with a 2.60 ERA and an SEC-leading nine saves.
*USC has posted six shutouts this season.
*The Gamecocks are also a solid defensive club and ranks third in the SEC with a .973 fielding clip.
23 UP, 15 DOWN
Alabama has compiled an 23-16 (.590) record through 34 games of the 2004 season. Here is how the Crimson Tide fares in its 23 wins and 16 losses.
*In its 23 wins this season the Alabama Crimson Tide has:
*Hit .327 (255-for-781) with 19 home runs and 188 RBI *Averaged 8.9 runs and 11.01 hits per game *Compiled a 1.57 ERA (207 IP, 151 H, 200 K) *Committed 24 errors in those 23 games
*In its 16 losses this season the Alabama Crimson Tide has:
*Hit .212 (113-for-533) with eight home runs and 39 RBI *Averaged runs 2.75 runs and 7.06 hits per game *Compiled a 5.26 ERA (137 IP, 157 H, 135 K) *Committed 22 errors in 16 losses
ALABAMA BASEBALL STATS (Games Won vs. Lost)
All Games G AVG. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB
Wins 23 .327 781 206 255 53 7 19 188 109 118 26-36
Losses 16 .212 533 44 113 18 0 8 38 39 132 8-13
All Games G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
Wins 23-23 23 0 8 1.61 207.0 151 48 37 59 200 3
Losses 16-16 0 16 0 5.26 137.0 157 97 80 43 135 1
SEC Games G AVG. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB
Wins 5 .320 169 37 54 14 0 2 33 23 21 5-8
Losses 10 .221 339 30 75 11 0 6 26 20 72 3-5
All Games G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
Wins 5-5 5 0 3 1.40 45.0 38 10 7 15 45 1
Losses 10-10 0 10 0 5.65 86.0 103 69 54 34 84 1
SCHEDULE GETTING TOUGHER
As the season rolls into conference play, the competition get 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 had 13 of its opponents ranked in at least one of the four major polls during the 2004 season.
*Alabama has eight of it 2004 opponents currently ranked in one of the four major polls, including Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Auburn, South Carolina, LSU and Florida.
*Five other teams have been ranked at some point during the season, including Kansas State, UAB, Birmingham Southern, Georgia and Miss. State.
*Alabama is 5-8 (.385) against ranked teams this season.
*Alabama has also posted a 7-10 (.412) record against teams that have been ranked at least one week in the major polls.
*LSU, Ole Miss and South Carolina are currently ranked in the Top 10 this season.
*ALabama lost two of three on the road to No. 35 Georgia (Mar. 19-21) to open SEC play.
*The Crimson Tide has also dropped back-to-back home series to No. 5 Ole Miss (Mar. 26-28) and No. 25 Vanderbilt (April 9-11).
*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.
TALE OF TWO SEASONS
Ironically, the ides of March (March 15) was the turning point of the season for the Alabama baseball team.
*Prior to March 15, the Crimson Tide was sailing along with a 14-4 record and Top 25 national ranking.
*After a three-game sweep of SE Missouri State (March 12-14), including the first back-to-back shutouts by Alabama since 1990, things suddenly changed for the Crimson Tide.
*Since March 15, Alabama has lost 12 of its last 21 games and seen its numbers take a dramatic turn for the worse.
ALABAMA BASEBALL STATS (Before and After March 15th)
Hitting G AVG. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB
Before 3/15 18 .289 596 128 172 39 3 16 117 72 116 20-29
After 3/15 21 .273 718 122 196 32 4 11 109 76 134 14-20
Pitching G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
Before 3/15 18-18 14 4 4 2.14 160.0 115 44 38 42 147 2
After 3/15 21-21 9 12 4 3.82 184.0 193 101 78 60 188 2
Fielding G Ch Es DP FLD W-L
Before 3/15 18 665 17 17 .974 14-4
After 3/15 21 769 28 11 .964 9-12
TOUGH STRETCH
Alabama is in the midst of playing five consecutive ranked SEC opponents, including two of those series on the road in consecutive weekends.
*The Crimson Tide is on the road the next two weekends against the preseason favorites to win the SEC Eastern and Western Division championships.
*Alabama travels to Columbia, SC this weekend the face the ninth-ranked Gamecocks in a three-game series.
*Alabama has never won a series at Sarge Frye Field and has lost the last two series with USC. Overall, the Gamecocks have won three of the last four series with the Crimson Tide.
*Next week, Bama journeys to Baton Rouge to face the seventh-ranked LSU Tigers in Alex Box Stadium.
*Alabama has not won a series at LSU since taking two of three from the Tigers in 1996.
*In fact, Alabama won back-to-back series at Alex Box Stadium in 1995 and 1996, but has not won since, losing three straight series, including a three-game sweep in the last visit in 2002.
*The current stretch of ranked SEC foes began April 9 when Alabama hosted No. 25 Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa. The Commodores won the series, two games to one, but both wins were by one run and UA had the tying or winning runs on base when the games ended.
*Alabama hosted arch-rival and No. 12 Auburn on April 16-18 and lost two of three games. Bama avoided the sweep with a 19-0 win over the Tigers in the series finale.
*After trips to South Carolina and LSU, Alabama finally returns home on May 7 to face the No. 18 Florida Gators.
BAMA RECORD AFTER 39 GAMES
Alabama has compiled a a 23-16 (.590) record through 39 games, matching the worst 39-game record in the Wells era of Alabama baseball.
*The 2000 team also posted a 23-16 (.590) record, but that team won its 39th game of the season.
*The 2002 team owns the best 39-game record with a 33-6 (.846) ledger.
YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD (After 39 Games)
Year Record (Pct.)
1995 26-13 (.667)
1996 28-11(.718)
1997 32-7 (.821)
1998 31-8 (.795)
1999 28-11 (.718)
2000 23-16 (.590)
2001 24-15 (.615)
2002 33-6 (.846)
2003 27-12 (.692)
2004 23-16 (.590)
*Listed below are Alabama's records under Wells after 40, 41 and 42 games of the season.
YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD (After 40 Games)
Year Record (Pct.)
1995 27-13 (.675)
1996 29-11 (.725)
1997 32-8 (.800)
1998 31-9 (.775)
1999 29-11 (.725)
2000 24-16 (.600)
2001 24-16 (.600)
2002 34-6 (.850)
2003 27-13 (.675)
YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD (After 41 Games)
Year Record (Pct.)
1995 28-13 (.683)
1996 29-12 (.707)
1997 33-8 (.805)
1998 31-10 (.756)
1999 29-12 (.707)
2000 25-16 (.610)
2001 25-16 (.610)
2002 34-7 (.829)
2003 28-13 (.683)
YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD (After 42 Games)
Year Record (Pct.)
1995 28-14 (.667)
1996 30-12 (.714)
1997 33-9 (.786)
1998 32-10 (.762)
1999 30-12 (.714)
2000 26-16 (.610)
2001 25-17 (.595)
2002 35-7 (.833)
2003 29-13 (.690)
BAMA AFTER 39 GAMES
It has been well documented that the 2004 Alabama baseball team has very good pitching, but has struggled at the plate most of the year.
*Through 39 games, Alabama is batting .280 (368-for-1314) with 27 home runs and 226 RBI.
*The .280 batting average is the lowest 39-game total in the Jim Wells era of Alabama baseball. The previous low was a .292 batting average in 1995 (383-for-1,311).
*The 1995 and 2004 squads are the only two Wells-coached Alabama teams to hit less than .300 this late in the season.
*The 27 home runs rank ninth in the Wells era, just ahead of the 1995 team's 24 total home runs.
*The 226 RBI also ranks ninth, ahead of the 1995 team's 205 runs batted in at this point in the season.
*As far as scoring is concerned, Alabama has plated 250 runs, the second-lowest run total under Wells after 39 games. The 1995 team scored only 239 runs in 339 games.
*While the hitting has set several seasonal-lows, the pitching staff ranks as the best in the Wells era.
*The 3.03 staff ERA is second only to the 1995 squad's 2.95 ERA.
*Last year, Alabama had a 4.20 ERA after 39 games, but has reduced that by 1.17 this season.
*The Crimson Tide has eight saves this year, down (-4) from last year's total of 12 saves in 38 games. UA had 16 saves at this point during the 2002 season.
SEC SLUMP
Alabama has lost eight straight Southeastern Conference series for the first time in the Jim Wells era.
*The eight straight series losses are the most by Alabama since the 1993-94 seasons, when UA dropped nine straight league series.
*The Crimson Tide closed out the 1993 season by losing the final series at Auburn and then lost all eight SEC series in 1994, the final season for coach Dr. Barry Shollenberger.
*Alabama has also lost its first five SEC series this season for the first time since 1994.
*In 1994, Alabama lost all eight SEC series and set the school futility records for fewest SEC wins (4) and most SEC losses (22).
*Prior to this season, Alabama had never lost more than three consecutive SEC series in the same season under coach Wells.
SEC SERIES LOSING STREAK
Year Series Results
May 2, 2003 Alabama 6, Tennessee 2
May 3, 2003 Tennessee 10, Alabama 3
May 4, 2003 Tennessee 7, Alabama 4
May 9, 2003 S. Carolina 2, Alabama 1
May 10, 2003 S. Carolina 9, Alabama 6
May 11, 2003 S. Carolina 5, Alabama 1
May 16, 2003 Miss. State 11, Alabama 8
May 17, 2003 Alabama 15, Miss. State 7
May 18, 2003 Miss. State 9, Alabama 1
March 19, 2004 Georgia 5, Alabama 4
March 20, 2004 Alabama 7, Georgia 5
March 21, 2004 Georgia 7, Alabama 5
March 26, 2004 Ole Miss 11, Alabama 1
March 27, 2004 Alabama 2, Ole Miss 1
March 28, 2004 Ole Miss 4, Alabama 2
April 2, 2004 Alabama 6, Arkansas 3
April 3, 2004 Arkansas 7, Alabama 2
April 4, 2004 Arkansas 11, Alabama 6
April 9, 2004 Vanderbilt 6, Alabama 4
April 10, 2004 Alabama 3, Vanderbilt 1
April 11, 2004 Vanderbilt 3, Alabama 2
April 16, 2004 Auburn 8, Alabama 2
April 17, 2004 Auburn 7, Alabama 1
April 18, 2004 Alabama 19, Auburn 0
SEC ROAD SKID
Alabama has traditionally been a pretty good road team in the Jim Wells era, but has seen its share of troubles over the last three years, especially in SEC road games.
*Alabama has lost its last nine SEC road series, dating back to the final two road series of the 2002 season.
*The current slump began with two losses at Georgia on May 5-7, 2002 at Foley Field. The Crimson Tide closed out the 2002 season with three losses at LSU (May 19-21), which prevented Alabama from winning the SEC Championship.
*Alabama did not win a road series last year, losing all five series at Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Miss. State.
*The Crimson Tide has lost both road series this year at Georgia (Mar. 19-21) and Arkansas (April 2-4).
*During its current series losing streak, Alabama has posted an 8-19 (.296) SEC road record since May, 2002.
*Despite its recent troubles on the road, Alabama has won 22 of its 39 SEC road series under Wells.
SEC Road Series Losing Streak
Year Series Results
May 5, 2002 Georgia 5, Alabama 0
May 6, 2002 Georgia 8, Alabama 7 (11)
May 7, 2002 Alabama 4, Georgia 2
May 20, 2002 LSU 3, Alabama 0 (DH)
LSU 6, Alabama 5 (DH)
May 21, 2002 LSU 5, Alabama 1
March 21, 2003 Alabama 8, Florida 3
March 22, 2003 Florida 6, Alabama 1
March 23, 2003 Florida 6, Alabama 5
April 4, 2003 Auburn 10, Alabama 2
April 5, 2003 Alabama 3, Auburn 2
April 6, 2003 Auburn 7, Alabama 6
April 18, 2003 Ole Miss 10, Alabama 2
April 19, 2003 Alabama 7, Ole Miss 3
April 20, 2003 Ole Miss 8, Alabama 3
May 2, 2003 Alabama 6, Tennessee 2
May 3, 2003 Tennessee 10, Alabama 3
May 4, 2003 Tennessee 7, Alabama 4
May 16, 2003 Miss. State 11, Alabama 8
May 17, 2003 Alabama 15, Miss. State 7
May 18, 2003 Miss. State 9, Alabama 1
March 19, 2004 Georgia 5, Alabama 4
March 20, 2004 Alabama 7, Georgia 5
March 21, 2004 Georgia 7, Alabama 5
April 2, 2004 Alabama 6, Arkansas 3
April 3, 2004 Arkansas 7, Alabama 2
April 4, 2004 Arkansas 11, Alabama 6
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 135 double-figure strikeout games in the Wells era, including 14 this year.
*Junior right-hander Taylor Tankersley has the most recent double-figure strikeout game with 12 in a 19-0 win over Auburn on April 18.
*Junior right-handers Andrew Walker (9) and Eric Mennen (2) combined for 11 strikeouts in the Tide's 10-1 win over Louisiana Tech on April 6th.
*Alabama has recorded double-figure strikeouts in eight of its last 13 home games.
*The Crimson Tide has at least 10 strikeouts in its last four non-conference home games.
*Freshman Brandon Belcher and Tankersley combined to strike 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.
