Alabama Wraps Up Regular Season With Mississippi State
5/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
» Current Game Notes
Games 53-55: MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS AT ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM -- TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA -- 6:30 PM (CT)
MAY 21, 2004 -- BAMA CLOSES OUT REGULAR SEASON
Date Game Time Radio/TV
May 21 Miss. State at Alabama 6:30 PM Crimson Tide Sports Network (105.5 FM)
May 22 Miss. State at Alabama 4:00 PM Crimson Tide Sports Network (105.5 FM)
May 23 Miss. State at Alabama 2:06 PM CTSN (105.5 FM), CSS-TV (Channel 29)
ON THE MOUND: UA - 23 Wade LeBlanc (LH, 14 GS, 8-4, 1.60 ERA) vs. MSU - 13 Alan Johnson (RH, 11 GS, 3-3, 5.51)
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 Miss. State series on WRTR-FM (105.5) and the network. The series finale will be televised shown live throughout the southeast on Comcast Sports Southeast (Channel 29 on Tuscaloosa cable).
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live audio broadcasts can be found at http://www.rolltide.com/.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for the Mississippi State series and are $5 for adults and $3 for children.
SATELLITE FEEDS: The coordinates for the post-game satellite feeds are: SBS 6, Transponder 8 on Friday at 9:45 PM, Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 5:45 PM.
ALABAMA WRAPS UP SEASON WITH MISS. STATE
Two old Southeastern Conference Western Division rivals square off in the final SEC series of the season this weekend as the Alabama Crimson Tide hosts the Miss. State Bulldogs in a three-game series, beginning Friday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. This is the second year in a row that Alabama and State have played the final weekend of the regular season. MSU took two of three last year in Starkville on the final weekend. The 2004 season also marks the second time in three years that Alabama has played Miss. State in its final home series of the season. UA swept MSU in a three-game series here in 2002. Alabama and Miss. State have staged some great battles in the past and almost always the weekend series has some kind of bearing on the league race. This year, unfortunately, both teams are playing each other to avoid the cellar in the SEC Western Division. The two teams bring a 10-17 SEC record into the final series and the loser of the series will finish sixth in the division and 11th overall in the SEC standings. Alabama has finished dead last in the Division six times (1970, 1971, 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1994) since divisional play began in 1959. MSU has been dead last five (1959, 1968, 1975, 1995 and 1999) times. Both UA and MSU tied for the last in the four-team Western Division in 1967, while Alabama tied Arkansas for fifth place in 2003 with a 14-16 league slate. The SEC did not have divisional play from 1986-91. After winning its first SEC series of the season last weekend in Lexington, UA seeks its first home series win vs. MSU.
THE RECORDS
Alabama (29-23, 10-17 SEC) has one last hope for a shot at post-season play. The Crimson Tide still has a mathematical chance to reach the Hoover Met next week, but needs three wins over Miss. State this weekend to insure any kind of chance, plus seek additional help from Florida (at Tennessee) and Arkansas (vs. Auburn). Miss. State (31-22, 10-17 SEC) is in a similar situation as far as making the SEC Tournament. However, because of its high RPI ranking (Top 20), MSU could win two here this weekend and be an at-large team in the NCAA Tournament despite not making the league tourney.
THE COACHES
Alabama's Jim Wells is in his 10th season with the Crimson Tide program. He has compiled a 438-199 (.688) record at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Overall, Wells is 630-288 (.686) in 15 seasons at Northwestern State and Alabama. MSU skipper Ron Polk is 1,229-600-2 (.671) in 31 years of coaching. In 25 years at Miss. State, the dean of SEC coaches has compiled a 995-488-2 (.671) record in Starkville.
NEXT GAME
Alabama and Miss. State meet in game two of this series on Saturday, May 22 at 4 p.m. (CT).
WELLS MOVES INTO SECOND PLACE ON BAMA'S SEC WIN LIST
Alabama head coach Jim Wells is now the second-winningest coach in school history in terms of Southeastern Conference victories.
*Wells moved into second place with two wins at Kentucky (May 14-16) last weekend, giving him 173 wins.
*The Alabama skipper has compiled a 173-118 (.594) record in 291 SEC games since the 1995 season.
*He moved past former head coach Dr. Barry Shollenberger into second place with a 6-2 win at Kentucky on May 14, 2004.
*Shollenberger (1980-94) posted a 171-188-1 (.476) SEC record in his 15-year career.
*Coach Tilden "Happy" Campbell (265-117-3, .692) holds the Alabama record with 265 career SEC wins in his 25-year career at Alabama.
Alabama's SEC Victory Leaders
1. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 265
2. Jim Wells (1995-Present) 173
3. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) 171
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 83
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 47
Alabama's SEC Games Coached
1. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 385
2. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) 360
3. Jim Wells (1995-Present) 291
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 187
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 96
WELLS REACHES COACHING MILESTONES
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells has already logged a pair of coaching milestones this season, working his 900th all-time game and coaching his 600th game at Alabama.
*On April 11, the 15-year skipper coached his 900th all-time game on the Division I level as the Crimson Tide dropped a 3-2 decision to Vanderbilt.
*Earlier this year, Wells coached his 600th all-time game for the Crimson Tide on March 10, 2004 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 in his career and at Alabama.
WELLS MILESTONE GAMES (Overall)
No. Opponent Date
1 Houston Baptist Feb. 12, 1990
100 SW Louisiana April 24, 1991
200 Stephen F. Austin April 9, 1993
300 Western Michigan March 18, 1995
400 Auburn May 10, 1996
500 Mercer March 4, 1998
600 Vanderbilt May 7, 1999
700 Louisiana Tech March 7, 2001
800 Auburn (NCAA) June 1, 2002
900 Vanderbilt April 11, 2004
WELLS MILESTONE GAMES (Alabama)
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 637 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 185 games away from tying Shollenberger's school-record mark.
*In 2003, 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 438 career wins at the Capstone.
*Shollenberger is the school's all-time winningest coach with 487 career wins. Wells is now 49 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) 439
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) 637
3. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 527
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 443
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 185
Alabama's SEC Victory Leaders
1. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 265
2. Jim Wells (1995-Present) 173
3. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) 171
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 83
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 47
Alabama's SEC Games Coached
1. Tilden Campbell (1935-42, 47-63) 385
2. Barry Shollenberger (1980-94) 360
3. Jim Wells (1995-Present) 291
4. Hayden Riley (1970-79) 187
5. Joe Sewell (1964-69) 96
MISSISSIPPI STATE SERIES
The longest running series in Alabama baseball history resumes this weekend at Sewell-Thomas Stadium this weekend as the Crimson Tide hosts its old Western Division nemesis Miss. State.
*Alabama leads the all-time series 195-158-3 (.552) since the initial meeting in 1896. The two teams have met 356 times since the late 1800s.
*Alabama has played Miss. State more than any other opponent in school history. The two teams have met every year since 1946.
*Alabama is 20-7 (.741) in its last 27 games with Miss. State.
*Since the 1999 post-season, Alabama has won 12 of the 16 meetings (.800) with MSU.
*Since 1995, Alabama has won five of the nine series with MSU.
*Miss. State took two out of three from Bama last year in Starkville to snap a three-series winning streak by the Tide. It was the longest winning streak by Alabama since also winning three straight series in 1873-74.
*MSU head coach Ron Polk has compiled a 66-45 (.600) all-time record against Alabama.
*The dean of SEC coaches coached his 100th all-time game against Alabama on Mar. 19, 2000 while the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. UGA won that game, 8-7.
*Polk is 62-42 (.596) against Alabama while at Miss. State. He was 4-3 (.571) in seven meetings versus Alabama while head coach at Georgia.
*Polk coached his 100th game as MSU head coach against Alabama on May 12, 2002. Alabama won that game, 11-4.
*Alabama and Miss. State are the only two SEC schools with 2,000 career wins. Alabama became the 17th school in NCAA history by notching its 2,000th win on March 4, 2001 against Winthrop. Miss. State became the 18th Division I school to record 2,000 wins with a victory over New Orleans on March 13, 2001.
Alabama-Miss. State Series File
at Tuscaloosa: UA leads, 132-77-3
at Starkville: MSU leads, 77-54
Neutral Sites: UA leads, 8-5
Wells vs. MSU: 23-12 (.657)
Polk vs. Alabama: 66-45 (.600)
UA Longest Win Streak: 10 (1912-17)
MS Longest Win Streak: 8 (1992-94)
SCOUTING REPORT: Miss. State Bulldogs
The Miss. State Bulldogs enter the final weekend of SEC play with a 31-22 (.585) overall record, including a 10-17 mark in SEC play.
*Miss. State and Alabama are tied for fifth place in the SEC Western Division and 10th place in the overall SEC standings.
*The Bulldogs are hitting .310 (592-for-1,912) on the year, with 51 home runs and 312 RBI.
*As a team, MSU averages 6.35 runs (337) and 11.12 hits per game this season.
*The offense is centered around one of the league's top players in sophomore outfielder Brad Corley.
*The Louisville native is batting a team-best .374 (83-for-222), with 18 home runs and 49 RBI. He has added 56 runs, 10 doubles and owns a .680 slugging percentage.
*He has twice been named SEC "Player of the Week", including this past week after his three-game performance against the league-leading Arkansas Razorbacks.
*In the series, Corley was 8-for-12 (.667) against the Razorbacks, including a 7-for-8 showing in Sunday¹s doubleheader.
*In the series-clinching 3-2 win Corley threw out the potential go-ahead run for Arkansas in the sixth inning and an inning later delivered the game-winning walk-off hit, his SEC-leading 18th home run of the year.
*Corley leads the SEC with 18 home runs and ranks fourth in batting average (.374), slugging percentage (.680) and 11th in RBI (49).
*Sophomore catcher Craig Tatum (53 G, .341, 11 HR, 54 RBI) is the only other MSU player with double figure home runs and leads the team with 54 RBI this season.
*Tatum also leads the team with 16 doubles this season.
*Sophomore first baseman/outfielder Brad Jones (53 G, .319m 7 HR, 32 RBI) has also been productive at the plate this season for the Bulldogs, ranking third on the team in hitting, home runs and RBI.
*Senior third baseman Steve Gendron (.308, 4 HR, 31 RBI) is also a solid contributor. Gendron is second on the team with 15 doubles.
*In his three-year career, Gendron has enjoyed success at the plate against Alabama, hitting .390 (16-for-41), with two runs, two doubles and three RBI.
*In SEC play, State is hitting .292 (285-for-976) with six runs and 26 RBI.
*Corley (.374, 10 HR, 18 RBI) and senior Tyler Scarbrough (.339, HR, 7 RBI) are the top two hitters in league play.
*On the mound, State is 31-22 with a 4.34 ERA this season, with seven saves, one complete game and three shutouts.
*MSU pitchers have worked 476.2 innings and allowed 481 hits, 273 runs, 230 earned runs, with 163 walks and 391 strikeouts.
*The weekend rotation will consist of RHP Alan Johnson, RHP Jeff Lacher and RHP Todd Doolittle.
*Johnson, a native of Pleasant Grove, Ala., has compiled a 3-3 record and 5.51 ERA in 11 starts this season.
*He has worked 67 innings and allowed 72 hits, 46 runs, 41 earned runs, with 23 walks and 39 strikeouts this season.
*Johnson was the losing pitcher in the Crimson Tide's 15-7 win in game two of the series last year. In one inning, he allowed eight runs and four hits, with three walks and one strikeout as the game two starter.
*Lacher has compiled a 3-6 record and 4.46 ERA this season in 12 starts. The senior has MSU's lone complete game of the season.
*He has worked a staff-high 70.2 innings and allowed 80 hits, 42 runs and 35 earned runs, with 20 walks and 50 strikeouts.
*Doolittle is 2-2 with a 4.31 ERA in 16 games this season, including six starts.
*The junior has worked 50 innings and allowed 39 hits, 30 runs and 23 earned runs, with 23 walks and a team-leading 52 strikeouts this year.
*The ace out of the MSU bullpen is junior RHP Saunders Ramsey. In 23 appearances, Ramsey is 6-1, with four saves, and a 1.98 ERA.
*He leads MSU in wins, saves and ERA this season.
*Ramsey has worked 41 innings and allowed 30 hits, 12 runs and nine earned runs, with eight walks and 46 strikeouts.
*In SEC play, the Bulldogs are 10-17 with a 5.54 staff ERA, with four saves and one CG.
*Johnson is 3-3 with a 5.71 ERA in nine SEC starts.
*Lacher is 1-5 with a 5.05 ERA in nine starts this season.
*Doolittle is 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in SEC play this season. He has made nine appearances and five starts this season in SEC play.
*Ramsey (23 IP, 19 K) has appeared in 12 SEC games and is 4-0 with two saves and a 1.96 ERA for the Bulldogs.
*Traditionally, Miss. State has always been a solid defensive club. However, the 2004 season has been an exception for the Bulldogs.
*In 53 games, State has made 78 errors and is fielding at a .962 clip. In SEC play, State has made 48 errors in 27 games and ranks last in the league with its .957 SEC fielding mark.
29 UP, 23 DOWN
Alabama has compiled an 29-23 (.558) record through 52 games of the 2004 season. Here is how the Crimson Tide fares in its 29 wins and 23 losses.
*In its 29 wins this season the Alabama Crimson Tide has:
*Hit .329 (327-for-993) with 25 home runs and 230 RBI
*Averaged 8.66 runs (251) and 11.27 hits per game
*Posted a 1.93 ERA (261 IP, 197 H, 69 R, 235 K)
*Committed 28 errors (.974) in 29 wins
*In its 23 losses this season the Alabama Crimson Tide has:
*Hit .224 (172-for-767) with 11 home runs and 61 RBI
*Averaged runs 2.95 (68) runs and 7.45 hits per game
*Compiled a 4.81 ERA (196.2 IP, 225 H, 138 R)
*Committed 32 errors (.962) in 23 losses
POST SEASON HOPES ALIVE
Alabama still has hopes for making the SEC Tournament, but needs a sweep of Miss. State and some help from Florida and Arkansas this weekend to assure a spot in the eight-team tournament.
*Alabama needs three wins over Miss. State this weekend in Tuscaloosa and needs Arkansas to beat Auburn three times in Fayetteville and needs Florida to win three games at Tennessee in order for Bama to make the SEC Tournament this season.
*If that scenario takes place, Alabama would finish with a 13-17 SEC record and edge out Tennessee and Auburn with identical 12-18 league marks.
*No team has ever made it to Hoover with more than 16 conference losses.
*Alabama could slip into the tourney with a sweep of Miss. State, three Auburn losses at Arkansas and two losses by Tennessee against Florida to make the eight-team field.
*If that happens, then Alabama and Tennessee would have identical 13-17 SEC records in the standings.
*The tie-breaker with Alabama and Tennessee is tricky at best, seeing how in the SEC every team does not play one another during the regular season. Of course, Alabama did not play Tennessee this season.
*In the SEC tie-breaker format, the head-to-head records are taken into consideration against the remaining 10 teams in the league based on the current league standings.
*Of the seven teams ahead of Alabama and Tennessee, the Crimson Tide would win the tie-breaker with the Vols based on series results with Ole Miss and South Carolina.
*Alabama won one game against Ole Miss and South Carolina, while Tennessee was swept by both teams.
*Tennessee wins the tie-breaker with Alabama based on the Georgia series as the Vols swept the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide lost two games.
*Both teams have the same record against LSU, Arkansas and Florida (UT would have to win one game with the Gators in order to tie with Alabama at 12-18).
*Here is a look at the head-to-head SEC series with all 11 SEC teams entering this weekend.
*The records listed are those teams records against Bama and the Vols this season.
SEC SERIES RESULTS
Opponent vs. UA vs. UT
Arkansas 2-1 2-1
Florida 2-1 2-1*
Georgia 2-1 0-3
LSU 2-1 2-1
Ole Miss 2-1 3-0
S. Carolina 2-1 3-0
Vanderbilt 2-1 3-0
Auburn 2-1 1-2
Miss. State 0-3* 1-2
Kentucky 1-2 0-3
* -- Alabama would have to sweep Miss. State and Tennessee would have to win one game this weekend with Florida in order for the Crimson Tide and Vols to tie for 8th place with a 13-17 SEC record.
LEAGUE TITLE UP FOR GRABS
As the season enters its final three games, six teams have a legitimate chance to win the 2004 SEC Championship.
In fact, there is an opportunity for six teams to win the SEC title this season as the league could in fact have six teams tie for the overall title.
*Arkansas, Georgia and Ole Miss are all three currently tied for the league lead with a 17-10 record.
*LSU, Florida and South Carolina are just one game behind the leaders with a 16-11 league mark.
*Take this into consideration. If LSU wins two out of three at Ole Miss this weekend; and South Carolina wins two out of three at Georgia; and Florida wins two out of three at Tennessee; and Auburn wins two out of three at Arkansas then six teams will share the 2004 SEC Championship.
*If that happens, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and South Carolina would all have identical 18-12 league records.
*In order to seed for the SEC Tournament, the three Western Division teams and Eastern Division would go head-to-head with one another to determine the respective divisional champions.
*Arkansas (4-2) would be declared the SEC Western Division champion based on its head-to-head record with Ole Miss (3-3) and LSU (2-4). The Razorbacks would be 3-0 vs. LSU and 1-2 vs Ole Miss. LSU would be next having then beaten Ole Miss two out of three in the final weekend and Ole Miss would be third in the West.
*South Carolina (4-2) would tie with Georgia (4-2) and Florida (1-5) for the SEC East title. In the head-to-head breakdown, South Carolina and Georgia would eliminate the Gators and then South Carolina would win the league Eastern Division title by virtue of its series win over the Bulldogs in the final weekend in Athens.
SEC STANDINGS (As of May 21)
Team SEC Record
Arkansas 17-10
Georgia 17-10
Ole Miss 17-10
Florida 16-11
LSU 16-11
South Carolina 16-11
Vanderbilt 13-14
Tennessee 12-15
Auburn 11-16
Alabama 10-17
Miss. State 10-17
Kentucky 7-20
FIVE SENIORS BID FAREWELL
The Mississippi State series will mark the final home appearance for five Crimson Tide seniors.
*The members of the 2004 senior class includes outfielder Ryan Beagle, RHP Seth Johnson, LHP Jeffrey Norris, catcher Nick Richardson and DH Carlos Sosa.
*The five seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony prior to Saturday's 4 p.m. game.
PITCHING IN
The Alabama baseball team boasts one of its finest pitching staff's in school history.
*Through 52 games, the Crimson Tide has an SEC-leading 3.17 ERA, which also ranks ninth nationally.
*Alabama is also leads the SEC in complete games (8) , fewest earned runs allowed (160) and fewest hit batters (23) this year.
*Alabama's current ERA is the highest it has been this season since a 3.48 ERA following a 3-2 win over Cincinnati on Feb. 22.
*In fact, the Crimson Tide's ERA has risen above three only five times this season, including each of the last two games.
*The UA pitching staff had its share of difficulties this past weekend in Lexington, despite winning two of three games.
*Alabama yielded 21 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings against the Bat Cats for a 6.44 ERA in the series.
*The 6.44 ERA is the highest in a three-game series this season.
*Prior to the Kentucky series, the Crimson Tide pitching staff had turned in three straight stellar weekends against the three best hitting teams in the league in consecutive weekends.
*Alabama limited the No. 10 Florida (May 7-9) to 14 runs and 23 hits in the three-game series, including a four-hit shutout by freshman lefty Wade LeBlanc in the series opener.
*The Crimson Tide held No. 6 LSU (May 1-2) to 13 runs and 20 hits in a three-game series at Baton Rouge (May 1-2). It was the Tigers lowest run and hit production in an SEC series this season.
*Bama allowed just five earned runs in 26 2/3 innings at South Carolina (April 23-25), losing a 1-0 game in 10 innings in the series finale.
*Here are the nation's Top 10 pitching staff's (based on ERA) through games of May 17th.
NCAA ERA LEADERS (May 17th)
Rank Team ERA
1. Rice 2.30
2. Texas 2.44
3. Long Beach State 2.68
4. Oral Roberts 2.73
5. Central Florida 2.89
6. Wichita State 3.07
7. North Carolina State 3.10
8. Lamar 3.12
9. ALABAMA 3.17
10. Baylor 3.22
Alabama's SEC Rankings (May 17th)
Category Stats (SEC Rank)
Earned Run Average 3.17 (1st)
Complete Games 8 (1st)
Fewest Earned Runs Allowed 160 (1st)
Fewest Hit Batters 23 (1st)
Most Balks 11 (1st)
Most Intentional Walks 10 (1st)
Opponents Batting Avg. .243 (3rd)
Fewest Home Runs Allowed 32 (3rd)
Fewest Hits Allowed 422 (3rd)
Strikeouts 410 (t3rd)
Fewest Runs Allowed 207 (4th)
Fewest Walks Allowed 148 (6th)
Innings Pitched 457.2 (10th)
ONE-TWO PUNCH
In addition to having the lowest ERA in the SEC, Alabama also boasts the top two pitchers in the league.
*Freshman left-hander Wade LeBlanc (1.60) and junior left-hander Taylor Tankersley (1.64) rank first and second in the SEC in terms of ERA.
*The Crimson Tide has had only two pitchers to lead the SEC in ERA, dating back to 1960. Left-hander Mike Innes (1.09) led the league with a school-record 1.09 ERA in 1968 and right-hander Lance Cormier (2.30) paced the league with a 2.30 ERA in 2002.
*Alabama boasts the ninth-best ERA in the country this season and LeBlanc and Tankersley are among the Top 10 nationally in earned run average.
*LeBlanc ranks eighth nationally with a sparkling 1.60 ERA this season and has allowed only 19 earned runs in 106 2/3 innings in 15 appearances and 14 starts.
*LeBlanc also leads all freshman pitchers this season with his 1.60 ERA in his 15 games.
*LeBlanc's current ERA would be the lowest total to lead the SEC since Auburn's Gregg Olson paced the league with a 1.27 ERA in 1988.
*Tankersley is ninth in the nation with a 1.64 ERA this season and has allowed only 12 earned runs in 65 2/3 innings over his 18 appearances this season.
*Alabama and Rice are the only two teams in the nation with more than one pitcher among the Top 10 ERA leaders in country.
NCAA INDIVIDUAL ERA LEADERS (May 17th)
Rank Player ERA
1. Nate Moore, Troy State 1.19
2. Jered Weaver, LB State 1.27
3. Jordan Thomson, N'eastern 1.33
4. Kyle Bono, UCF 1.45
5. Wade Townsend, Rice 1.46
6. William Delage, Lamar 1.52
7. Jon Wilson, Winthrop 1.57
8. Wade LeBlanc, ALABAMA 1.60
9. Taylor Tankersley, ALABAMA 1.64
10. Phillip Humber, Rice 1.69
LeBLANC NEARS SHUTOUT RECORD
Alabama freshman left-hander Wade LeBlanc leads the SEC with three complete game shutouts this season.
LeBlanc's CG Shutouts (2004)
Date Opponent Pitching Line
3-6 at Centenary 9 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K
3-13 SE Missouri State 9 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 10 K
5-7 Florida 9 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K
*The three complete game shutouts are just one off the single-season record at Alabama set by Freddy Glass (1967) and Bernie Strawn (1973).
*Glass threw four shutouts that season, beating Virginia Tech, Auburn, Miss. State and Ole Miss.
Glass' CG Shutouts (1967)
Date Opponent Pitching Line
3-23 Virginia Tech 9 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 15 K
3-27 Auburn 9 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 8 K
4-15 at Miss. State 9 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 10 K
4-21 at Ole Miss 8 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K
*Strawn also threw four complete game shutouts for Alabama in 1973, beating South Carolina, Ole Miss, LSU and Miss. State.
Strawn's CG Shutouts (1973)
Date Opponent Pitching Line
3-16 South Carolina 7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K
3-30 Ole Miss 7 IP, 1 H, 7 BB, 4 K
4-20 LSU
4-27 Miss. State 7 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 6 K
*Overall, LeBlanc has been involved in four shutouts this season, which is also one off the school record total of five set by Glass in 1967.
LeBlanc's Shutouts (2004)
Date Opponent Pitching Line
2-21 *Cincinnati 7 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K
3-6 at Centenary 9 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K
3-13 SE Missouri State 9 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 10 K
5-7 Florida 9 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K
* - combined with Matt Downs (2 IP, H, 3 K)
*With his three complete-game shutouts this season, LeBlanc is tied for third-place on the school's single-season charts with Drew Blocker (1974) and Owen Holston (1974).
SINGLE-SEASON SHUTOUTS
Rank Player, Year Shutouts
1. Freddy Glass, 1967 4
Bernie Strawn, 1973 4
3. Wade LeBlanc, 2004 3
Drew Blocker, 1974 3
Owen Holston, 1974 3
6. Lance Cormier, 2002 2
Mike Innes, 1970 2
Mike Innes, 1971 2
Bryan Kelley, 1981 2
*With the three shutouts this season, LeBlanc is already tied for fifth place on the school's career list for shutouts. Mike Innes (1969-71) holds the career record with seven shutouts at Alabama.
CAREER SHUTOUTS
Rank Player, Year Shutouts
1. Mike Innes, 1969-71 7
2. Freddy Glass, 1966-67 4
Bernie Strawn, 1972-73 4
Drew Blocker, 1974-75 4
5. Wade LeBlanc, 2004 3
Owen Holston, 1974 3
7. Jimmy Archibald, 1973-74 2
Bryan Kelley, 1981 2
Joel Colgrove, 1993-96 2
Lance Cormier, 1999-2002 2
