Alabama Closes Out 16-Game Homestand vs. Jacksonville State
3/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 24: JAX STATE GAMECOCKS (7-10) at ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (18-5)
SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM (6,118)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA
MARCH 23, 2005, 6:30 PM
ON THE MOUND: JSU -- 19 RH Tony Drinkard (6 G, 5 GS, 0-2, 9.88 ERA) vs. UA - 13 RH Josh Copeland (6 G, 0-1, 3.12 ERA)
RADIO/TV: The Alabama-JSU game will be broadcast through the Crimson Tide Sports Network and will be aired locally in Tuscaloosa on THE TUSK (WACT, 1420-AM). Veteran play-by-play announcer David Crane and Chris Stewart will describe the action from the Joe this Wednesday night. The game is also slated to be televised by The Alabama Cable Network with Gary Harris (play-by-play) and Scott McClanahan (analyst). The game will be shown on WVUA Channel 7 in Tuscaloosa (Comcast Channel 3 and 17) and WOTM in Birmingham (Charter Cable Channel 6).
Date Game Time Radio/TV
March 23 vs. Jacksonville St 6:30 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM), ACN
March 25 at Vanderbilt 6 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM)
March 25 at Vanderbilt 2:06 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM), CSS
March 25 at Vanderbilt 1 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM)
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live audio broadcasts and live stats can be found at www.rolltide.com.
TICKETS: Tickets for the Jax State game are just one dollar.
ALABAMA WRAPS UP HOMESTAND WITH JSU
Coming off its first Southeastern Conference series sweep since the 2003 season, the Alabama Crimson Tide (18-5, 3-0 SEC) baseball team steps out of Conference on Wednesday, March 23 to host the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (7-10) at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The JSU game wraps up a season-long 16-game homesand for the Crimson Tide. Alabama is currently 13-2 (.867) on the homestand and has won its last four games. The Crimson Tide opened the home-stand by winning its first eight games, its longest winning streak since the 2003 season. Jax State has had Alabama's number over the last seven years, winning four of seven meetings. The Gamecocks have also beaten the Crimson Tide two years in-a-row, including last year's dramatic 4-3 win at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville. Robby Goodson singled and Scott Smith slammed a two-run, walk-off home run off freshman LHP Wade LeBlanc to give JSU the win. The Gamecocks won the last meeting here in Tuscaloosa during the 2003 season as they posted an 5-3 win. Alabama is 2-1 (.667) against in-state teams this season and has avenged both losses from the 2004 season to Samford and Birmingham Southern. Alabama's loss was a 7-1 setback to UAB at Young Memorial Field on Feb. 24.
BAMA BASEBALL DIAMOND NOTES
Alabama has won 17 of its last 20 games since February 13th ... The current 20-game stretch is the best by an Alabama team since posting an 18-2 record over 20 games to open the 2003 season ... Alabama leads the SEC with a 2.37 ERA after 23 games ... The Crimson Tide also leads the league in opponents batting average (.195) and strikeouts (256) ... Alabama and Arkansas have won more games (18) than any team in the SEC ... Alabama is 3-0 on Wednesday this season ... Alabama is 13-2 (.867) on its current homestand ... Junior Evan Bush is hitting .395 (17-for-43) with seven home runs and 22 RBI in his last 14 games ... Bush, freshman SS Cale Iorg (.327, HR, 12 RBI) and senior RF Morrow Thomley (.296, 2 HR, 14 RBI) have combined for 10 home runs and 48 RBI on the homestand ... Jax State is one of six non-SEC teams coach Wells has a losing against while at Alabama, with more than one game played ... The list includes Cal State Fullerton, Central Florida, Jax State, Miami (Fla.), Stanford and Texas A&M ... Wells also has a losing record against Long Beach State, North Carolina and Tulane, but has only played those three schools once each ... Senior 3B Rocky Scelfo has hit safely in all 11 games in which he has started this season ... Senior OF Gabe Scott is batting .353 (12-for-34) during his career best 10-game hitting streak ...
ALABAMA-JACKSONVILLE STATE SERIES
*Alabama leads the all-time series with Jacksonville State, 17-7 (.708).
*The two teams first met in 1967, with Alabama taking a pair of game from the JSU to open the season.
*Jax State has won the last two meetings, including last year's 4-3 come-from-behind win in Jacksonville. JSU catcher Scott Smith slammed a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth off Wade LeBlanc for the heroic win.
*JSU has never won three in-a-row against Alabama.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 3-4 (.429) in his career against Jax State. He owns a 2-2 record against the Gamecocks in Tuscaloosa and a 1-2 mark in Jacksonville.
*JSU head coach Jim Case is 2-1 (.667) against Alabama, including back-to-back wins in 2003 and 2004.
Alabama-JSU File
at Tuscaloosa: UA leads, 14-6 (.700)
at Jacksonville: JSU leads, 3-1 (.750)
Wells vs. JSU: 3-4 (.429)
Case vs. UA: 2-1 (.667)
UA Long Win Strk: 10 (1967-74)
JSU Long Win Strk: 2 (Twice)
SCOUTING REPORT: Jax State Gamecocks
*The Jax State Gamecocks (7-10) have struggled early on this season and enter the Alabama gave having lost three of their last four games.
*JSU lost two out of three at home this past weekend to Furman. After winning the opener, Jax State dropped the last two games and the series.
*Overall, Jax State is batting .232 (135-for-582) with five home runs and 63 RBI.
*JSU is averaging 4.2 runs and 7.9 hits through the first 17 games.
*The Gamecocks have struggled in the past four games. JSU has scored only 13 runs and tallied 19 hits in those four games en route to a 1-3 record.
*In the last four games, JSU is batting .158 (19-for-120) with just two extra base hits and seven RBI.
*The pitching staff has compiled a 7-10 record with three saves and a 4.01 ERA (157 IP, 167 H, 100 R, 70 ER, 73 BB, 129 K) in 17 games.
*The staff allows 5.9 runs and 9.8 hits per game through 17 games.
*The pitching staff has allowed 26 runs and 39 hits in the last four games for a 5.40 ERA.
*Offensively, JSU is led by sophomore infielder Jake Ball (Hokes Bluff), who is batting .328 (22-for-67) with one home run and seven RBI.
*Ball is the only player to start all 17 games for JSU this season. He is one of three players to play in all 17 games.
*Senior outfielder Winston Pearson is second on the team with a .310 (18-for-58) average in 14 games, with two home runs and 12 RBI.
*The former Mississippi State player leads JSU in home runs and RBI.
*JSU has used 11 pitchers on the mound this season, with junior RHP Josh Forrest, freshman RHP Donovan Hand and sophomore RHP Josh Clements seeing the bulk of the action.
*Forrest (5 G, 1-0, 1.73) has been the most consistent this year. He has worked 26 innings and allowed 20 hits, seven runs and five earned runs, with 12 walks and 23 strikeouts.
*Hand (7 G, 2-1, 4.24 ERA) has made seven appearances out of the bullpen. He has worked 17 innings and allowed 13 hits, 10 runs and eight earned runs, with six walks and 15 strikeouts.
*Clements (6 G, 3 GS, 0-2, 4.30 ERA) has split time as a starter and reliever. He has worked 23 innings and allowed 25 hits, 15 runs and 11 earned runs, with five walks and 20 strikeouts.
*The Drinkard brothers have also seen their fair share of action on the mound.
*Junior RHP Lee Drinkard (6 G, 2-2, 1.84 ERA) has worked 14 2/3 innings and allowed 16 hits, six runs and three earned runs, with six walks and 13 strikeouts.
*His younger brother, RHP Tony Drinkard (6 G, 5 GS, 0-2, 9.88) has started five games. The sophomore has worked 13 2/3 ininngs and allowed 25 hits, 18 runs and 15 earned runs, with nine walks and 14 strikeouts.
*JSU has also had its share of troubles on defense this season. The Gamecocks have made 40 errors and are fielding .942 through 17 games.
*JSU has made at least one error in 16 of 17 games, including 12 in-a-row. JSU made a season-high five erorrs in a 5-4 loss to Louisiana Monroe on Mar. 6th.
*Ball leads the way with 11 errors in 17 games for an .875 fielding clip as the shortstop and third baseman.
JSU ODDS AND ENDS
*Jax State is one of only three schools to win a national championship in football, basketball and baseball, joining Michigan and Ohio State.
*JSU Director of Athletics Jim Fuller played football at Alabama for Paul Bryant from 1964-67 and later served as the offensive line coach under Ray Perkins (1983-86), Bill Curry (1987-89), Gene Stallings (1990-96) and Mike DuBose (1997) before his retirement into private business.
*JSU senior third baseman Clint Carroll is a native of Tusclaoosa and graduate of Hillcrest High School, where he played three years for coach Dennis Alvarez.
*JSU student assistant coach Eric West originally signed with Alabama out of Southside High School, but opted for professional baseball when the Boston Red Sox tabbed him in the 5th round of the 2001 draft. West played on the same high school team as UA junior Evan Bush.
