Alabama Baseball Team Takes On Vanderbilt in Nashville
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Game 25: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (19-5) AT VANDERBILT COMMODORES (15-5)
HAWKINS FIELD (1,500)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE -- 6 PM
MARCH 25, 2005
ON THE MOUND: UA -- 18 RH T. J. Large (6 GS, 4-0, 1.18 ERA) vs. VU - 11 RH Jensen Lewis (5 GS, 4-0, 1.08 ERA)
RADIO/TV: The Alabama-Vanderbilt series 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 will describe the action from Nashville this weekend. The Saturday game is also slated to be televised by CSS with Matt Stewart (play-by-play) and Chip Fridrich (color). The game will be shown on Comcast Cable Channel 29 in Tuscaloosa.
Date Game Time Radio/TV
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: Available at the Vanderbilt Box Office and Charles Hawkins Field, two hours prior to game time.
BAMA TAKES ON VANDERBILT IN MUSIC CITY
After five straight weeks at home, the Alabama Crimson Tide (19-5, 3-0 SEC) baseball team is back on the road for the first time since opening the season with a four-game set at Hawai'i when they travel to Nashville, Tenn., this weekend to face the No. 25 Vanderbilt Commodores (15-5, 1-2 SEC). The series opener is Friday, Mar. 25 at 6 p.m. The two teams also meet Saturday, Mar. 26 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Mar. 27 at 1 p.m. Alabama is the last SEC team to debut at Hawkins Field. This will be Alabama's first-ever appearance at the three-year old Charles Hawkins Field on the Vanderbilt campus. The Crimson Tide has not played in Nashville since the 2000 season, when UA swept the three-game series. Alabama just completed a season-long 16-game homestand and posted a 14-2 (.875) record in those games. Bama opened the homestand with eight straight wins, its longest winning streak of the season. The Crimson Tide closed out the homestand with a five-game winning streak and looks for six straight wins Friday night in Nashville. Vanderbilt has won the last two series (2001 and 2004) from Alabama, including last year's three-game classic in Tuscaloosa. The last four meetings between the two schools have been decided by five total runs, including three one-run games. In the seven games prior, the winning team scored 10 or more runs seven times.
BAMA BASEBALL DIAMOND NOTES
Alabama is 18-3 (.857) in its last 21 games, dating back to February 13th ... Alabama coach Jim Wells, who tuned 50 on March 21st, seeks his 650th career win in the series opener at Vanderbilt ... Wells has compiled a 649-296 (.688) record in 944 games at the Division I level ... He is 457-207 (.688) in 11 years at Alabama ... Vanderbilt has won the last two series (2001 and 2004) from Alabama ... The Commodores have not won three in-a-row since 1904-06 ... Alabama has won four straight series (1991, 1996, 1998, 2000) in Nashville ... Vandy's last home series win over Alabama came in 1988, which included a 27-9 victory in the series finale ... Alabama brings a five-game winning streak to Nashville ... The Crimson Tide has also posted an eight-game winning streak and four-game winning streak this season ... During the current five-game winning streak, Alabama has won three games by the same score ... The Crimson Tide won the first two games of the Kentucky series by identical 5-3 scores and then beat Jacksonville State 5-3 on Wednesday night ...
ALABAMA-VANDERBILT SERIES
*Alabama leads the all-time series with Vanderbilt, 72-41-2 (.635) in a series that dates back to the 1893 season.
*This is Alabama's first visit to Hawkins Field and its first trip to Nashville since the 2000 season.
*The Commodores have won each of the last two series with the Crimson Tide, compiling a 4-2 mark in the last six games in the series.
*Vandy's series win in Tuscaloosa during the 2001 season was its first series win over Alabama since 1992.
*Vanderbilt's 12-4 win in the 2001 series opener also snapped a seven-game winning streak by the Crimson Tide over the Commodores.
*Prior to the 2001 season, Alabama had won 13 of the previous 14 meetings, dating back to 1996.
*The last four Alabama-Vanderbilt games have been decided by five total runs, including three, one-run games.
*From 1999-2001, the winning team scored in double figures in seven straight games.
*The two schools first met during the 1893 season, with Vanderbilt posting a 3-1-1 record in those five meetings.
*Bama and Vandy played to a 2-2 tie in 1893 in game called after 16 innings due to darkness. The 16-inning game is the longest game in the UA record book.
*Vanderbilt and Alabama met for the SEC Championship in 1973 and 1974, with Vandy winning both best-of-three series to claim the league title.
*In games played in Tuscaloosa, Alabama holds a 51-27-1 (.662) series lead.
*The Crimson Tide owns a 14-10 (.583) ledger in Nashville.
*Bama owns a 1-0 mark at neutral sites.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells has compiled a 15-6 (.714) record in his career against Vanderbilt.
*Vandy coach Tim Corbin is 2-1 (.667) against Alabama following last year's series win in Tuscaloosa.
*While an assistant under Jack Leggett at Clemson, Corbin was a part of two teams that beat Alabama in post-season play. Clemson beat Alabama for the 1995 NCAA East Regional title and eliminated Bama from the CWS the following year.
SCOUTING REPORT: Vanderbilt
*The Vanderbilt Commodores (15-5, 1-2 SEC) opened the 2005 season with a school-record 12 straight victories, but have struggled the last two weekends against a pair of ranked teams.
*Vanderbilt was swept at home two weeks ago by No. 19 Baylor. The Bears set the tone in the series opener with a grand slam in the top of the 13th inning to snap a 3-3 tie en route to a 9-4 win.
*Baylor won the next two games, 16-5 and 4-1. The series finale was also decided in the final inning.
*After winning its SEC opener, Vanderbilt lost the final two games of the series at Miss. State last wekeend for its second straight series loss.
*Overall, Vanderbilt has lost five of its last eight games, dating back to Mar. 11th.
*The Commodores had to replace four everyday starters and one of the best pitchers in college baseball off last year's club.
*Ryan Klosterman (SS), Cesar Nicolas (1B), Jonathan Douilliard (C) and Worth Scott (RF) all graduated, while LHP Jeremy Sowers was taken in the first round of the 2004 MLB Draft.
*While the losses are plenty for coach Tim Corbin's club, the Commodores did assemble a fine recruiting class and a number of freshmen have contributed this year.
*As a team, Vandy is batting .295 (198-for-672) with 11 home runs and 99 RBI.
*The Commodores are averaging 5.5 runs and 9.9 hits per game in 20 games.
*The offense is built around junior second baseman Warner Jones, who led the SEC in hitting as a sophomore with a .414 batting average.
*Jones is hitting only .314 (27-for-86) in 20 starts, with five doubles, one triple, two home runs and 10 RBI.
*The leading hitter is freshman infielder Alex Fineberg (Orinda, Calif.), who is batting .412 (21-for-51) in 15 games, with 10 runs scored, three doubles and three RBI.
*Two regulars off last year's team who made significant contributions to Vandy's run to the Super Regionals return and are the second and third leading hitters on the club.
*Senior infielder Tony Mansolino (Clovis, Calif.) is hitting .397 (29-for-73) in 20 starts with two home runs and a team-best 18 RBI.
*Junior 1B/3B Mike Baxter (White Stone, NY) is third on the team with a .362 (25-for-69) with a team best three home runs and 16 RBI.
*Baxter also leads the team with 19 runs scored, while Jones is second with 18 runs.
*Two newcomers have also had an impact early this season.
*Brian Hernandez (Wellington, Fla.), a junior transfer from Duke, is fourth on the team with a .329 (24-for-70) clip in 20 games, with one home run and 17 RBI. He is third on the team with 16 runs scored.
*True freshman Dominic De La Osa (Coral Gables, Fla.) is hitting .323 (21-for-65), with nine runs scored, two home runs and 13 RBI in 19 games.
*The Commodores were excellent on the mound last year and despite two key losses, they still boast on the top pitching staff's in the nation.
*Vandy lost Jeremy Sowers (LH, 10-6, 3.08 ERA) in the first round of the 2004 MLB Draft.
*The Commodores lost junior left-hander and ace Ryan Mullins two weeks ago when he was indefinitely suspended by coach Corbin prior to the Baylor series.
*Mullins was reinstated on Wednesday, March 23, but is not in the weekend rotation against Alabama.
*Mullins (Nashville), one of the best left-handers in the country, compiled a 2-0 record and 3.93 ERA im three starts. He worked 18 1.3 innings and allowed 20 hits, eight runs and eight earned runs, with three walks and 21 strikeouts.
*Junior RHP Jensen Lewis (Cincinnati) moved into the No. 1 starter role and has been fantastic this season.
*Lewis will get the start opposite UA junior RHP T.J. Large in the series opener on Friday.
*Lewis is 4-0 with a microscopic 1.08 ERA in five starts. He has worked 33 1/3 innings and allowed 22 hits, six run and four earned runs, with five walks and 36 strikeouts.
*Lewis dropped a 3-1 decision to Alabama last year on April 10 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium as he was out-dueled by Bama's freshman lefty Brandon Belcher.
*The Saturday starter will freshman left-hander David Price (Murfreesboro), who will make just his second start of the season and first SEC start against Alabama.
*Price has appeared in seven games and compiled a 1-0 record and 0.54 ERA. The 6-6 left-hander has worked 16 2/3 innings and allowed only seven hits and one earned run, with five walks and 27 strikeouts.
*Price was considered one of the top high school pitching prospects in the nation last season out of middle Tennessee and is now being looked at as one the the top freshman arms in college baseball.
The Sunday starter will be junior RHP Matt Buschmann (Wildwood, Missouri), who is 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA in five starts.
*Buschmann has worked 27 2/3 innings and allowed 22 hits, 12 runs and six earned runs, with 12 walks and 20 strikeouts.
*With the return of Mullins, the Vanderbilt pitching staff, which ranks among the best in college baseball, just got better.
*In addition to Mullins, the Commodores pen is talented and very deep.
*Junior RHP Jeff Sues (Red Bank, NJ) will move back to the bullpen against Alabama. He is 2-2 with a 5.75 ERA in six games, including four starts.
*Sues has worked 20 1/3 innings and allowed 22 hits, 15 runs and 13 earned runs, with eight walks and 26 strikeouts.
*The Commodores will also rely on sophomore LHP Greg Morivel (Berea, Ohio), senior RHP Ryan Rote (Brookfield, Wisconsin) and sophomore RHP Steven Shao (Hermitage, Tenn.).
*Morivel has appeared in four games and has posted a 1-0 record with a 2.35 ERA. He has worked 7 2/3 innings and allowed five hits, five runs and two earned runs, with seven walks and five strikeouts.
*Rote is the closer and has 15 career saves for the Commodores. He is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA with four saves in 10 games. Rote has worked 13 1/3 innings and allowed nine hits, five runs and five earned runs, with eight walks and 20 strikeouts.
*Shao (1-0, 4.09 ERA, 1 SV) has appeared in six games and allowed 13 hits, six runs and five earned runs in 11 innings, with two walks and 14 strikeouts.
*Shao was the winning pitcher on Wednesday night against Tennessee Tech.
*Another mark of a Tim Corbin-coached team is excellent defense and Vanderbilt can catch and throw with anyone in the country.
*The Commodores are fielding .975 (19 errors) in 20 games and have turned 14 double plays. Vandy is second in the league in fielding.
BAMA HAS FIVE-GAME WINNING STREAK
*Alabama has won five straight games entering the series at Vanderbilt.
*The five-game winning streak is the second longest of the season by Alabama.
*The Crimson Tide won eight straight games from Feb. 25 through March 9, its longest winning streak since the 2003 season.
*During the five-game winning streak, Alabama is hitting just .243 (36-for-148) with two home runs and 25 RBI.
*Alabama has averaged only 6.2 runs and 7.2 hits per game during the recent winning streak.
*Senior 3B Rocky Scelfo is batting .556 (5-for-9) with three runs scored, three extra base hits and five RBI during the winning streak.
*Junior 1B Evan Bush is batting .400 (4-for-10) with one home run and five RBI.
*Bush has walked 11 times in the last five games.
*On the mound, Alabama has posted a 2.80 ERA in the last five games and allowed 15 runs and 29 hits (.190) in 45 innings.
*Junior RHP Jordan Davis has appeared in three games and has a 1-0 record with one save. He has worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed one hit and struck out six.
*Alabama has improved on defense, too. The Crimson Tide is fielding .973 in the last five games and have turned eight double plays.
