Alabama Baseball Team Travels to Southern Miss
3/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
|
Game 28: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (20-7) AT USM GOLDEN EAGLES (18-5)
PETE TAYLOR PARK (3,000) -- HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI -- 6:30 PM
MARCH 29, 2005 -- UA PLAYS AT USM FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2000
ON THE MOUND: UA -- TBA vs. USM - 19 Barry Bowden (RH, 4 GS, 2-1, 3.80 ERA)
RADIO/TV: The Alabama-Southern Miss 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 will describe the action from Nashville this weekend.
Date Game Time Radio/TV
March 29 at Southern Miss 6:30 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM)
April 1 vs. LSU 6:36 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM), ACN
April 2 vs. LSU 6:06 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM), ACN, Jumbo Sports
April 3 vs. LSU 2:06 PM CTSN, WACT (1420 AM), CSS, Jumbo Sports
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live audio broadcasts and live stats can be found at www.rolltide.com.
TICKETS: Available at the Pete Taylor Park Box Office two hours prior to game time.
ALABAMA TRAVELS TO SOUTHERN MISS
On the road for the first time in five weeks, the Alabama Crimson Tide (20-7, 4-2 SEC) wraps up a brief four-game road trip with a midweek, non-conference game on Tuesday, March 29 against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (18-5, 4-2 C-USA) at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg. The game begins at 6:30 p.m. Alabama lost two out of three on the road at No. 25 Vanderbilt this past weekend at Hawkins Field in Nashville. The Crimson Tide lost a pair of one-run games in the series, suffering a 1-0 shutout loss in the opener and then dropping a 4-3, 13-inning affair in game two. After spotting Vandy a 6-0 lead in the second inning of the series finale, Alabama rallied to score 10 runs in the final five innings for an improbable 10-8 win. Junior 3B Evan Bush and senior RF Morrow Thomley combined for six hits and five RBI in the win. Bush had three hits, including a three-run home run in the sixth inning. Thomley had three hits, including the game-winning, two-run double in the eighth. Alabama is making its first appearance here in Hattiesburg since an 8-6, 11-inning win in 2000. The Crimson Tide also posted a 19-14 win here in 1997, the only other meeting between the two schools since 1988. Alabama has won 11 straight games from Southern Miss, dating back to the series resumption in 1997.
ALABAMA-SOUTHERN MISS SERIES
*Alabama leads the all-time series with Southern Miss, 67-22 (.753) in a series that began in 1962.
*The two teams played on an annual basis from 1962-87, with the exception of 1970. After the 1987 season, the series took a 10-year hiatus before being resumed for the 1997 season.
*The Crimson Tide and Golden Eagles have met at least once during the regular-season every year since 1997, with the exception of the 2003 season.
*Alabama has not lost to Southern Miss since the series was renewed in 1997, winning all 11 meetings.
*The Crimson Tide posted a 22-game winning streak over the Golden Eagles from 1981-87.
*Since the 1981 season, Alabama is 33-2 (.943) in the 35 meetings with USM.
*UA head coach Jim Wells is a perfect 11-0 (1.000) in his career against USM.
*USM head coach Corky Palmer is 0-9 (.000) in his career against Alabama.
*The Crimson Tide and Golden Eagles met in the 1999 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, with Alabama winning both meetings to advance to the Super Regionals. After posting a 10-4 win in second-round action, Alabama pulled out a 7-6 win in the championship game and benefited from a seventh-inning triple play against the Golden Eagles.
*Alabama holds a 41-10 (.803) all-time record against Southern Miss Tuscaloosa, including a nine-game winning streak.
*The Crimson Tide has won 22 of the last 23 meetings with the Golden Eagles in Tuscaloosa.
*In games played in Hattiesburg, the Crimson Tide holds a 24-11 (.686) lead.
*The two teams have met twice at neutral sites, splitting a two-game series in Jackson, Miss. in 1979.
Alabama-USM File
at Tuscaloosa: UA leads, 41-10 (.803)
at Hattiesburg UA leads, 25-11 (.686)
Neutral Sites: Series Tied, 1-1 (.500)
Wells vs. USM 11-0 (1.000)
Palmer vs. UA: 0-9 (.000)
UA Long Win Strk: 22 (1981-86)
USM Long Win Strk: 4 (1967)
SCOUTING REPORT: Southern Miss
*The Southern Miss Golden Eagles (18-5, 4-2 CUSA) are playing their best baseball of the 2005 season. The Golden Eagles have won
six straight games and nine of their last 11, dating back to March 11th.
*During the six-game winning streak, USM is batting .336 (76-for-226) with 11 home runs and 61 RBI.
*The Golden Eagles have homered in all six games and have hit 11 of their 26 home runs this season during the winning streak.
*USM is averaging 11.3 runs and 12.7 hits in those six games. The Golden Eagles have scored doubles figures and recorded double digit hits four times in the last six games.
*The pitching staff has worked 55 innings in those six games and allowed 61 hits, 36 runs and 32 earned runs (5.26 ERA), with 24 walks and 50 strikeouts.
*The Golden Eagles have made 11 errors (.954) in the last six games, including five in a win over Cincinnati this weekend.
*Overall, USM is batting .312 (255-for-817) with 26 home runs and 184 RBI in 23 games.
*The Golden Eagles average 8.9 runs and 11.1 hits per game this season.
*The offense is led by returning All-CUSA first baseman Marc Maddox (Hattiesburg, Miss.). The junior is batting .376 (35-for-93) in 23 games, with a team-best nine home runs and 30 RBI.
*He has compiled a .731 slugging percentage and .487 on-base mark. He also leads the club with 30 runs scored and 15 extra base hits.
*Senior third baseman Beau Griffin (Youngsville, La.) is the second-leading hitter with a .354 (35-for-99) with one home run and 23 RBI.
*Griffin is the hottest hitter in the USM lineup and enters the Alabama game with an 11-game hitting streak.
*Senior catcher Brad Willicutt (Columbus, Miss.) is also a home run threat. Wilicutt is batting .303 (27-for-89) in 23 games, with five home runs and 32 RBI.
*In six C-USA games, Willicutt is batting .318 with two home runs and 10 RBI.
*The Golden Eagles have struggled on the mound this season. In 23 games, USM is 18-5 with seven saves and a 4.75 ERA.
*USM pitchers have worked 206 1/3 innings and allowed 235 hits (1.14 per inning), 121 runs and 109 earned runs, with 70 walks and 176 strikeouts.
*Redshirt freshman RHP Barry Bowden (Vidalia, La.) is the likely starter against Alabama.
*Bowden is 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts this season. He has worked 21 1/3 innings and allowed 15 hits, 10 runs and nine earned runs, with 10 walks and 23 strikeouts.
*The ace of the bullpen is junior RHP Daniel Best (Ruston, La.), who was a midweek starter last year and the losing pitcher against Alabama.
*Best has compiled a 1-0 record, with seven saves and a 0.00 ERA in 11 appearances this season. He has worked 11 2/3 innings and allowed hits and no runs, with three walks and 13 strikeouts in his new role.
*Best gives USM a top-notch closer for the third straight season as the Golden Eagles had the services of RHP Austin Tubb each of the last two seasons.
*On defense, USM is fielding .967 in 23 games and have made 30 errors and 20 double plays.
ALABAMA-USM NOTEBOOK
*Southern Miss has five Alabama natives on its 2005 baseball roster, including RHP Bryan Adams (Semmes), LHP Cole Basinger (Demopolis), LHP Rob Burns (Tuscaloosa), OF Jacob Fowler (Northport) and LHP Brad Owen.
*Alabama does not have a player from Mississippi on its 2005 baseball roster.
*Alabama senior third baseman Rocky Scelfo and USM senior third baseman Beau Griffin were high school teammates and in the same graduating class at St. Thomas More High School in Youngsville, La.
*Alabama junior LHP Kenneth Brown also attended St. Thomas More HS and played on the same team with Scelfo and Griffin.
*USM junior RHP Daniel Best and Alabama sophomore LHP Brandon Belcher were teammates at Ruston (La.) High School.
*Two future NFL teammates pitched against one another in the Alabama-Southern Miss series. In 1967, Alabama's Kenny Stabler and USM's Ray Guy squared off on the mound here at Pete Taylor Park. Stabler and Guy were later teammates with the Oakland
Raiders and were members of the Super Bowl XIII win over the Minnesota Vikings.
BAMA SPORTS BEST ERA
*Alabama leads the SEC with 2.51 ERA through 27 games.
*The Crimson Tide staff has worked 243 2/3 innings and allowed 175 hits, 93 runs and 68 earned runs, with 86 walks and 291 strikeouts.
*Through 27 games, Alabama has allowed the second-fewest hits (175) and second-fewest earned runs (68) in the league.
*Alabama also has the lowest earned run average in SEC play this season. Through six conference games, the Crimson Tide has a 3.18 ERA in 56 2/3 innings (20 ER).
*Alabama and Vanderbilt led the SEC with a 3.36 ERA last season, which ranked seventh nationally in the final NCAA statistics.
STRIKEOUT KINGS
*In addition to leading the SEC in earned run average, the Alabama pitching staff also leads the league in strikeouts through 27 games.
*Alabama also leads the SEC in opponent's batting average (.200) and ranks second in innings pitched (243.2) and wins (20).
*The Crimson Tide staff has racked up 291 strikeouts, an average of 10.7 strikeouts per game.
*Vanderbilt is second in the league with 236 strikeouts, nearly 60 fewer than Alabama's first-place total.
*Alabama is one of only four SEC teams with 200+ strikeouts this season.
*In SEC play, Alabama is third in the league with 49 strikeouts in six games. South Carolina leads the league with 61, while Vandy is second with 52 strikeouts in SEC play.
*Alabama has three of the SECs Top 5 strikeouts leaders entering the LSU series.
*Junior RHP T.J. Large is second in the league with 54 strikeouts in seven starts.
*Senior LHP Brent Carter is third in the league with 53 strikeouts.
*Sophomore LHP Wade LeBlanc, who has not pitched since March 11th, is fifth in the SEC with 48 strikeouts.
*Tennessee junior RHP Luke Hochevar leads the SEC with 54 strikeouts.
*UA freshman RHP David Robertson has 40 strikeouts in 11 appearances to rank 12th in the league in strikeouts.
*Robertson, a native of Tuscaloosa, has 20 strikeouts in his last 11 1/3 innings over his last four appearances.
*In three SEC games, Robertson has 15 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings, including seven strikeouts against both Kentucky (2.2 IP) on March 19 and Vanderbilt (6.1 IP) on March 26.
*The Crimson Tide pitching staff has recorded 10 or more strikeouts in 19 of 27 games this season.
*Alabama has recorded double figure strikeouts in 13 of its last 19 games, including six in-a-row from March 4-12.
*The Crimson Tide struck out a season high 18 batters in a 4-0 win over McNeese State on March. 4.
*The UA staff has five pitchers that average more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings heading into the weekend series with LSU.
STRIKEOUTS PER NINE innings
Rank Pitcher (Ks) Ks/9 Inns.
1. Wade LeBlanc (48) 17.3
2. David Robertson (40) 13.7
3. Matt Downs (23) 11.5
4. T.J. Large (54) 10.6
5. Brent Carter (53) 10.9
HITTING WOES OF LATE
*The Crimson Tide has struggled at the plate in its last eight games, despite a 6-2 record.
*During its last eight games, Bama is batting only .224 (57-for-254) with three home runs and 36 RBI.
*Alabama has averaged 5.5 runs and 7.1 hits per game in the last eight games.
*Senior OF Gabe Scott is batting .458 (11-for-24) in the last eight games, with three RBI.
*Junior Evan Bush is hitting .318 (7-for-22) with two home runs and eight RBI.
*The duo is a combined 18-for-46 (.391) in the last eight games, with two home runs and 11 RBI.
*The rest of the team is a combined 39-for-208 (.188) with one home run and 25 RBI.
*The UA pitching staff has a 3.01 ERA in those eight games and has held the opposition to a .212 (55-for-259) batting average.
*Alabama has outscored the opposition 26-13 in the final four innings (6-9) over the last eight games.
*The Crimson Tide has been outscored 7-6 in the first inning during the last eight games.
