No. 13 Alabama Hosts South Alabama on Wednesday
4/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Game 43: SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS (26-17) AT ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (29-13)
SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM (6,118)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA
APRIL 27, 2005 -- 6:30 PM
ON THE MOUND: USA -- 16 John DeVisser (5 G, 2 GS, 1-0, 3.24 ERA) vs. UA -- 40 Trey Shields (RH, 4 G, 1 GS, 1-0, 1.12 ERA)'
RADIO/TV: The Alabama-South Alabama game will be broadcast through the Crimson Tide Sports Network and will be aired locally in Tuscaloosa on THE TUSK (WACT, 1420-AM). David Crane and Chris Stewart will call the action from the Joe.
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live audio broadcasts and live stats can be found at www.rolltide.com.
Date Game Time Radio/TV
April 27 vs. South Alabama 6:30 PM CTSN, WACT 1420 AM
April 29 vs. Georgia 6:36 PM CTSN, WACT 1420-AM, ACN
April 30 vs. Georgia 4 PM CTSN, WACT 1420-AM
May 1 vs. Georgia 2:06 PM CTSN, WACT 1420-AM, ACN
TICKETS: Tickets for all Alabama home games are available through the UA Athletic Ticket office, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, two hours prior to each game. Tickets for the South Alabama are one dollar ($1) as part of the year-long "Buck Night" promotion.
NO. 13 ALABAMA HOSTS SOUTH ALABAMA
Coming off another Southeastern Conference series win over then No. 8 South Carolina, the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide (29-13, 11-7 SEC) seeks its 30th win of the 2005 season as they step out of conference to take on in-state rival and perennial NCAA Regional participant South Alabama Jaguars (26-17, 10-5 Sun Belt). The two teams will meet Wednesday, April l 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The two teams last met in Tuscaloosa on April 16, 2003. The Crimson Tide posted a 17-16 win in the highest scoring game in the series 92-game history. The Jags out hit the Crimson Tide 21-17 as the two teams combined for 38 hits and eight errors in 3 1/2-hour marathon. Zac Welch (3-for-4, HR, 4 RBI) slugged his first career grand slam in the win and Travis Garner tied an Alabama record with five hits. The teams used 11 pitchers and combined to leave 21 men on base. USA stranded 13 runners, including three in the ninth inning after scoring six runs to pull to within a run at 17-16. Alabama won easily last year at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile. Greg Paiml (3-for-3) had three doubles and two RBI in the 12-1 win. The South Alabama will be Alabama's fifth this season against an in-state team. Bama is 3-1 in the previous four games with a three-game winning streak. UA will send junior RHP Trey Shields (4 G, 1 GS, 1-0, 1.12 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday night for his second straight midweek start. He earned his first career win last week against Miss. Valley State, with four shutout innings.
BASEBALL TEAM PICKS UP AWARDS
The Alabama baseball team received the University of Alabama Outstanding Community Outreach Award for most hours of community service at the 2005 Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Awards Banquet on Monday, April 25 at the Paul W. Bryant Conference Center ... A number of Crimson Tide players were honored for the off-the-field skills in the classroom and community service on Monday night ... Senior Gabe Scott (Lake Charles, La.) was the baseball team's representative for the 2005 Paul W. Bryant Scholar-Athlete Award and was recognized as an Outstanding Finance Student ... Senior Allen Rice (Helena, Ala.) picked up three awards, including Community Outreach Award for his hours and hours of community service while Alabama; the 2005 SEC Community Service Scholarship nominee and was named to the Dean's List (College of Education) ... Redshirt freshman Doug Denson (Vestavia Hills) was inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta ... Sophomore RHP David Laminack (Gardendale) was named to the Honors Program Student Assn ... Junior catcher David Ferazza (Redwood, Calif.) was recognized for excellence in UA Marketing program ... Junior RHP Kenneth Brown (Lafayette, La.) received recognition from African American Scholars ... Sophomore OF Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and picked up the Department of Marketing's Spencer Strategic Distribution Scholarship ...
SOUTH ALABAMA SERIES
*In one of the longest running non-conference series in the school's baseball record book, Alabama holds a 48-44 (.522) all-time series lead over South Alabama, dating back to the initial meeting in 1967.
*Alabama has won the last two games in the series, eight of the last nine meetings and 12 of the last 14, dating back to the 1995 season.
*The Crimson Tide posted a lopsided 12-1 win at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile on March 31, 2005.
*Greg Paiml led the UA offense with three hits, all doubles, and drove in two runs in the win.
*In the last meeting at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Alabama held off South Carolina for a 17-16 win during the 2003 season.
*The Jags scored six times in the ninth inning and left the bases loaded as the game ended.
*The Crimson Tide's 17-16 win is the highest scoring game in the series.
*The Alabama-South Alabama series began in 1967 with the Crimson Tide winning a pair of 3-2 games in Tuscaloosa.
*South Alabama earned its first series win in 1968, posting a 5-4 win at Stanky Field.
*Alabama holds a 33-18 (.647) series advantage in games played here in Tuscaloosa.
*The Crimson Tide is 8-1 (.889) against the Jaguars under Coach Jim Wells, including an eight-game home winning streak.
*Alabama is 15-26 (.366) all-time against South Alabama here in Mobile.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 12-3 (.833) in his career against South Alabama.
*USA head coach Steve Kittrell is 20-34 (.370) in his career against the Crimson Tide.
ALABAMA VS. SUN BELT CONFERENCE
*Alabama owns a 100-67 (.599) record against the teams from the Sun Belt Conference.
*Alabama has played at least one game with every member of the league with the exception of New Mexico State.
*The Crimson Tide was 3-1 (.750) against the Sun Belt Conference last season, including two wins over New Orleans and one win over South Alabama.
SCOUTING REPORT: South Alabama
*The South Alabama Jaguars (26-17) bring a two-game winning streak to Tuscaloosa after taking two of three at Middle Tennessee State this weekend.
*After dropping a 6-5, 14-inning marathon in the series opener, the Jags bounced back to win the next two games.
*As a team, South Alabama is batting .292 (449-for-1537) in 43 games with 36 home runs and 265 RBI.
*South Alabama averages 6.9 runs and 10.4 hits per game this season.
*Junior third baseman David Freese (Wildwood, Missouri) is the only player to start all 43 games and is the club's leading hitter.
*Freese is batting .363 (62-for-171) with four home runs and 38 RBI. He has a team,-best .491 slugging percentage and .415 on-base mark.
*Junior outfielder Ben Froemming (Pensacola, Fla.) is second on the team with a .353 (53-for-150) average with one home run and 24 RBI.
*Froemming leads the team with 14 doubles and 10 stolen bases and ranks second with 36 runs scored.
*Junior outfielder Quendon Montgomery (Mobile) is the only other Jag hitting higher than .300 on the season. The Murphy HS product is batting .309 (42-for-136) with 10 doubles and 27 RBI.
*Junior first baseman Josh Morgan (Thomasville) leads the club with eight home runs and ranks second with 31 RBI in 36 games. In addition, Morgan is batting .263 (35-for-133) this season and leads USA with 27 strikeouts.
*Freshman infielder Josh Stapleton (Daphne) is second with five home runs and 20 RBI. He is batting .261 (24-for-92) in 34 games.
*On the mound, the Jags are 26-17 with 4.23 ERA in 43 games. South Alabama has four complete games and nine saves this season.
*Junior RHP John Devisser (Modesto, Calif.) will get the nod on the mound against Alabama. Devisser is 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA in five games this season. The Alabama game will be his third start of the year. He has worked 16 2/3 innings and allowed 14 hit, eight runs and six earned runs, with four walks and 13 strikeouts.
*The bullpen consists of sophomore RHP Chase Christianson (Mobile) and senior LHP Adam Wood (Daphne).
*Christianson has compiled a 2-4 record with five saves and a 3.20 ERA in a team-best 20 games.
*He has worked 50 2/3 innings and allowed 41 hits, 28 runs and 18 earned runs, with 17 walks and 45 strikeouts.
*He has held the opposition to a .216 batting average.
*Wood is 2-2 with three saves and a 1.73 ERA in 14 appearances. He has been tough on lefties throughout his career.
*The senior has worked 36 1/3 innings and allowed 36 hits, 12 runs and seven earned runs, with eight walks and 52 strikeouts.
*South Alabama opponents are batting .278 (*430-for-1544) this season and average 5.8 runs and 10 hits per game.
*South Alabama has allowed 33 home runs in 43 games.
*Defensively, the Jags have made 78 errors in (.954) in 43 games and have turned 38 double plays.
*Freese has made 17 errors at the "hot corner", while sophomore shortstop Guillermo Martinez (Miami, Fla.) has made 15 errors.
*The left side of the infield has combined for 32 errors in 43 games, while Stapleton has added 13 errors at first base.
