Bama Baseball Closes Out Home Schedule with Arkansas
5/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Game 51: ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS (35-14) AT ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (34-16)
SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM (6,118) -- TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA -- 6:30 PM
MAY 13, 2005 -- BAMA CLOSES OUT HOME SLATE WITH ARKANSAS
ON THE MOUND: ARK -- 33 Nick Schmidt (LHP, 15 G, 7-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. UA -- 23 Wade LeBlanc (LH, 9 GS, 4-3, 3.92 ERA)
RADIO/TV: The Alabama-Arkansas series 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 this weekend.
Date Game Time Radio/TV
May 13 vs. Arkansas 6:30 PM CTSN, WACT 1420-AM
May 14 vs. Arkansas 4 PM CTSN, WACT 1420-AM
May 15 vs. Arkansas 11:02 AM CTSN, WACT 1420-AM, CSS-TV
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live audio broadcasts and live stats can be found at www.rolltide.com.
TICKETS: Tickets for Alabama-Arkansas series are available through the 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 Sunday's "Fan Appreciation Day" will be $3 and all ticket holders will receive a free hot dog, small drink and small popcorn.
SEC WEST LEADERS CLOSE OUT HOME SLATE
The No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide (33-16, 14-10 SEC) plays its final home series of the 2005 season this weekend as they host the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks (35-14, 11-13 SEC) in a crucial three-game Southeastern Conference series this weekend in Tuscaloosa. The series opener is set for Friday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. The teams will also play Saturday, May 14 at 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 15 a t 11:02 a.m., in a game time set by the league office to accommodate Arkansas' travel plans. The series finale will be televised live by CSS-TV. Alabama enters its final home weekend in a first-place tie with LSU in the SEC Western Division. Only three games separate Alabama from the last place team (Auburn and Arkansas) in the division standings with six league games to play. Although, Alabama and LSU lead the Western Division, both teams could still finish anywhere from first to 10th place in the overall league standings. The Crimson Tide has been good at home this year, posting a league-best 27-5 (.844) home record. Alabama (4-0) and Miss. State (4-0) are the only two SEC teams not to lose a home conference series. That is a reverse of last year when Alabama (0-5) and Auburn (0-5) were the only two SEC teams not to win an SEC home series. Arkansas is a league-best 15-8 (.653) on the road, including a 5-7 mark in SEC play. Arkansas has lost its last three SEC road series to Auburn, Tennessee and Kentucky after opening the season with a series win at South Carolina.
ALABAMA BASEBALL NOTEBOOK
Alabama is 9-4 (.692) in its last 13 games, dating back to April 17th ... The Crimson Tide is playing its sixth ranked opponent of the 2005 season this weekend as they host the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks in a three-game SEC series ... Alabama is 8-7 (.533) against Top 25 clubs this season, including a 4-2 (.667) mark here at home ... Alabama has seven seniors playing their final regular season home games this weekend ... The senior class includes Brent Carter, Matt Grooms, Allen Rice, Gabe Scott, Rocky Scelfo, Morrow Thomley and Zac Welch ... The seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony Saturday, May 14 at 3:40 p.m. ... Senior student-manager Nick Johnson will also be honored prior to Saturday's game ... Alabama has been in first place in the SEC standings every day this season ... The Crimson Tide finished last in the SEC Western Division last season and is shooting for a "worst-to-first" season in 2005 ... Alabama has trailed in 37 of 50 games this season and has posted 21 come-from-behind wins ...Overall, 13 of the 21 comeback wins this year have taken place in the sixth inning or later ... Alabama has nine come-from-behind wins in SEC play ... Senior LHP Brent Carter (6-2, 3.63 ERA) became the school's all-time strikeout leader last weekend at Miss. State ... Carter has 292 career strikeouts to break the previous record held by Lance Cormier (1999-2002) ... He struck out MSU left fielder MSU Brian LaNinfa in the fifth inning for his 290th strikeout and the all-time record ...
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (Arkansas Series)
Friday, May 13, 2005 (6:30 PM)
Pitcher G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
W. LeBlanc (L) 9-9 4 3 0 3.92 57.1 44 27 25 16 77 1
N. Schmidt (L) 15-13 7 1 0 2.45 73.1 57 27 20 29 61 1
Saturday, May 14, 2005 (4 PM)
Pitcher G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
B. Belcher (L) 12-7 4 0 0 4.53 45.2 47 32 23 21 38 1
S. Seibert (R) 17-6 5 1 1 2.82 54.1 46 25 17 24 52 0
Sunday, May 1, 2005 (11:02 AM - CSS)
Pitcher G-GS W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K CG
TBA
TBA
SENIORS BID FAREWELL TO THE JOE
*Seven members of the Alabama baseball team will play their final regular season home games this weekend as the Crimson Tide hosts the Arkansas Razorbacks in a crucial three-game series.
*The 2005 Alabama baseball senior class will be honored in a pregame ceremony on Saturday, May 14 prior to the Alabama-Arkansas game, which begins at 4 p.m.
*The senior class has compiled a 152-81 (.652) overall record at Alabama. They have been a part of one SEC Western Division championship (2002), two SEC Tournament titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Regionals (2002 and 2003).
*The senior class includes Brent Carter (LHP, Americus, Ga,), Matt Grooms (OF, Montgomery), Rocky Scelfo (INF, Youngsville, La.), Gabe Scott (OF, Lake Charles, La.), Allen Rice (DH, Helena), Morrow Thomley (OF, Tuscaloosa) and Zac Welch (1B, Wellington).
ALABAMA-ARKANSAS SERIES
*Alabama leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 28-13 (.683) since the first meeting in 1992.
*All 41 meetings between the two schools have taken place since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1991-92.
*Arkansas took two of three from Alabama last year in Fayetteville to snap a streak of eight consecutive series losses to the Crimson Tide, dating back to 1995.
*Alabama has won the last four series here in Tuscaloosa with Arkansas. The Razorbacks have not won a road series with the Crimson Tide since 1995.
*Alabama swept Arkansas in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003 and enters the 2005 season having won the last 12 meetings here in Tuscaloosa with the Razorbacks. The winning streak dates back to the final game of the 1995 series. The 1997 series was a rain-shortened two-game series won by Alabama.
*In addition, Alabama is 22-4 (.846) in the last 26 meetings with Arkansas, dating back to 1996.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 24-8 (.750) as head coach of the Crimson Tide against the Razorbacks.
*Including his five years at Northwestern State, Wells is 24-10 (.706) against the Hogs.
*Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn is 2-4 (.333) in his career against Alabama.
*Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn replaced Jim Wells at Northwestern State. Wells (1990-94) was at NSU for five years before taking the Alabama job.
*The day Wells was hired at Bama, Van Horn was leading Central Missouri State to the Division II national championship at Paterson Filed in Montgomery, Ala.
*Van Horn left NSU after two years and went to Nebraska before coming back to his alma mater two years ago.
*Wells and Van Horn have take five teams to the College World Series. Wells took Alabama to Omaha in 1996, 1997 and 1999, while Van Horn took Nebraska in 2001 and 2002.
*Both coaches have made back-to-back trips to the College World Series.
SCOUTING REPORT: Arkansas
*The Arkansas Razorbacks (35-14, 11-13 SEC) are coming off a home series win over the No. 8 Florida Gators last weekend in Fayetteville.
*The Hogs took the first two games, 4-1 and 3-2, with the second game going 10 innings. Florida avoided the sweep with an 11-10 win on Sunday that saw Arkansas score five in the ninth and leave the tying run at second base.
*The Razorbacks posted a 12-game winning streak from Feb. 20 through March 18, their longest of the season.
*Arkansas added a nine-game winning streak from April 3-15, which included five straight SEC wins over Auburn, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
*Since the nine-game winning streak, Arkansas has lost eight of its last 13 games, dating back to April 16th.
*The Razorbacks have played most of the SEC season without two of its best players.
*Senior outfielder Casey Rowlett (.473, HR, 24 RBI) and senior infielder Scott Bridges (.410, 3 HR, 15 RBI) were suspended in late March for a violation of team rules and are not expected to return.
*Arkansas also lost second baseman John Henry Marquardt (.375, 10 2B, 2 HR, 23 RBI) to a knee injury. He is expected to return to the lineup at some point this season.
*As a team, Arkansas is batting .313 (537-for-1,717) with 51 home runs and 316 RBI in 49 games.
*Arkansas ranks third in the SEC with 110 doubles.
*Arkansas leads the SEC with 94 stolen bases. Rowlett and Bridges accounted for 38 of the 94 thefts on the base paths.
*In SEC play, Arkansas is batting .263 (215-for-817) with 19 home runs and 109 RBI.
*Sophomore infielder Danny Hamblin (Rowlett, Texas) is the Razorbacks triple crown leader after 47 games. Hamblin leads the Hogs with a .358 (62-for-173) batting average, 10 home runs and 42 RBI.
*Hamblin is hitting .295 (26-for-88) in league play, with three home runs and 19 RBI.
*Senior infielder Scott Hode (Crystal Lake, Illinois) is second on the team with a .322 (55-for-171) average with two home runs and 20 RBI.
*Hode leads the team in SEC play with a .302 (26-for-86) with seven RBI. He is the only regular hitting over .300 in conference action.
*The Razorbacks also rely on the power of sophomore utility man Blake Parker (Fayetteville), who is batting .244 with nine home runs and 29 RBI.
*Parker (.161, 4 HR, 11 RBI) leads Arkansas with four home runs in SEC play.
*Sophomore outfielder Jake Dugger (Omaha, Neb.) is hitting .250 with eight home runs and 41 RBI, while senior infielder Clay Goodwin (Benton, Ark.) is hitting .264 with five home runs and 36 RBI.
*Arkansas has a lot of depth on the mound, especially with freshman left-hander Nick Schmidt (High Ridge, Missouri) and junior right-hander Charley Boyce (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma).
*The Razorbacks have a 3.59 staff ERA entering the Alabama series. The Hogs also have one complete games and 13 saves.
*In SEC play, Arkansas has a 4.53 ERA and seven saves.
*Schmidt has posted a 7-1 record and team-best 2.45 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) this season. He has worked 73 1/3 innings and allowed 57 hits, 27 runs and 20 earned runs, with 29 walks and 61 strikeouts.
*Schmidt is the anticipated starter in Friday night's series opener.
*Schmidt is 4-1 with team-best 2.58 ERA in eight SEC starts. He is coming off a complete-game win over Florida last Friday night in Fayetteville.
*Boyce is 8-6 with three saves and 3.84 ERA. He leads the staff in wins (8), appearances (21) and innings pitched (79 2/3). He will like see action out of the bullpen as he has done most of the season.
*Boyce is 3-5 with three saves and a 4.53 ERA in 12 SEC games this season.
*Freshman RHP Shaun Siebert (Edwardsville, Illinois) is expected to start game two of the Alabama series. Siebert is 5-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 17 games, including six starts.
*Siebert is 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in eight SEC games.
*Sophomore RHP Josh Smith (Lake Havasu City, Arizona) is the likely Sunday starter against Alabama. Smith is 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 17 games this season.
*Smith is 1-2 with a 5.19 ERA in eight SEC games. He made his first start last Sunday in an 11-10 loss at home to Florida.
*Freshman RHP Lee Land (Durham, NC) has also seen a lot of time on the mound this year. He is 1-2 with four saves and a 3.60 ERA in 17 appearances.
*In SEC play, Land is 0-2 with three saves and 5.11 ERA in 10 league games.
*Arkansas has made 71 errors (.964) in 49 games this season and turned 40 double plays.
*Hode (13), Marquardt (13) and Goodwin (10) all have double figures in errors this season.
*In SEC play, Arkansas has made 41 errors in 24 games and turned 14 double plays.
*Marquardt (8) and Hode (6) have made 14 errors in SEC play.
BAMA LEADS SEC WEST
*Alabama is 14-10 (.583) in the always rugged Southeastern Conference and is currently tied with LSU for first place in the Western Division with two weekends remaining.
*Alabama hosts Arkansas this weekend in Tuscaloosa, while LSU tangles with overall SEC leader Tennessee in Baton Rouge.
*The Vols are one-half game ahead of second place Florida in the SEC Eastern Division and 1 1/2 games ahead of Bama and LSU.
*The Crimson Tide has been in first place since the first game of the 2005 SEC season, trying for one of those rare "wire-to-wire" seasons.
*Alabama opened the season with a three-game sweep against Kentucky to remain in first place after three games.
*The Kentucky series marked Alabama's first home SEC series win since sweeping No. 15 Arkansas on April 25-27, 2003.
*Despite losing two of three the next weekend at No. 25 Vanderbilt, Alabama was able to maintain a share of first-place after all three days, despite back-to-back losses to open the series.
*The Crimson Tide was 4-2 after six league games and in a first-place tie with LSU, Ole Miss and Miss. State.
*The following weekend, Alabama took two of three from then No. 4 LSU and gained sole possession of first place in the SEC West following Sunday's 13-inning, series-clinching win.
*Alabama won its first series from No. 4 LSU (April 1-3) since the 1999 season as they took two of three from the Tigers earlier this season.
*The series win over LSU was also the first series win over a ranked team since Alabama swept No. 15 Arkansas on April 25-27, 2003 in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama stayed atop the SEC standings the next weekend with two wins at No. 9 Ole Miss (April 8-10) in Oxford.
*The Crimson Tide also won two of three at No. 9 Ole Miss (April 8-10) to claim its first series win over the Rebels since 2000. The series win was also the Tide's first in Oxford since a three-game sweep in 1997.
*The back-to-back series wins over LSU and Ole Miss were the first for Alabama 2002 when the Tide beat Florida and Kentucky (away) in back-to-back weekends in early April.
*Alabama's series win over Ole Miss was the first road series win against an SEC Western Division foe since winning two of three from Arkansas during the 2002 season.
*The Crimson Tide lost two of three at No. 5 Florida in week five of the season, but mangled to hang on to the top spot despite back-to-back losses in the first two games.
*Facing a 6-3 deficit and possible sweep in the ninth inning, Alabama scored six runs on April 17 to regain sole possession of first place in the SEC Western Division.
*The win over Florida kept the Tide along in first place, one game ahead of Arkansas and Auburn.
*The emergence of LSU the last few weeks has tightened the race even further. The Tigers were in last place at the midpoint of the season but have made a run and tied Alabama for division lead.
*LSU is 9-3 in its last 12 SEC games, with four straight series wins.
*Alabama took two of three from South Carolina and Georgia in back-to-back home weekends, including a few miracles finishes to hold on to at least a share of first place.
*Alabama took two of three at home from No. 8 South Carolina to pick up its first series win over the Gamecocks since 2001.
*After dropping the opener at Miss. State (May 6), Alabama was facing the possibility of losing its divisor lead to the surging Tigers.
*Alabama pulled out a win on May 7, while LSU lost at home to Kentucky. The teams reversed their fortunes on Sunday, May 8 and enter this weekend deadlocked in first place with 14-10 league records.
*The 2005 season marks the second straight year that two teams battling for the overall league title did not meet in the regular season.
*Last season, Georgia and Arkansas were co-champions with 21-9 SEC records and did not face each other in the regular-season. In fact, the two teams did not even meet in the SEC Tournament.
*Alabama has won five of its first eight SEC series, including three series wins over Top 10 teams.
*The Crimson Tide won only one SEC series in 2005 and the series win came against Kentucky.
*Alabama posted a 9-6 (.600) record in the first-half of the SEC schedule and played three of those five series away from home.
*The Crimson Tide is 5-4 (.556) in the second half of the season and plays two of its last three series away from home.
*Alabama has won all four home series this season after losing all five home SEC series in 2004. In fact, the Crimson Tide entered the 2005 season having lost its last six SEC home series dating back to the 2003 season.
*Here is a look at Alabama's week-by-week standing in the SEC Western Division.
2005 SEC WESTERN DIVISION STANDINGS
Week SEC Record Rank (GB +/-)
3-20 3-0 (1.000) T1st (LSU)
3-27 4-2 (.667) T1st (LSU, UM, MSU)
4- 3 6-3 (.667) 1st (+1)
4-10 8-4 (.667) 1st (+2)
4-17 9-6 (.600) 1st (+1)
4-24 11-7 (.000) 1st (+1)
5- 1 13-8 (.000) 1st (+1)
5- 8 14-10 (.000) T1st (LSU)
5-15
5-23
THE RACE HEATS UP
*The 2005 SEC pennant race is like that of any other year -- a log jam.
*No other league across the country has 10 teams within 4 1/2 games of first-place entering the final two weeks of league play.
*The two division leaders (Tennessee and Alabama) could finish anywhere from first place to 10th place as the last six games of the regular season unfold.
*Tennessee (15-8) is the overall SEC leader with six games to play. Florida (15-9) is second overall and second in the Eastern Division, one-half game behind the Vols.
*Alabama (14-10) and LSU (14-10) are the co-leaders in the SEC West and trail Tennessee by 1 1/2 games for the overall championship.
*The league championship is wide open with six games remaining as are the eight spots for the 2005 SEC Tournament, which will be played May 25-29 at the Hoover Met.
*Kentucky (6-17) has already been mathematically eliminated from championship contention and will likely be knocked out of the tournament race this weekend.
*Georgia (9-14) is one-game from being eliminated from championship contention, but still very much in the SEC tourney hunt after winning two of three last weekend against Vandy.
*In all, 11 teams could go into the final weekend of the season, and perhaps the final game, with a shot of making it to the SEC Tournament.
*So it's anybody's guess which team will win the league, let alone make it to Hoover.
LARGE COULD MISS FIRST START
*Junior right-header T.J. Large (Seminole, Fla.), who has started every Friday night SEC game for Alabama this season, will not be on the mound in the series opener with Arkansas.
*If all goes according to plan, Large will not pitch at all this weekend against the Razorbacks.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells says that his junior right-hander is "fatigued" and wants to give him some "much needed rest".
*Large has started 13 games for Alabama this season and averaged 113.07 pitches per start.
*Large threw a season-high 141 pitches in 7 2/3 innings at Vanderbilt (Mar. 25). Alabama lost that game 1-0.
*He has pitched seven or more innings eight times this season.
*Large has his worst outing of the season May 6 against Miss. State as he allowed five runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings. He added two walks and hit two batters in the loss.
*For the season, Large is 6-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 14 total appearances. He leads the staff with 83 innings pitched.
*Alabama is 10-3 in Large's 13 starts this season.
LeBLANC RETURNS TO NO. 1 SPOT
*Sophomore left-hander Wade LeBlanc (Lake Charles, La.) will return to the No. 1 spot in the rotation this Friday as Alabama hosts No. 18 Arkansas in Tuscaloosa.
*He will make his first Friday night start since the Tide's 5-4 loss to Miami (Ohio) on Mar. 11 in Tuscaloosa.
*LeBlanc opened the season as Alabama's No. 1 starter but suffered a bruised shoulder on Mar. 12 after a post-game dog pile celebration and missed the next four weeks.
*The Lake Charles, La., native returned to the mound on Tuesday, April 12 with a 60-pitch rehab start against Memphis.
*LeBlanc has made five starts since his return and has compiled a 2-2 (.500) record and 4.73 ERA.
*He has pitched at least eight innings in each of his last three starts and gone into the ninth inning twice.
*LeBlanc is coming off a win over Miss. State (8 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) on May 7 in Starkville.
*The left-hander tossed his first complete game of the season where he held No. 8 South Carolina to four runs and five hits in nine innings. He added one walk and struck out three.
*LeBlanc needed only 104 pitches for his ninth complete game at Alabama and recorded 19 fly balls outs in the win.
*He made his 2005 SEC debut at No. Florida on April 16 and gave up five runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings in the loss.
*Prior to the injury, LeBlanc was 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in starts against Hawaii, Duquesne, McNeese State and Miami.
*He combined with Jordan Davis on a one-hit shutout against McNeese State on Mar. 4. In the win, LeBlanc struck out a career-high 17 batters and missed the UA single-game record by one with the 4-0 win.
*For the season, LeBlanc is averaging 108.2 pitches per start.
*In his nine starts, he has pitched seven or more innings five times.
*Since his return, LeBlanc has averaged 105 pitches over his five starts.
SCOTT CHASING LEAGUE BATTING TITLE
*The way he has been swinging the bat the last month, its no surprise that Gabe Scott is among the top hitters in the SEC.
*The senior from Lake Charles, La, is batting .411 (58-for-141) with 11 home runs and 31 RBI in 43 games.
*Scott is second in the SEC in hitting this week and trails Ole Miss' Brian Pettway (.421) by 10 points for the league batting title.
*Pettway is batting .421 (80-for-190) in 50 games this season, with 16 home runs and 56 RBI.
*Pettway and Scott are the only two players hitting over .400 in the SEC this season.
*Scott posted a 27-game hitting streak for Alabama from Feb. 25 through April 22.
*Since the streak ended with an 0-for-4 day against South Carolina, Scott is still hitting .361 (13-for-36) in his last 10 games.
*Scott seeks to become the first Alabama player to win the SEC batting title since Mike Twardowski hit .399 to win the league crown in 1986.
*The only other UA player to win the SEC batting title since 1960 was 1983 Golden Spikes Award winner and SEC Player of the Year David Magadan.
*The junior toyed with SEC pitchers all season long and hit an SEC record .525 in helping Alabama to the SEC Championship and a runner-up finish to Texas in the College World Series.
*In SEC play, Scott leads the league with a .430 (37-for-86) average in 24 games, with eight home runs and 23 RBI.
*Scott is 16 points ahead of Tennessee's Chase Headley, who is in second place with a .414 (36-for-87) average in 23 games.
*Scott and Headley are the only two players hitting over .400 in conference play this season.
BAMA'S .400 CLUB
*Alabama senior LF Gabe Scott is seeking to become just the sixth player in school history to hit .400 or better in a single-season.
*The Lake Charles, La., native is currently batting .411 (58-for-141) with 11 home runs and 30 RBI in 43 games.
*Scott's current average would tie Peter Stonard (2002) for the second-highest in Bama annals, second only to David Magadan's SEC record-setting .525 (114-for-217) season in 1983.
*Here is a look at the .400 hitters in Alabama baseball history.
Name (Year) G AVG. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K
D. Magadan (1983) 56 .525 217 67 114 31 4 9 95 34 18
G. Scott (2005) 43 .411 141 32 58 11 0 11 30 25 27
P. Stonard (2002) 58 .411 236 59 97 22 5 5 42 26 17
C. Glass (1982) 53 .405 180 50 73 15 4 2 40 41 16
C. Moller (1995) 59 .405 251 35 87 16 2 10 44 16 38
R. Vaz (1997) 63 .400 255 87 102 16 9 22 74 35 22
CARTER IS BAMA'S STRIKEOUT KING
*University of Alabama senior left-hander Brent Carter made history May 6 in Starkville as he became the Crimson Tide's all-time strikeout leader with his 290th career strikeout in the fifth inning.
"Personally, it certainly means a lot to have name above Lance Cormier, who is now pitching in the big leagues, and Mike Sodders and Al Drumheller," Carter said following his longest relief stint of the year. "They are all great pitchers. The big thing is we lost the game. That is what hurts right now. It's kind of a bitter sweet night to break the record.
*Carter (Americus, Ga.) struck out MSU left fielder Brian LaNinfa in the fifth inning to break the previous record of 289 career strikeouts held by former Tide All-American Lance Cormier. Cormier (1999-2002) now pitches for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Carter tied the all-time mark when he struck out LaNinfa in the third inning.
"The first time I struck him out, I surprised him with an off-speed pitch," Carter added. "The second time, it was a 3-2 fastball and I threw it by him and he was late on it.
"It was a good feeling inside, but I knew there was a more important task at hand and that was to keep the game close and give out guys a chance to win."
*Carter worked a season-high 6 2/3 innings in relief and allowed two runs and eight hits, with one walk and four strikeouts against the Bulldogs.
*He drew praise from Alabama head coach Jim Wells for his performance on Friday night and for the becoming the school's all-time strikeout leader.
"Brent has had a good career here," Wells said. "I am happy for him and it is very deserving. But more importantly, with maybe one more small adjustment he can really be a big pitcher for us in the post-season. He will be a big part of what we are going to be able to do. The bright spot was I thought Carter pitched good, which is encouraging for the future."
*Carter has appeared in 71 career games for Alabama and compiled a 24-10 (.706) record and 3.64 ERA. He has logged 314 1/3 innings and allowed 303 hits, 151 runs and 127 earned runs, with 63 walks and 292 strikeouts.
*His best season came in 2002 when he set Alabama single-season records for wins, innings pitched and strikeouts for a sophomore pitcher.
"I will definitely look back on my sophomore year," Carter recalled. "I had everything working. I was basically new to the league because I did not throw much my freshman year. For a while there, I dominated the league. And as I look back on that season drying the stretch run, I was one of the top pitchers in the SEC. That is one thing that sticks out."
*Carter posted a 10-5 record in 19 games as a sophomore and compiled a 3.30 ERA for the Tide. Carter worked 122 2/3 innings and recorded 105 strikeouts, the second-highest single-season total in school history.
ALL-TIME STRIKEOUT LEADERS
Rank Player (Yrs) Ks
1. BRENT CARTER (2002-Present) 292
2. Lance Cormier (1999-2002) 289
3. Mike Sodders (1985-88) 274
4. Al Drumheller (1991-93) 262
5. Mike Innes (1968-71) 254
6. Joel Colgrove (1993-96) 237
Chris Eilers (1994-97) 237
8. Taylor Tankerlsey (2002-04) 232
9. Tommy Milstead (1988-91) 231
10. Jackie Glover (1967-69) 228
ROBERTSON ENJOYING SOLID FRESHMAN SEASON
*Alabama freshman right-hander David Robertson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) has enjoyed much success during his first season with the Crimson Tide.
*Robertson's success has made him a legitimate candidate for National and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.
*Robertson is also a candidate for All-American and All-SEC accolades.
*The Tuscaloosa native has appeared in a team-high 23 games and compiled a 6-3 record with six saves and 1.96 ERA.
*He has recorded a team-best 83 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings.
*He averages 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings in those 23 games.
*With six wins this season, Robertson is just two wins shy of the Alabama single-season record for most wins by a freshman.
*The freshman record for wins is eight held by B.J. Green (1998), Scott Murphy (1999), Taylor Tankersley (2002) and Wade LeBlanc (2004).
*Robertson is nine strikeouts shy of the single-season record for freshmen. Wade LeBlanc (2004) holds the freshman record with 98 strikeouts.
*Robertson leads the SEC with a .164 opponents batting average.
*He is third in the SEC with a 1.96 ERA and third in the league with 89 strikeouts.
*Robertson is fifth in the SEC with those 23 appearances.
*The right-hander made his Alabama debut at Hawai'i (1.2 IP, 2 BB, 4 K) on Feb. 12 and was the winning pitcher in his first game at UA.
*He was the first true freshman to win his Alabama debut since Allen Ponder knocked off No. 3 Rice at the Minute Maid Park College Classic in Houston during the 2003 season.
*Robertson opened the 2005 season with 18 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
*The rookie struggled with control early in the season as he walked 11 batters in his first 12 1/3 innings through March 5th.
*Since then, Robertson has issued only 14 walks in his last 47 1/3 innings in his last 17 appearances.
*Robertson has 20 relief appearances and also made three starts this season. Alabama is 3-0 when the rookie starts on the mound.
*He pitched a season-high seven innings and recorded a season-best nine strikeouts in a no-decision against Georgia (May 1).
*He has five or more strikeouts in eight of his 23 appearances this season.
