Alabama Opens SEC Play at No. 23 Georgia
3/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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| Wade LeBlanc |
GAMES: 21-23: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (14-6) at GEORGIA BULLDOGS (13-2)
FOLEY FIELD (3,791) -- ATHENS, GEORGIA -- 7 pm (ET)
MARCH 17, 2006 -- CRIMSON TIDE OPENS 73RD SEC SEASON
Date Game Time Radio
Mar. 17 at Georgia 7 PM (ET) CTSN, WACT (1420 AM)
Mar. 18 at Georgia 4 PM (ET) CTSN, WACT (1420 AM)
Mar. 19 at Georgia 1 PM (ET) CTSN, WACT (1420 AM)
ON THE MOUND:
UA 23 Wade LeBlanc (LHP, Jr., 6-3, 193, Lake Charles, La.; 5 GS, 3-0, 1.75 ERA, 36 IP, 20 H, 7 ER, 6 BB, 38 K)
UGa 14 Brooks Brown (RHP, Jr., 6-3, 205, Portal, Ga.; 4 GS, 2-0, 2.62 ERA, 24 IP, 18 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 9 BB, 28 K)
INTERNET BROADCAST: Live audio broadcasts and live stats can be found at www.rolltide.com. The games are aired on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with David Crane calling the action this weekend from Foley Field in Athens. Live stats are also available at www.georgiadogs.com.
TICKETS: Tickets for the Alabama-Georgia series are $5 each and available each day at the Foley Field Box Office, which opens two hours prior to each game.
ALABAMA OPENS SEC PLAY AT NO. 23 GEORGIA
The University of Alabama baseball team opens Southeastern Conference play this weekend when they travel to Athens, Ga., to face the No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs. The three-game series begins Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m. (ET). The series continues on Saturday, March 18 at 4 p.m. (ET) and Sunday, March 19 at 1 p.m. (ET). The 2006 season will mark the sixth time that Alabama has opened its SEC schedule with Georgia. The Bulldogs have won three of those five openers against the Crimson Tide. Alabama (14-6) continues one of the toughest stretches in school history with seven straight games against Top 25 foes. The Georgia series also marks the second straight Top 25 team Alabama has faced on the road this season. The Crimson Tide is 2-5 (.286) against Top 25 teams this season heading into its SEC opener at Georgia. The Crimson Tide posted a 13-3 win over No. 20 Southern Miss Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa. The 13 runs were the most scored in a game by the Crimson Tide this season, while the 14 hits equaled the second highest total of the season. Alabama's 13-3 victory over Southern Miss was the most-lopsided win against a Top 25 team since Alabama beat No. 12 Auburn 19-0 on April 19, 2004 in Tuscaloosa. Freshman LHP Miers Quigley (Roswell, Ga.) earned his first career win with seven strong innings on the mound. Another freshman RF Kent Matthes (Orlando) had two hits and two RBI in just his third career start for Alabama. Junior CF Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) added three hits and three RBI, while junior SS Greg Paiml (Hoover) went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Georgia (13-2) brings a six-game winning streak into Friday's series opener. The Bulldogs have scored 10 or more runs in five of the last six games, including four straight. Georgia won a pair of midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday against Kennesaw State and Western Carolina. The last seven meetings between Alabama and Georgia have been decided by 12 total runs, including five two-run games and two one-run affairs. Since 1996, Bama and Georgia have played 16 games decided by two runs or less, including seven one-run tilts. The home team has won the last seven series. Alabama was the last road team to win a series, taking two of three from Georgia at Foley Field in 1998. The Bulldogs have won the last three series in Athens, including the first-ever sweep of Jim Wells-coached Alabama team in 2000. UGa also claimed series wins in 2002 and 2004. Alabama is 43-27 (.614) all-time in SEC openers, including an 8-3 (.727) under head coach Jim Wells. The 2006 season marks the sixth time Alabama has opened its SEC slate with Georgia. The Bulldogs are 3-2 in those previous five meetings. The Crimson Tide has three players from the state of Georgia, including sophomore RHPs Josh Copeland (Palmetto) and Austin Hyatt (Marietta) and Quigley.
ALABAMA-GEORGIA SERIES
*In a series that dates back to the 1904 season, Georgia holds a 60-54-2 all-time lead. The Bulldogs are the only SEC team to own a winning record over the Crimson Tide.
*Alabama took two of three from Georgia last year in Tuscaloosa.
*The Crimson Tide won the series opener in dramatic fashion when Evan Bush ripped a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning off Will Startup to give the Tide a 5-3 win.
*Georgia scored a run in the eighth inning to take a 4-3 win in game two of the series. Kyle Keen led off the inning with single, stole second base and scored on Jason Jacobs two-out single.
*Alabama scored six times in the bottom of the eighth inning for an 11-9 win in the series finale. The six-run inning capped wild frame that saw both teams score 10 runs on 10 hits. Georgia scored four runs on five hits in the top of the inning to take a 9-5 lead. Adam McDaniel's solo home run gave the Bulldogs a 6-5 lead and Joey Side added a two-run double.
*The Crimson Tide answered with six runs in the bottom of the inning for the 11-9 win. Zac Welch started the scoring with an RBI double and Rocky Scelfo and Allen Rice added RBI singles to pull Bama to within a run. Scelfo scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Gabe Scott's two-run home run capped the scoring and gave Bama the comeback win.
*The home team has won the last seven series. Alabama was the last road team to win a series, beating Georgia in Athens in 1998.
*Georgia has won three straight series at Foley Field, including the first-ever sweep of Wells-coached Alabama team in 2000. The Bulldogs also took two of three from the Tide in 2002 and 2004.
*In addition, Georgia is 8-4 (.667) in its last 12 home games with Alabama.
*Alabama has won the last five series in Tuscaloosa. Georgia's last series win in Tuscaloosa came in 1993.
*The two teams met on a regular basis until 1955 before discontinuing the series for some 30 years.
*The two schools resumed their rivalry when the SEC returned to divisional play in 1986. Before the series was discontinued in 1955, Georgia held a 34-26-2 lead.
*Since the resumption with the return of divisional play in 1986, UA holds a slim 26-24 series lead.
*Alabama and Georgia have met four times in the post season, with the Crimson Tide holding a 3-1 lead in those games.
*Alabama swept a best-of-three series from Georgia to win the 1955 SEC Championship.
*UA graduate Jim Whatley lettered in four sports for the Crimson Tide in the 1930s. He later enjoyed successful career as head coach at the University of Georgia. Whatley posted a 336-327-3 (.507) record in his 30 years (1950, 1952-75) in Athens.
*Coach J.B. Whitworth served as the head baseball coach at both Alabama and Georgia. Whitworth spent two years as the Crimson Tide's baseball coach, compiling a 21-11 (.656) record in two seasons. He led Alabama to the 1934 SEC Championship.
*Whitworth coached one year at Georgia and compiled a 1-10 record as head coach in 1943. Whitworth later returned to Alabama as head football coach (1955-57) before being replaced on the gridiron by legendary coach Paul Bryant.
*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 20-11 (.645) in his career against Georgia.
*Georgia coach David Perno is 5-7 (.417) against Alabama.
SCOUTING REPORT: Georgia
*The Georgia Bulldogs (13-2) are a solid Top 25 club with a ranking in all four major polls this week.
*Georgia is ranked as high as 20th by Baseball America after its series sweep of Louisville last weekend in Athens. The Bulldogs are also 23rd (Collegiate Baseball), 25th (ESPN/Coaches) and 26th (NCBWA).
*The Bulldogs are 13-2 out of the gates and could easily be undefeated if it were not for a few blown leads in the late innings at a solid Southern California (March 3-4) squad in Los Angles earlier this month.
*Georgia continues a season-long nine-game homestand at Foley Field when they host Alabama this weekend to open SEC play.
*The Bulldogs have won six straight games and have scored 10 or more runs in five of those games, including the last four in-a-row.
*Georgia is 12-0 at home this season after midweek wins over Kennesaw State (11-3) and Western Carolina (11-0).
*Overall, Georgia is hitting .329 (177-for-538) on the season with 18 home runs and 109 RBI. The Dogs average 8.0 runs and 11.8 hits per game this season.
*Senior catcher Jason Jacobs (West Palm Beach, Fla.) is off to a sizzling start and leads the team with a .429 (21-for-49) average with 12 runs scored and 10 RBI in 15 games.
*He was 2-for-6 with two RBI in Georgia's two midweek games Tuesday and Wednesday.
*Junior OF Matt Robbins (Calhoun) has also been hot at the plate with his .422 (19-for-45) average with two home runs and 18 RBI.
*He was 3-for-5 in the Bulldogs 11-0 win over Western Carolina on March 15.
*Robbins is the reigning SEC Player of the Week after his monster week last week, where he hit .462 (9-for-13) with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in four games. He missed the 2005 season with mononucleosis.
*Junior 1B Josh Morris (Cartersville) leads the Bulldogs with six home runs and 16 RBI this season. He is batting .367 (18-for-49) in 12 games.
*Morris went 6-for-7 with two home runs and six RBI against Kennesaw State and Western Carolina this week.
*Junior OF Joey Side (Loganville) is batting .369 (24-for-65) with 11 runs, two home runs and 11 RBI. He leads the Bulldogs with six doubles.
*The pitching staff has compiled an 13-2 record with four saves and a 3.27 ERA.
*The Friday night starter will be junior RHP Brooks Brown (Portal) is 2-0 with a 2.62 ERA in four starts this season. He has worked 24 innings and allowed 18 hits, eight runs and seven earned runs, with nine walks and 28 strikeouts.
*Brown looked sharp in his final start before SEC play going a career-high eight innings with eight strikeouts in an 8-1 win over Louisville. He allowed one unearned run on three hits.
*Senior left-hander Mickey Westphal (Lawrenceville) will get the nod in game two of the Alabama series.
*Westphal is 2-0 with a 4.35 ERA in two starts this year. He has worked 10 1/3 innings and allowed 14 hits, six runs and five earned runs, with three walks and six strikeouts.
*Freshman RHP Trevor Holder (Birmingham, Ala.) will be the starter in game three for the Dogs.
*Holder is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in five games this season. The Alabama game will be his second start.
*He has worked 12 2/3 innings and allowed 11 hits, six runs and five earned runs, with one walk and five strikeouts.
*Holder made a solid debut as a starter after four relief appearances this season. He tossed six shutout innings for the sweeping win last last Sunday over Louisville including retiring the first 11 batters he faced.
*Sophomore RHP Joshua Fields (Hull, Ga.) has assumed the role of closer out of the pen and has been impressive.
*In seven appearances, he is 1-0 with three saves and 0.00 ERA. Fields has allowed one unearned run and four hits in 11 innings, with one walk and 16 strikeouts.
*On defense, Georgia has made 24 errors (1.6 per game) in 15 games for a .958 fielding clip, the second-worst in the SEC.
*The Bulldogs have only turned nine double plays this season, the second-fewest total in the SEC.
GEORGIA TIDERS
*The Georgia roster contains one player from the state of Alabama. Freshman RHP Trevor Holder hails from Birmingham and played at Mountain Brook HS.
ALABAMA BULLDOGS
*The Alabama roster contains three players from the state of Georgia, including sophomore RHP Josh Copeland (Palmetto), sophomore RHP Austin Hyatt (Marietta) and freshman LHP Miers Quigley (Roswell).
SEC OPENERS
*Alabama opens SEC play this weekend against the nationally ranked Georgia Bulldogs at Foley Field in Athens.
*The Crimson Tide is 43-27 (.614) all-time record in SEC openers since 1933.
*The Crimson Tide is opening its SEC slate with an Eastern Division foe for the 16th consecutive year, dating back to 1991.
*The last time UA opened its SEC schedule with a Western Division team was against Miss. State in 1990.
*Alabama is opening its SEC slate with Georgia for the fifth time in history and the second time in the last three years.
*Georgia has won three (1993, 1996 and 2004) of the previous five meetings. Alabama's wins came in 1997 and 2003.
SEC OPENERS VS. GEORGIA
Year Result Site
1933 Georgia 8, Alabama 6 Tuscaloosa
1996 Georgia 11, Alabama 1 Athens
1997 Alabama 15, Georgia 6 Tuscaloosa
2003 Alabama 8, Georgia 7 Tusclaoosa
2004 Georgia 5, Alabama 4 Athens
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 8-3 (.727) in SEC openers. He led the Crimson Tide to four straight wins in SEC openers from 1997-2000.
JIM WELLS IN SEC OPENERS
Year Result Site
1995 Alabama 9, South Carolina 2 Tuscaloosa
1996 Georgia 11, Alabama 1 Athens
1997 Alabama 15, Georgia 6 Tuscaloosa
1998 Alabama 8, Florida 1 Tuscaloosa
1999 Alabama 12, Tennessee 7 Knoxville
2000 Alabama 5, Kentucky 4 Tuscaloosa
2001 Vanderbilt 12, Alabama 4 Tuscaloosa
2002 Alabama 7, Tennessee 3 Tuscaloosa
2003 Alabama 8, Georgia 7 Tuscaloosa
2004 Georgia 5, Alabama 4 Athens
2005 Alabama 5, Kentucky Tuscaloosa
UA SOLID ENTERING SEC PLAY
*Alabama enters SEC play with a 14-6 (700) overall record.
*The Crimson Tide has averaged 13.6 wins per season under Coach Wells before the start of league play.
*Alabama's best season in terms of wins was 1995 when UA started 16-6. The best season in terms of winning percentage was 1997 when UA opened the year 13-0.
*The Crimson Tide was 15-5 last year at the start of SEC play.
THE RANKED OPPONENTS
*Alabama is 2-5 (.286) against Top 25 teams this season.
*The Crimson Tide opened the year by losing two out of three at home to No. 26 Winthrop. It was the second straight road series win for the Winthrop, who had beaten Miami (Fla.) in Coral Gables the weekend before playing Alabama.
*Alabama lost all three games at No. 6 Nebraska in Lincoln (March 10-12), suffering its first road sweep since the 2002 season.
*The Crimson Tide whipped No. 20 Southern Miss 13-3 on March 15 in Tuscaloosa.
*The 13-3 win over Southern Miss was the most lopsided win over a ranked opponent since Alabama beat No. 12 Auburn 19-0 in Tuscaloosa on April 19, 2004.
*The Crimson Tide has 23 games remaining against Top 25 teams this season, including three this weekend at No. 23 Georgia.
ALABAMA HITTING NOTES
*Alabama has used 18 different position players this season.
*The Crimson Tide has only four players -- Bush (2B), Paiml (SS), Salem (CF) and Valverde (C) -- that have started all 19 games.
*Alabama has only two starters -- Valverde (.324, 5 HR, 23 RBI) and Salem (.321, 19 R, 7 2B, 8 RBI) -- hitting over .300 this season.
*Four UA starters -- Rhoden (.232, HR, 8 RBI), Avila (.229, HR, 4 RBI), Bush (.224, HR, 13 RBI) and Downs (.219, HR, 14 RBI), -- are hitting in the .220 range.
*The Crimson Tide is last in the SEC hitting this week with a .256 batting average.
*Alabama is second in the league in stolen bases (25) and stolen base attempts (38).
*The Crimson Tide is fourth in the league with 98 walks (4.9 per game) in 20 games.
*Alabama is tied for fifth in the SEC with 15 home runs.
*The Crimson Tide is coming off one of its best performance of the season following its 13-3 win over No. 20 Southern Miss on March 15.
*Alabama scored a season-high 13 runs in the win over USM.
*The Crimson Tide also tallied 14 hits, the second-highest total of the season. UA had 16 hits in a win over Appalachian State on March 5.
*Alabama also equaled its largest margin of victory over USM. The Crimson Tide also beat Florida International (12-2) by 10 runs on Feb. 26.
*Alabama's 13-3 win over No. 20 Southern Miss is the most lopsided win over a Top 25 team since the Crimson Tide's 19-0 win over No. 12 Auburn on April 12, 2004 in Tuscaloosa.
*After struggling at Nebraska with runners on base, Alabama was 8-for-15 (.533) with runners in scoring position against USM and collected seven two-out RBI.
*The Crimson Tide hit just .180 (18-for-100) in three losses at No., 6 Nebraska (March 10-12).
*Alabama was 1-for-26 (.038) in the series with runners in scoring position.
*In four games last week, Alabama batted .208 (28-for-136) with 11 runs scored, six doubles and 11 RBI.
*Alabama starters are batting .249 (157-for-630) with 11 home runs and 101 RBI in 20 games.
*The bench is hitting .394 (13-for-33) with two home runs and nine RBI this season.
*Ferazza is hitting .750 (3-for-4) with two home runs and five RBI off the bench.
*Bama pinch-hitters are 7-for-22 (.318) this year.
*After starting the year 0-for-7, UA pinch hitters have seven hits in their last 15 at-bats.
*Alabama has a 20-5 scoring edge in the second inning this year.
*Alabama is 7-5 in day games and 7-1 in night games this season.
*The Crimson Tide is 11-5 against RH starters and 3-1 against lefties.
*Alabama is 4-2 (.667) in one-run games.
*Alabama is 7-0 when leading after six innings; 12-0 when leading after seven and 12-0 when leading after eight innings.
*Bama is 9-1 when hitting at least one home run and 5-5 without a homer.
*The Tide had its most productive three-game series on offense against FIU. Bama hit .304 (31-for-102) in the three games, with two home runs and 20 RBI.
*Here is a look at Alabama's record by days of the week entering this weekend's series at Georgia.
RECORD BY DAYS OF THE WEEK
Day Record
Monday 0-1
Tuesday 1-1
Wednesday 2-0
Thursday 0-0
Friday 3-1
Saturday 2-2
Sunday 5-1
ALABAMA PITCHING NOTES
*Alabama has used 10 pitchers in its first 20 games this season.
*The Crimson Tide is fifth in the SEC with a 2.50 ERA.
*Alabama also second in the league with 159 strikeouts.
*Bama is also second in the league with five pickoffs.
*Alabama also ranks third in innings pitched (179.2) and last in home runs allowed (10).
*Freshman LHP Miers Quigley and junior RHP Jake McCarter combined to hold No. 20 Southern Miss to three runs and seven hits in Bama's 113-3 win on March 15.
*Quigley, making his fourth career start, handcuffed the Golden Eagles for seven-plus innings. He allowed three runs (2 ER) and four hits, with one walk and three strikeouts en route to his first collegiate win.
*McCarter worked two scoreless innings and allowed three hits and struck out three as he continues to shine out of the Tide pen.
*The Crimson Tide pitching staff was 0-3 with 4.39 ERA (26.2 IP, 19 H, 13 ER, 13 BB, 17 K) at Nebraska (March. 10-12).
*In four games last week (Mar. 8-12), the staff compiled a 1-3 record and 4.29 ERA (35.2 IP, 27 H, 19 R, 17 ER, 14 BB, 26 K) against South Alabama and Nebraska.
*Alabama starters are 9-4 with a 2.32 ERA (112.2 IP, 83 H, 39 R, 29 ER, 28 BB, 93 K) and one complete game this season.
*The Crimson Tide bullpen is 5-2 with a 2.82 ERA (67 IP, 61 H, 25 R, 21 ER, 22 BB, 66 K) and five saves this year.
*Alabama allowed just two runs and 13 hits in its three-game sweep of FIU (Feb. 24-26).
*The Crimson Tide threw two shutouts in the three-game series against FIU and allowed just one earned run (0.33) in 27 innings.
*The Crimson Tide yielded just one earned run (27 IP, 0.33 ERA) in the series sweep of Kent State and posted its first shutout of the season on Feb. 18.
*Alabama had a string of 16 consecutive scoreless innings against Kent State.
*Alabama's bullpen threw 35 consecutive innings without an earned run from Feb. 12 through Feb. 28.
*BSC snapped the streak with a sixth-inning home run.
*The Crimson Tide saw its 97 2/3 innings streak without allowing a home run end against BSC on Feb. 28.
*UA gave up three home runs in the season opener and did not allow another dinger until the 12th game of the season.
*UA relievers have stranded 26 of 38 (.684) inherited runners this season.
*Alabama has allowed seven of its last eight inherited runners to score.
*The pen struggled at Nebraska (Mar. 10-12) and allowed six of seven inherited runners to score in the three-game sweep.
*Bama pitchers stranded 17 consecutive inherited runners from Feb. 12 until Feb. 28. The streak ended in the seventh inning against BSC.
*Bama's pitching staff has three pitchers who logged more than 100 strikeouts last season, including LeBlanc (108), Robertson (105) and Robert (101).
*LeBlanc set the UA sophomore record for strikeouts and Robertson set the freshman strikeout record last year. Robert had 101 strikeouts in 115 innings at SE Louisiana in 2005.
ALABAMA FIELDING NOTES
*Alabama is 9th in the SEC with a .962 fielding mark in 20 games.
*The Crimson Tide has made 30 errors in 20 games, an average of 1.67 per game.
*The 30 errors rank second in the SEC.
*Alabama is second in the league in total chances (795) and third in putouts (539) and assists (226).
*The Crimson Tide has made just two errors in its last four games.
*Alabama made only one error in its three-game series at No. 6 Nebraska (March 10-12), including back-to-back errorless games to open the series.
*For the season, Alabama is 6-0 when making three or more errors in a game.
*Alabama has thrown out 13 of 26 (.500) would-be base stealers, the highest percentage in the SEC.
*The Crimson Tide has made a season-high four errors twice this season and won both games.
*UA beat FIU 1-0 on Feb. 24 despite four miscues. The Crimson Tide also made four errors in its 7-6 win over BSC on Feb. 28.
*Alabama made six errors in its three-game series with FIU (Feb. 24-26).
*The Crimson Tide has played six errorless games this season.
*Alabama played back-to-back errorless games against Appy State (Mar. 3-4) and Nebraska (March 10-11).
*Paiml leads UA with eight errors and ranks second in the SEC.
