Baseball Seeks 1,000th Win at the Joe
3/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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 (play-by-play) and Chris Stewart (color) describing the action. Live stats are also available at www.rolltide.com.
TICKETS: Tickets for the Alabama-Ole Miss series are $5 each and available each day at the Sewell-Thomas Stadium Box Office, which opens two hours prior to each game.
PROMOTIONS: The first 500 fans to attend Friday's series opener will receive a free Alabama baseball jersey t-shirt, featuring Wade LeBlanc's No. 23.
ALABAMA SEEKS 1,000TH WIN AT THE JOE
After dropping an 8-5 decision to Troy on Wednesday night, the University of Alabama baseball team makes its second attempt for its 1,000th all-time victory at the Joe when it hosts the Ole Miss Rebels in a three-game SEC series this weekend at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The series opener is Friday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. (CT). The two teams will also play Saturday, Mar. 25 at 4 p.m. (CT) and Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m. Alabama (16-8, 2-1 SEC) won its SEC opener last weekend with a series win at No. 23 Georgia. Ole Miss (13-8, 1-2 SEC) lost two out of three at home to Vanderbilt last weekend to open league play. The Crimson Tide will be seeking its 1,000th all-time home win at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Friday night's series opener. Alabama has compiled a 999-428-2 (.700) record in 1,429 games since the facility opened as Thomas Field on March 26, 1948. The Crimson Tide's baseball home will celebrate its 58th birthday this Sunday. Alabama is 314-86 (.785) at the Joe under head coach Jim Wells. The Crimson Tide has led the nation in home wins four times (1997, 1998, 1999 and 2002) under Wells. The 1999 Alabama team posted a school-record 37-4 (.902) record at the Joe, including NCAA Regional and Super Regional championships. The 2002 Alabama team set the single-season record for regular-season home wins with a 32-2 (.942) slate at the Joe. Alabama is 13-4 at home this season. The Alabama-Ole Miss series opener will feature one of the top pitching matchups in the league, and perhaps the nation, this weekend. The Crimson Tide will junior left-hander and preseason All-American Wade LeBlanc (6 GS, 4-0, 1.60 ERA, 45 IP, 48 K) to the mound against Ole Miss freshman phenom RHP Cody Satterwhite (5 GS, 4-0, 2.60 ERA, 27.2 IP, 21 K). The duo is a combined 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA in eight starts this season. LeBlanc and Satterwhite have combined for 69 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings this year. LeBlanc (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) is the reigning SEC "Pitcher of the Week" following last week's performance at No. 23 Georgia. The series finale should be just as intriguing as a pair of freshman RHPs from Indiana will square off on the mound. Alabama will send Tommy Hunter (8 G, 4 GS, 3-2, 3.62 ERA) to the mound against Lance Lynn (6 G, 3 GS, 1-2, 5.16 ERA). Lynn, who hails from Brownsburg, Ind., was the Indiana Pitcher of the Year last season, while Hunter, a native of Indianapolis, was the runner-up. Bama will send junior RHP Bernard Robert (6 G, 5 GS, 3-1, 2.67 ERA) to the mound in game two against an undetermined opponent for the Rebels. Alabama is 4-1 in Robert's five starts this season, including last week's 5-3 win at Georgia. Junior CF Emeel Salem (7 games) and junior LF Brandon Belcher (6 games) will be trying to extend hitting streaks in the series opener. Belcher has hit in nine of his last 10 games for the Crimson Tide since March 5.
BAMA SEEKS 1,000TH WIN AT JOE
*Alabama makes another attempt at its 1,000th all-time win at Sewell-Thomas Stadium when it hosts the Ole Miss Rebels in a three-game SEC series, beginning Friday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Joe.
*The Crimson Tide was denied its 1,000th win in its first attempt on Wednesday, March 22 with an 8-5 loss to Troy. It was the Trojans first win over the Crimson Tide since 1998 and first in Tuscaloosa since 1979.
*Alabama has compiled a 999-428-2 (.700) record in 1,429 games since the facility opened as Thomas Field on March 26, 1948.
*The Crimson Tide's baseball home will celebrate its 58th birthday this Sunday.
*After having the opener rained out a day earlier, Alabama opened the new facility with a 5-2 win over Bradley in the first game of a double header.
*Clarence Flack pitched the Crimson Tide to victory in the first game at Thomas Field, while Marvin Blemker notched the save out of the pen.
*Dick Dill is credited with the first hit in the history of Thomas Field, while Jack Rutledge swatted the first home run.
*The stadium was renamed Sewell-Thomas Field in 1978 after legendary Alabama player and coach and MLB Hall of Famer, Joe Sewell.
*Alabama built is present grandstand at a cost of $2.1 million in 1991. The new grandstand was dedicated with a 0-0 win over Ole Miss (this weekend's opponent) on April 6, 1991.
*The ballpark underwent other renovations in 1996 and again in 2000.
*Alabama has compiled a 314-86 (.785) record at the Joe under coach Wells. The Tide skipper coached his 400th game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in the 8-5 loss to Troy on March 22.
*The Crimson Tide has led the nation in home wins four times (1997, 1998, 1999 and 2002).
*The 1999 Alabama team posted a school-record 37-4 (.902) record at the Joe, including NCAA Regional and Super Regional championships.
*The 2002 Alabama team set the single-season record for regular-season home wins with a 32-2 (.942) slate at the Joe. Alabama is 13-4 at home this season.
MILESTONE WINS AT THE JOE
No. - Opponent (Date)
1 - Alabama 5, Bradley 2 (March 26, 1948)
100 - Alabama 20, Va. Tech 5 (March 23, 1961)
200 - Alabama 4, LSU 0 (May 9, 1970)
300 - Alabama 5, Ole Miss 4 (April 5, 1975)
400 - Alabama 5, Mercer 0 (March 24, 1981)
500 - Alabama 14, Ferris St. 3 (March 24, 1986)
600 - Alabama 8, Illinois St. 7 (March 3, 1991)
700 - Alabama 7, Arkansas 4 (May 7, 1995)
800 - Alabama 6, Austin Peay 2 (March 2, 1999)
900 - Alabama 4, Florida 1 (April 5, 2002)
ALABAMA-OLE MISS SERIES
*Alabama leads the overall series with Ole Miss, 185-128-1 (.591). The series dates back to the 1895 season and is the oldest running series in the Alabama record book.
*The Crimson Tide and Rebels have met every year since 1946.
*Ole Miss won three of the five meetings with Alabama last season, including a pair of wins in the SEC Tournament in Hoover.
*The Crimson Tide won the regular-season series in Oxford to snap a streak of four straight series wins by the Rebels.
*Alabama will look to put an end to another streak this weekend as they seek their first home series win over Ole Miss since the 2000 season.
*The Rebels have won the last two series in Tuscaloosa (2002 and 2004).
*Overall, Ole Miss has won five of the last seven series with Alabama, dating back to 1999.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells has compiled a 16-20 (.444) record against the Rebels. Ole Miss and LSU are the only two SEC teams to own a winning record against Wells at Alabama.
*The Crimson Tide has lost seven of the 11 series with Ole Miss under Wells since 1995.
*Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco has compiled a 12-5 (.706) record against Alabama since taking over at Ole Miss in 2001.
*Bianco has won four of the five series against the Crimson Tide.
*Alabama holds a 115-67-1 (.631) lead in games played in Tuscaloosa.
*At Sewell-Thomas Stadium, the Crimson Tide owns a 66-58-1 (.532) mark since the park opened in 1948.
*Alabama is 8-10 (.444) at home against Ole Miss in the Wells era.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ole Miss Rebels
*The Ole Miss Rebels (13-8) heading into this weekend's series at Alabama. The Rebels are 1-2 in SEC play after dropping a home series to Vanderbilt last weekend in Oxford.
*The Rebels have struggled early this season after having to replace a number of starters from last year's NCAA Super Regional squad, including three players taken in the first three round of the MLB Draft.
*Ole Miss is batting .295 (210-for-711) on the season with 15 home runs and 134 RBI. The Rebels have averaged 6.8 runs and 10 hits per game thus far in 2006.
*The Rebels have five regulars hitting better than .300 this season through 20 games.
*Junior first baseman C.J. Ketchum (Joplin, Missouri) leads the way with a .366 (30-for-82) with seven RBI in 21 games. He was 1-for-5 at Memphis on Tuesday.
*Junior second baseman and leadoff hitter Justin Henry (Vicksburg) is the second-leading hitter with a .353 (30-for-85) with one home run and 13 RBI. He was 1-for-4 at Memphis on Tuesday.
*Sophomore left fielder Jon Jon Hancock (Tupelo) is batting .322 (19-for-59) in 19 games with 15 RBI. He was 0-for-3 at Memphis on Tuesday.
*Junior centerfielder Alex Presley (Monroe, La.) is hitting .302 (26-for-86) with one home run and 18 RBI in 21 starts. He was 1-for-4 with one RBI at Memphis on Tuesday.
*Junior RF Mark Wright (Cordova, Tenn.) joined the .300 club this week, with a 3-for-4 performance at Memphis on Tuesday. Wright also added a three-run HR in the win.
*For the season, Wright is batting .305 (18-for-59) with four home runs and 15 RBI.
*Two other veteran players and preseason All-America and All-SEC candidates have yet to get on track this year for coach Mike Bianco's squad.
*Junior 3B Chris Coghlan (Palm Harbor, Fla.) is hitting only .296 (24-for-81) with 14 RBI in 21 starts.
*Sophomore SS Zack Cozart (Collierville, Tenn.) is also batting .296 (24-for-81) with three home runs and 22 RBI in 21 starts this season.
*Junior catcher Justin Brashear (Lake Charles, La.) leads the Rebels with four home runs this year. He is hitting .258 (16-for-62) with 13 RBI in 20 games.
*The Ole Miss pitching staff is 13-8 with a 3.42 ERA this season. The Rebels have worked 187 innings and allowed 176 hits, 92 runs and 71 earned runs, with 70 walks and 166 strikeouts.
*The ace of the staff is freshman RHP Cody Satterwhite (Jackson), who has pitched in the No. 2 spot in the rotation all season for the Rebels.
*He will pitch for the first time this season from the No. 1 spot in the rotation against Alabama this Friday night.
*Satterwhite is 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA in five starts and has turned in two quality starts this season.
*He has worked 27 2/3 innings and allowed 27 hits, nine runs and eight earned runs, with 12 walks and 21 strikeouts.
*Senior RHP Tommy Baumgardner (Lakeland, Fla.) has pitched the opening game of each series to date, but is not listed in the Rebels pitching rotation this weekend against Alabama.
*He is 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA in his five starts this year. Baumgardner has worked 26 2/3 innings and allowed 31 hits, 18 runs and 15 earned runs, with 14 walks and 21 strikeouts.
*True freshman Lance Lynn (Brownsburg, Indiana) is scheduled to pitch in Sunday's series finale against Alabama.
*Lynn is 1-2 with a 5.16 ERA in six appearances this season. The Alabama game will mark his fourth start of the year.
*Lynn has worked 22 2/3 innings and allowed 25 hits, 13 runs and 13 earned runs, with nine walks and 24 strikeouts.
*Opponents are batting .287 against Lynn, with 10 extra base hits, including eight doubles.
*Another freshman RHP Brett Buckvich (Brandon) has been a starter on the mound.
*Buckvich is 3-2 with a staff best 1.44 ERA in five starts this year. He has worked 25 innings and allowed 25 hits, 14 runs and four earned runs, with five walks and 23 strikeouts.
*He earned his third win of the season at Memphis (6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) on Tuesday night.
*The Rebels have used two players to close games out of the pen this season, including junior RHP Garrett White (Round Rock, Texas) and freshman RHP Jesse Simpson (Baton Rouge, La.).
*White is 1-0 with three saves and a 0.00 ERA in eight games (15.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 21 K) this year.
*Simpson has no record and two saves and a 1.59 ERA in seven games (11.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K) this year.
*The Rebels play some of the best defense in the SEC this season, with a sparkling .972 fielding mark (23 errors) in 21 games.
*Ole Miss has also turned 26 double plays, which ranks second in the league.
RETIRING THE SIDE
*Alabama pitchers Wade LeBlanc and Bernard Robert put together an impressive streak in the Crimson Tide's two wins at Georgia on March 17-18.
*LeBlanc and Robert teamed up to retire 29 of 30 Georgia batters over a 10-inning stretch in the series, a feat unheard of today in aluminum bat college baseball.
*LeBlanc threw his 12th complete game of his UA career in the series opener in the Tide's 4-1 win. He held Georgia to one run and four hits in nine innings, with no walks and four strikeouts.
*He came within one out if his eighth career shutout at Bama.
*In the process, he retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced.
*Robert opened the next game by retiring the first 14 Georgia batters before losing his perfect game with a two-out walk in the fifth inning.
ALABAMA POWER?
*The Crimson Tide has hit only 15 home runs in 24 games this season, but is only one home run off last year's 24-game pace.
*Senior catcher Kody Valverde (Baton Rouge, La.) leads the team with six home runs.
*Senior DH and backup catcher David Ferazza (Hayward, Calif.) is second on the team with three home runs.
*The duo has accounted for 60 percent of the Tide's home runs (9-of-15) this season.
*Valverde is responsible for 40 percent of UA's homers (6-of-15) this year.
*Six other players have one home run each.
*The Alabama team has just 63 career home runs entering the Ole Miss series.
*Senior 2B Evan Bush (Rainbow City) and Valverde have accounted for 73.1 percent (46-of-63) those home runs.
*Bush has 26 home runs in 182 career games.
*Valverde has 20 home runs in 162 career games at UNO and Alabama.
*Junior SS Greg Paiml (Hoover) has three career home runs and junior OF Brandon Belcher (Ruston, La.) has two career dingers.
*No other UA player has more than one career home run.
*Junior CF Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) has the longest home run drought on the team. Salem has not homered since April 21, 2004, a span of 93 games and 330 at-bats.
*Senior 1B Spencer Pennington (Fayette) has the next longest drought behind Salem. Pennington has not hit a home run since April 7, 2002, a span of 60 games and 110 at-bats.
HOME RUN DROUGHTS
Player - G/AB Since Last HR
Emeel Salem - 93 (330 AB)
Spencer Pennington - 60 (110 AB)
Brandon Belcher - 50 (98 AB)
Greg Paiml - 48 (122 AB)
Evan Bush - 20 (78 AB)
CLUTCH HITTING
*Alabama has struggled with the bases loaded this season. The Crimson Tide is 5-for-30 (.167) with the bases loaded in its first 24 games.
*The Crimson Tide has 19 RBI with the bases loaded thanks to five hits, two walks and two sac flies.
*The Tide's untimely hitting has been noticeable in the last eight games. Bama is 2-for-16 (.125) in those games with the bases loaded.
*Alabama is hitless in last eight at-bats with the bases loaded, including an 0-for-3 night against Troy on March 22.
*Bama stranded 13 runners in the loss and left the bases loaded in the fourth and ninth innings.
*Valverde is 2-for-3 (.667) with six RBI this season with the bases loaded.
*Rhoden (1-2, RBI), Salem (1-3, 3 RBI) and Downs (1-5, 2 RBI) have one hit each with the bases loaded.
*Paiml is 0-for-3 this season, but has three RBI with the bases loaded.
*Belcher is 0-for-2 with the bases loaded, but has two RBI on a pair of bases loaded walks.
*Bush (0-3), Avila (0-2), Ferazza (0-2), Pennington (0-2), Bentley (0-1), Matthes (0-1) and Moore (0-1) are also looking for their first hit of the year with the bases loaded.
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 24 games.
*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 (30) and stolen base attempts (44).
*The Crimson Tide was 5-for-5 on the base paths at Georgia.
*Alabama is third in the SEC in triples (7) and walks (110).
*Junior CF Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) is the Tide's leading hitter (.340, 11 RBI) through 24 games. Salem was also the Tide's leading hitter (.364, 5 RBI) through 24 games last year.
*Alabama has a 23-6 scoring advantage in the second inning.
*Alabama owns an 11-0 record when leading after six innings and a 14-0 record when leading after seven and eight innings.
*Bama is 11-1 when hitting at least one home run this year.
*Alabama is 10-0 when scoring seven or more runs.
*UA starters are batting .254 (195-for-767) with 13 home runs and 115 RBI.
*The bench is batting .341 (14-for-41) with two home runs and nine RBI.
*Ferazza is hitting .750 (3-for-4) with two home runs and five RBI off the bench.
*Bama pinch-hitters are 7-for-28 (.250) this year.
*Alabama had 13 hits in the loss to Troy on March 22, but stranded 13 base runners.
*The Crimson Tide had one of its best performances 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 equalled 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.
*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 week's play.
RECORD BY DAYS OF THE WEEK
Monday - 0-1
Tuesday - 1-1
Wednesday - 2-1
Thursday - 0-0
Friday - 4-1
Saturday - 3-2
Sunday - 5-2
*Here is a look at the Crimson Tide's top hitting streaks entering the Troy game.
HITTING STREAKS
Player Stats
Salem (7) 12-29 (.414), 4 R, 5 RBI
Belcher (6) 6-18 (.333), 3 R, 3 RBI
Bush (3) 6-13 (.000), 4 R, RBI
ALABAMA PITCHING NOTES
*Alabama has used 10 pitchers in its first 24 games this season.
*The Crimson Tide is fifth in the SEC with a 2.84 ERA.
*Alabama is also third in the league with 214 2/3 innings pitched and fourth in the SEC with 187 strikeouts.
*Bama is also second in the league with five pickoffs.
*Alabama starters are 11-6 with a 2.87 ERA (134.2 IP, 106 H, 54 R, 43 ER, 31 BB, 111 K) and two complete games this season.
*The Crimson Tide bullpen is 5-2 with a 2.70 ERA (80 IP, 71 H, 28 R, 24 ER, 29 BB, 76 K) and six saves this year.
*Alabama is 13-2 when holding opponents to three runs or less.
*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 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 7th in the SEC with a .965 fielding mark in 24 games.
*The Crimson Tide has made 33 errors in 24 games, an average of 1.38 per game.
*The 33 errors are tied with Tennessee for the third-most in the SEC.
*Alabama is third in the league in total chances (946), putouts (644) and assists (269).
*The Crimson Tide has made just five errors in its last eight games, including four errorless 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.
*Alabama has thrown out 14 of 31 (.452) 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, which ranks second in the SEC.
