Alabama Hosts Florida in Final Home Baseball Series
5/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
GAMES 51-53: FLORIDA GATORS (25-25, 7-17 SEC) AT ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (34-16, 15-9 SEC)
SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM -- TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA -- 6:06 PM (CT)
MAY 12-14, 2006 -- BAMA LOOKS TO STOP LOSING STREAK; HOSTS FLORIDA IN HOME FINALE
Date Game Time Radio TV
May 12 Florida at ALABAMA 6:06 PM (CT) CTSN, WACT (1420 AM) CSS
May 13 Florida at ALABAMA 4 PM (CT) CTSN, WACT (1420 AM) None
May 14 Florida at ALABAMA 1:06 PM (CT) CTSN, WACT (1420 AM) SunSports
ON THE MOUND:
UF 21 Bryan Augenstein (So., RHP, 6-5, 225, Sebastian, Fla.; 13 GS, 8-5, 3.13 ERA, 95 IP, 86 H, 39 R, 33 ER, 19 BB, 86 K, 3 CG)
UA 23 Wade LeBlanc (Jr., LHP, 6-3, 193, Lake Charles, La.; 13 GS, 7-0, 3.02 ERA, 95.1 IP, 69 H, 33 R, 32 ER, 32 BB, 93 K, 3 CG)
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. The series opener will be televised by CSS Sports with Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Scott McClanahan (analyst) calling the action. The series finale will be aired live on Sun Sports with Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Nick Belmonte (analyst) describing the action from the Joe.
TICKETS: Tickets for the Alabama- Florida series are $5 (adults) and $3 (youth) and available through the UA Athletic Ticket Office and Sewell-Thomas Stadium (2 hours prior to each game).
Limited Parking at Coleman Coliseum on Saturday
The University of Alabama announced today that there will be limited parking in the Coleman Coliseum parking on Saturday, May 13 due to graduation exercises that will take place throughout the day. Commencement will be held at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday at Coleman Coliseum and there will be no motor home parking in the Coleman Coliseum lot this weekend (Friday 12th, Saturday 13th, or Sunday 14th) for the Alabama-Florida baseball series. "I appreciate our fans understanding the need for this and how special this day is for so many graduates and their families," Director of Athletics Mal Moore said. "I appreciate your cooperation and encourage each of you to support Coach (Jim) Wells and his baseball team this weekend as we take on Florida."
BAMA HOSTS FLORIDA IN FINAL HOME SERIES
The eighth-ranked and Southeastern Conference Western Division leading University of Alabama baseball team closes out the home portion of its 2006 schedule with a three-game series against the defending SEC champion Florida Gators this weekend at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The series opener is Friday, May 12 at 6:06 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised by CSS Sports. The series continues on Saturday, May 13 at 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 14 at 1:06 p.m. The series finale will be televised by Sun Sports. Alabama (34-16, 15-9 SEC) looks to rebound from last weekend's three-game sweep at No. 14 Arkansas. The Crimson Tide suffered just its second SEC series loss of the 2006 season last weekend in Fayetteville. Alabama trails first-place Kentucky by one-game in the overall SEC standings heading into the final six games of the regular season. Bama holds a one-game lead over Arkansas in the SEC Western Division race and leads third-place Ole Miss by two games in the standings. Alabama returns home this weekend looking to clinch a berth in the 2006 SEC Tournament (May 24-28) at the Hoover Met. The Crimson Tide needs two wins this weekend against Florida to wrap up its 20th SEC Tournament appearance and 10th under coach Jim Wells. Alabama could also clinch a tie for the SEC Western Division championship this weekend as well. The Crimson Tide would need three wins against Florida and have Ole Miss beat Arkansas two times this weekend in Oxford. If that happens, Alabama would clinch at least a tie for the SEC Western Division pennant. The Crimson Tide has played well at home this season, posting a 26-6 (.812) overall record. Alabama is 10-2 (.833) in SEC play heading into the final home series. UA has home series wins over Ole Miss, No. 1 Miss. State, No. 16 Vanderbilt and Auburn. While the Florida series wraps up the regular-season home schedule, it also marks the final home series for seven UA senior players and one senior manager. The seven seniors playing their final home series this weekend are LHP Kenneth Brown (Lafayette, La.), 2B Evan Bush (Rainbow City), RHP Jordan Davis (Frisco, Texas), 3B Matt Downs (Centreville), C David Ferazza (Hayward, Calif.), 1B Spencer Pennington (Fayette) and C Kody Valverde (Baton Rouge). The senior manager is Nick Rambo (Mobile). Bush is the lone four-year starter among the group and he enters the Florida series with 209 career games and 200 career starts. He is also the Crimson Tide's all-time leader with 20 career sac flies. He has started five different positions (OF, DH, 1B, 3B, 2B) in his career. Florida (25-25, 7-17 SEC) has struggled through the 2006 season battling numerous injuries to a lineup that returned seven starters off last year's CWS runner-up squad. The Gators have lost seven straight SEC series after beating Arkansas to open the year. The Gators have won the last three series with the Crimson Tide.
ALABAMA-FLORIDA SERIES
*Alabama owns a 48-37 (.565) lead over Florida in a series that dates back to 1920.
*Alabama won the first two meetings between the two schools and 10 of the first 11 games played.
*Florida's first win came in 1927, but their first series win did not take place until 1948 with a two-game sweep of the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama and Florida met for the 1968 SEC Championship in the best-of-three playoffs in Gainesville and Tuscaloosa.
*The Crimson Tide dropped a 4-3 decision in the opener in Gainesville, but bounced back to win the next two games (W 5-0 and W 3-0) in Tuscaloosa for the 1968 SEC Championship.
*The Crimson Tide dominated the series in the early years, posting a 17-5 (.773) record in the first 22 meetings.
*Florida then took over the series in 1975 and dominated Alabama for the next 20 years, even though the teams did not play on a regular basis.
*The two schools met for four straight years in the SEC Tournament from 1981-84, with Florida winning three of the four games.
*Alabama's lone win came in 1983 when David Magadan tied a tournament record by going 5-for-5 with two doubles and two home runs in the Tide's 15-2 win.
*Magadan also set the SEC Tournament record with 15 total bases in the opening round win over the Gators.
*From 1975-94, Florida did most all of its damage in the series with a 23-6 (.793) record against Alabama.
*Alabama and Florida have met every year since 1986 with the exception of 1990, 2000 and 2001.
*The series was cancelled in 1990 by SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer when Florida pitcher Steve Georgiadas died after being struck with a batted ball.
*The teams had rotated off one another's schedule in 2000-01.
*Since 1995, Alabama has had the upper hand with Florida, despite losing the last three series.
*Alabama has posted a 25-10 (.714) record against Florida in the last 11 years and has won six of the last nine series between the two teams.
*Alabama, Florida and LSU shared the SEC Championship in 1996 with identical 20-10 records.
*The Crimson Tide beat Florida 10-5 and 15-5 for the 1996 SEC Tournament championship at the Hoover Met.
*From 1996-2002, Alabama won 17 of 19 games with Florida, including a series record 14-game winning streak which was halted at the 2002 SEC Tournament,
*Florida has won the last three series with Alabama, posting a 6-3 record in those nine meetings.
*Alabama's last series win came in 2002. The Crimson Tide won five of six meetings with the Gators that year, including three in the SEC Tournament.
WELLS VS. FLORIDA
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 25-10 (.714) in his coaching career against the Florida Gators.
*Wells is 11-3 (.786) against Florida here in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama has won six of the nine series with Florida since Wells became head coach in 1995, including sweeps in 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2002.
*Alabama posted a 14-game winning streak over Florida from 1996-2002, the longest by either team in the 79-game series history.
*The Crimson Tide won five of the six meetings with the Gators during the 2002 season, including a series sweep in Tuscaloosa and two wins at the SEC Tournament in Hoover.
McMAHON VS. ALABAMA
Florida head coach Pat McMahon is 12-18 (.400) in his coaching career against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
*McMahon is 7-8 (.467) against the Crimson Tide has head coach of the Gators. He fashioned a 5-10 (.333) mark against the Tide in four years at Miss. State.
*McMahon is 4-8 (.333) against Alabama here in Tuscaloosa.
*McMahon-coached teams have split the eight series with Alabama, including three of four losses at Miss. State.
Scouting Report: Florida Gators
*The defending SEC Champions and national runner up Florida Gators (25-25, 7-17 SEC) have struggled to a .500 record in 2006, battling numerous injuries to key personnel.
*Florida won the 2005 SEC Championship with a 20-10 conference record and fell to Texas in the College World Series national championship series last year in Omaha.
*The Gators returned seven of the nine starters off that team and four of its frontline SEC pitchers.
*Florida has had to battle numerous injuries to key players this season, including the 2005 SEC Player of the Year Matt LaPorta, outfielder Gavin Dickey and left-hander Stephen Locke.
*LaPorta has missed 13 games with an injury, while Dickey has been on the disabled list of late with injuries. Locke has not pitched at all this season after a solid freshman campaign in 2005.
*UF is hitting only .262 (442-for-1686) this season with 45 home runs and 273 RBI.
*The Gators are last in the league in hitting with a .262 batting average.
*They average 5.8 runs and 8.8 hits per game.
*In SEC play, Florida is hitting .256, with 21 home runs and 98 RBI in 24 games.
*The Gators are also last in the SEC in hitting with a .256 average.
*On the mound, the Gators are 25-25 with a 4.15 ERA. UF pitchers have three complete games and nine saves this season.
*Florida ranks seventh in the SEC with its 4.15 staff ERA.
*In SEC play, Florida has a 5.24 ERA, with two complete games and three saves.
*The 5.24 staff ERA ranks eighth in the SEC.
*Junior third baseman David Cash (Odessa, Fla.) is the leading hitter overall and in SEC play this season.
*Cash is batting .325 (41-for-126) in 44 games, with one home run and 13 RBI.
*He is hitting .372 (29-for-78) in 22 SEC games, with one home run and seven RBI.
*Cash ranks 9th in SEC play with that .372 batting average.
*Dickey (Tallahassee) is the only other starter hitting above the .300 mark this season.
*Dickey is batting .304 (49-for-161) with 10 home runs and 39 RBI. He is one of two UF players with double-figure home runs and leads the Gators with 39 RBI.
*In SEC play, he is batting .329 (23-for-70) with five home runs and 17 RBI.
*Dickey is tied for fourth in the SEC with 11 HBPs this year.
*LaPorta (Port Charlotte) is hitting .246 (34-for-138) with 12 home runs and 32 RBI despite missing 13 games.
*He is a .239 (22-for-92) hitter in league play, with nine home runs and 19 RBI.
*LaPorta was 0-for-11 with four strikeouts last weekend at Miss. State, so the defending SEC Player of the Year, will be looking for a breakout weekend against the Tide this weekend.
*LaPorta is tied for fourth in the SEC with 11 HBPs this year.
*Other starters for the Gators include senior RF Brian LeClerc (.275, 3 HR, 24 RBI), junior shortstop Adam Davis (.260, 5 HR, 35 RBI), junior catcher Brian Jeroloman (.244, 6 HR, 36 RBI) and sophomore second baseman Brandon McArthur (.237, HR, 18 RBI).
*Davis ranks sixth in the SEC with 200 at-bats this season.
*Florida has two weekend starters that have answered the bell each time out this season.
*Sophomore RHP Bryan Augenstein (Sebastian, Fla.) and senior RHP Bryan Ball (Punta Gorda, Fla.) have accounted for 26 starts on the mound in 50 games.
*Augenstein (13 GS, 8-5, 3.13 ERA, 3 CG) made the move to the No. 1 spot in the rotation last week at Miss. State and is expected to remain there for the Alabama series.
*He has worked 95 innings and allowed 86 hits, 39 runs and 33 earned runs, with 19 walks and 86 strikeouts.
*He has allowed 18 extra base hits, including 12 doubles and five home runs.
*Augenstein has all three of Florida's complete games this season and ranks third in the league with seven quality starts.
*Augenstein is 3-5 with a 4.37 ERA in eight SEC starts. He also has two complete games.
*Augenstein is 39th nationally with eight wins on the mound.
*He ranks among the SEC leaders in wins (2nd), starts (t3rd), innings pitched (3rd), strikeouts (6th), ERA (7th) and opponents batting average (9th).
*Ball (13 GS, 4-8, 5.10 ERA) made the move to the No. 2 starter last week at Miss. State and is expected to hold down that spot this weekend against the Tide.
*He has logged 72 1/3 innings and allowed 88 hits, 53 runs and 41 earned runs, with 30 walks and 48 strikeouts this year.
*Ball is tied for second in the SEC with 13 starts on the mound.
*Ball is 1-6 with a 5.86 ERA in eight SEC starts. He has allowed 40 runs in 43 innings.
*The six losses are the most by a pitcher in SEC play this season.
*Ball (2 G, 0-0, 6.75 ERA) has made two career appearances against Alabama and has worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed nine hits, four runs and four earned runs, with one walk and three strikeouts.
*The Gators have used a number of different pitchers as the game three starter this season, including junior LHP Steven Porter (Ocoee, Fla.), who made his first start last week at Miss. State.
*Porter (14 G, 1 GS, 2-0, 2.14 ERA) has been used primarily throughout his career as a situational left-hander.
*He has worked 21 innings and allowed 13 hits, seven runs and five earned runs, with 11 walks and 14 strikeouts.
*In his first start last week at MSU, Porter allowed one run and two hits in 5 1.3 innings for the win. He added one walk and one strikeout.
*The bullpen is anchored by senior RHP Darren O'Day (Jacksonville) and sophomore RHP Josh Edmondson (LaGrange, Ga.).
*The duo has combined for 59 appearances and all nine saves in 2006.
*O'Day (28 G, 2-2, 7 SV, 2.64 ERA) leads the Gators in ERA and saves.
*He has worked 47 2/3 innings and allowed 52 hits, 15 runs and 14 earned runs, with seven walks and 44 strikeouts.
*O'Day leads the league with 23 games finished and ranks second in appearances and fourth in saves.
*He has appeared in 13 SEC games and compiled a 1-1 record with three saves and 4.05 ERA.
*O'Day has over 100 career appearances on the mound at UF.
*O'Day (5 G, 2-1, 2 SV, 5.63 ERA) has appeared in five games against Alabama and has had a hand in all five outcomes.
*O'Day has logged eight innings in those five appearances and allowed six hits, five runs and five earned runs, with one walk and six strikeouts.
*He suffered his only career loss last year against Alabama as the Gators blew a 6-3 lead in the ninth inning. O'Day was charged with five runs on four hits in the six-run ninth as UA posted a 9-6 come-from-behind win.
O'Day Game-By-Game vs. Alabama
Date Pitching Line
3-23-03 2.0-1-0-0-0-0-2 (W)
5-9-04 1.2-0-0-0-1-1 (W)
4-15-05 2.2-1-0-0-0-1 (SV)
4-16-05 1.1-0-0-0-0-1 (SV)
4-17-05 0.1-4-5-5-0-0 (BS, L)
*Edmondson (31 G, 5-0, 3.24 ERA, 2 SV) leads the SEC with those 31 appearances.
*He has worked 58 1/3 innings and allowed 62 hits, 24 runs and 21 earned runs, with 10 walks and 33 strikeouts.
*He is 1-0 with a team-best 2.86 ERA in 13 SEC games.
*On defense, Florida has made 81 errors (.959) in 50 games and turned 52 double plays.
*The Gators lead the SEC and rank 29th nationally with 1.09 double plays per game.
*Davis (18) and Cash (14) have combined for 32 errors at short and third respectively.
*In SEC play, UF has made 40 errors (.957) and turned 23 double plays in 24 games.
*Davis (10) and Cash (9) have made 19 errors in SEC play.
SEVEN SENIORS BID FAREWELL
*The Florida series will mark the final regular season home series for seven senior players and one senior manager.
*The group will be honored in a pregame ceremony on Saturday, May 13 at 3:45 p.m.
*The seven senior playing their final regular-season home series are LHP Kenneth Brown (Lafayette, La.), 2B Evan Bush (Rainbow City), RHP Jordan Davis (Frisco), 3B Matt Downs (Centreville), C David Ferazza (Hayward, Calif.), 1B Spencer Pennington (Fayette) and C Kody Valverde (Baton Rouge).
*The lone senior manager is Nick Rambo (Mobile).
*Brown has made only one career appearance on the mound at Alabama. His lone appearance came against Lispcomb (1 IP, 2 BB, K) on March 29, 2006.
*Bush is the lone four-year starter among the seven seniors. He has started at five different positions (3B, OF, DH, 1B, 2B) in his four-year career. Bush has played in 208 career games and made 200 career starts. He is the school's all-time leader with 20 career sac flies.
*Davis has made 46 career appearances in his two-year career at Alabama. He has six wins and five saves with the Crimson Tide.
*Downs is a three-year starter for the Tide as a two-way player. He split time at third base and on the mound as a sophomore in 2004. He was used solely as a pitcher in 2005 and this year he has seen action at first base and third base.
*Ferazza has played in only 56 games in his three-years at Alabama, including 19 starts. He has six home runs in 98 career at-bats.
*Pennington is the oldest player on the baseball team and has been playing for the Tide since 2002. He also played quarterback on the UA football team. Pennington has enjoyed his finest season this year as he has set career highs for at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI. His first career home run came against Florida during the 2002 season.
*Valverde has been a two-year starter behind the plate for Alabama. He spent three years at UNO (2002-04) and was the starting catcher for two years before transferring to Alabama. He has 17 home runs and 70 RBI in his UA career. He has played in 98 games at Alabama the last two years.
THE GRADUATES
*The Crimson Tide baseball team will be quite busy this weekend. In addition to its three-game series with defending SEC champion Florida, several members of the team will graduate from the Capstone on Saturday, May 13.
*The University will have three graduation exercises on Saturday at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
*Five of the seven seniors will be UA graduates on Saturday evening, including Jordan Davis, David Ferazza, Spencer Pennington and Kody Valverde.
*Another senior, Kenneth Brown, earned his bachelor's degree in December, 2005 and is working on his master's degree.
*The two remaining seniors -- Evan Bush and Matt Downs -- are expected to graduate this fall.
2006 ALABAMA BASEBALL GRADUATES
Player Major
Kenneth Brown Human Environmental Science
Jordan Davis General Studies
David Ferazza Management
Spencer Pennington General Studies
Kody Valverde Human Environmental Science
BAMA LEADS SEC WEST; TRAILS KENTUCKY BY ONE GAME
*After a being swept in a three-game series at No. 14 Arkansas (May 5-7), Alabama has slipped into second place in the overall SEC standings, one game behind league-leading Kentucky.
*The Crimson Tide (15-9 SEC) trails first-place Kentucky (16-8 SEC) by one game in the standings with six games remaining.
*Alabama hosts Florida and travels to Tennessee the final two weekends, while UK hosts Miss. State and travels to Georgia to close out the year.
*Alabama moved into a first place tie with South Carolina after taking two of three from the Gamecocks (April 7-9) earlier this year.
*The Crimson Tide then fell into second place after dropping two of three at LSU (April 14-15) before regaining the top sport against Vanderbilt (April 21-23) the following week.
*Alabama won five of six SEC games after the series loss to LSU and took a two-game lead in the standings to Arkansas (May 5-7)
before dropping all three games.
*The Crimson Tide maintains its lead in the Western Division over Arkansas and Ole Miss.
*Alabama saw its four-game lead over the Arkansas dwindle to one game with the Razorbacks sweep at Baum Stadium.
*Ole Miss and South Carolina were swept that same weekend, so UA maintained its two-game lead over the Rebels and Gamecocks.
*Alabama took over first place in the SEC Western Division with its 9-2 win over Ole Miss on March 26 and has been in first place for the last 18 conference games.
ALABAMA EYES SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
*Despite being one-game behind league-leading Kentucky, Alabama still has its eye on winning its first SEC Championships since 1996.
*The Crimson Tide hosts Florida this weekend at the Joe and then closes out the year with a three-game series at Tennessee (May 18-20).
*Kentucky is home this weekend against Miss. State and closes out the season next week at Georgia, a team that has swept its last two SEC series with Florida and South Carolina.
*Alabama is seeking its 14th SEC Championship, which would give them more baseball titles than any other school.
*The Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers are currently tied atop the leader board with 13 SEC Championships.
*Florida (10) and Miss. State (10) are the only other schools with double figure baseball championships.
*Alabama won its first SEC Championship in 1934 under coach J.B. "Ears" Whitworth.
*Tilden "Happy" Campbell led the Crimson Tide to an SEC record nine SEC titles during his tenure at the Capstone. Alabama won SEC titles under Campbell in 1935, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1947, 1950 and 1955.
*Former LSU coach Skip Bertman ranks second in SEC history with six SEC championships.
*MSU skipper Ron Polk ranks third all-time with five SEC titles. Polk is the only coach to win an SEC baseball championship at two different schools (MSU and Georgia).
ALABAMA'S SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Year SEC Record
1934 13-3
1935 8-2
1936 7-3-1
1938 10-1
1940 12-1
1941 13-2
1942 9-1
1947 11-3
1950 12-4
1955 16-2
1968 10-8
1983 14-7
1996 20-10
UA SEEKS 11TH WESTERN DIVISION FLAG
*Alabama seeks its 11th SEC Western Division title this season and its first since 2002.
*Alabama has won two SEC Western Division championships under coach Jim Wells in 1996 and 2002.
*The SEC was divided into Eastern and Western Divisions in 1948 and the winners of each divisor played a best-of-three or best-of-five series to determine the overall SEC champion.
*The Crimson Tide captured SEC Western Division flags in 1950, 1955, 1968 and 1996 en route to the overall SEC Championship.
*Alabama beat Kentucky (East Champion) in the 1950 SEC Playoffs, three games to one.
*The Crimson Tide also beat Georgia (East Champ) two games to none for the 1955 SEC Championship.
*Alabama also won the Western Division in 1957 and 1958, but lost to Georgia Tech (2-0) and Auburn (2-0) each year.
*The Crimson Tide beat LSU in a one-game playoff in 1968 for the SEC Western Division pennant and then beat Florida (East Champ) two games to one for the SEC Championship.
*Alabama lost to Vanderbilt in 1973 and 1974 for the SEC Championship.
ALABAMA'S WESTERN DIVISION TITLES
Year SEC Record
1950 12-4
1955 16-2
1957 13-5
1958 11-5
1968 10-8
1973 12-4
1974 10-5
1981 17-6-1
1996 20-10
2002 20-10
DEJA VU
*Alabama and Kentucky have turned back the clock 56 years as that was the last time these two teams battled for an SEC baseball championship.
*Alabama (12-4, .750) had the best record in the Western Division, while Kentucky (11-2, .846) had the best record in Eastern Division.
*The two teams met in a best-of-five series May 24-28, 1950 to determine the SEC Champion.
*Alabama opened the series with a pair of wins in Tuscaloosa, winning 4-1 and 13-0, before the series shifted to Lexington.
*The Crimson Tide won the opener 4-1 and then roughed up the Cats and losing pitcher C.M. Newton (former Tide basketball coach) in game two.
*Mike Mizraney hits two home runs and drove in six runs (bases loaded triple in 1st inning) as UA took a 10-0 lead after two innings in game two.
*Al Worthington blanked UK on five hits to earn the win on the mound.
*UK took game three 14-3 in Lexington.
*Alabama captured the series in game four as Frank Lary held the Cats to one run on seven hits for the win. He lost his shutout in the eighth inning.
*Lary was also the winning pitcher in game one of the series.
*Lewis Adair had three hits to lead the Tide's 10-hit attack.
1950 SEC Championship Results
Date Result
May 24 Alabama 4, Kentucky 1
May 25 Alabama 13, Kentucky 0
May 27 Kentucky 13, Alabama 4
May 28 Alabama 9, Kentucky 1
WELLS ALREADY HAS ONE SEC CROWN
*Head coach Jim Wells is one of five Alabama coaches to win an SEC baseball championship.
*Wells led the Crimson Tide to a 20-10 record in 1996 as UA shared the overall title with Florida and LSU.
*The 1996 SEC championship was the first for Alabama since 1983 and the first regular season title since 1968.
*Tilden "Happy" Campbell led Alabama to an record nine SEC championships during his historic career.
*J.B. "Ears" Whitworth, Joe Sewell, Barry Shollenberger and Wells have one each.
BAMA COACHES AND SEC TITLES
Coach SEC Titles
Happy Campbell 8
Jim Wells 1
JB Whitworth 1
Joe Sewell 1
Barry Shollenberger 1
*Wells seeks to become the 17th coach in SEC history to lead his team to multiple SEC Championships. Wells led the Crimson Tide to the 1996 SEC title with a 20-10 record.
*Wells would also be the fourth active SEC coach with more than one SEC championship.
*MSU skipper Ron Polk leads the way with five SEC titles. Rod Delmonico (Tennessee) and Ray Tanner (South Carolina) have two SEC titles on their resume.
COACHES WITH MULTIPLE SEC TITLES
Coach (School) SEC Titles
Happy Campbell (Alabama) 9
Skip Bertman (LSU) 6
Ron Polk (MSU/Georgia) 5
Dave Fuller (Florida) 3
Tom Swayze (Ole Miss) 3
Paul Nix (Auburn) 3
Harry Rabenhorst (LSU) 2
R.P. Patty (MSU) 2
Paul Gregory (MSU) 2
Jake Gibbs (Ole Miss) 2
Larry Schmittou (Vandy) 2
Joe Arnold (Florida) 2
Rod Delmonico (Tennessee) 2
Andy Lopez (Florida) 2
Ray Tanner (S Carolina) 2
*With five coaches winning at least one SEC Championship, Alabama ranks third in the league behind Florida (6) and LSU (6) for most coaches with an SEC title.
*Florida coaches to win at least one SEC Championship includes Dave Fuller (3), Jay Bergman (1), Jack Rhine (1), Joe Arnold (2), Andy Lopez (2) and Pat McMahon (1).
*LSU coaches to win at least one SEC championship includes Harry Rabenhorst (2), Red Swanson (1), Ray Didier (1), Jim Smith (1), Skip Bertman (5) and Smoke Laval (1).
*Auburn, Miss. State and Georgia have had three different coaches win an SEC title, while Tennessee, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Arkansas have two each.
MOST DIFFERENT COACHES TO WIN SEC TITLE
School Coaches
Florida 6
LSU 6
Alabama 5
Auburn 3
Miss. State 3
Georgia 3
Tennessee 2
Ole Miss 2
Vanderbilt 2
Arkansas 2
Georgia Tech 1
South Carolina 1
BAMA CAN CLINCH SEC TRNY BERTH
*Alabama and Kentucky can be the first two teams to clinch SEC Tournament berths this weekend.
*Alabama needs two wins over Florida to clinch its 20th SEC Tournament appearance.
*The Crimson Tide seeks its 10th SEC Tournament appearance under Coach Wells.
*Kentucky needs just one win to assure itself a spot in Hoover in two weeks.
*LSU (No. 9) and Vanderbilt (No. 7) play each other this weekend in Baton Rouge. One of those two teams (barring rain) will have two more SEC losses and make it impossible for them to catch Alabama or Kentucky.
*The Crimson Tide is already guaranteed a better record than Florida and with one win this weekend can clinch a better record than both Auburn and Tennessee.
*All 12 teams are mathematically still alive for the eight spots at the Hoover Met in two weeks with six games remaining in the league race.
2006 SEC OVERALL STANDINGS
Rank Team Record
1. Kentucky 16-8
2. ALABAMA 15-9
3. Arkansas 14-10
4 Ole Miss 13-11
5. Georgia 13-11
6. South Carolina 13-11
7. Vanderbilt 12-12
8. Miss. State 11-12
9. LSU 11-13
10. Tennessee 9-14
11. Auburn 9-15
12. Florida 7-17
SEC STARTS (Under Coach Wells)
24-Game 27-Game
Year Record Record
1995 14-10 16-11
1996 15-9 17-10
1997 16-8 19-8
1998 16-8 18-9
1999 15-9 18-9
2000 13-11 15-12
2001 10-14 12-15
2002 17-7 20-7
2003 13-11 13-14
2004 8-16 10-17
2005 14-10 15-12
2006 15-9 ?
BAMA SEEKS SEC HOME WINS RECORD
*Alabama is 10-2 (.833) in SEC home games this season, with series wins over Ole Miss, Miss. State, Vanderbilt and Auburn.
*Alabama has series sweeps over Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide took two of three from No. 1 Miss. State and arch-rival Auburn.
*A sweep over the Florida Gators this weekend and Alabama would tie the school record for most home SEC wins in a season.
*The 1999 and 2002 Alabama teams posted 13-2 (.867) home SEC records.
*In addition, two wins over Florida this week will give Alabama five SEC home series for just the fourth time in history.
*The 1997, 1998 and 1999 teams all won five SEC home series.
*In fact, Alabama won 18 consecutive home SEC series from 1996-2000.
*Alabama has won 10 or more SEC home games seven times since 1995.
*Alabama is 20-7 (.000) in SEC home games the last two years and has won eight of nine series.
SEC HOME RECORD
Year Record
1995 7-5 (.583)
1996 10-5 (.667)
1997 11-3 (.786)
1998 11-3 (.786)
1999 13-2 (.867)
2000 9-6 (.600)
2001 9-6 (.600)
2002 13-2 (.867)
2003 9-6 (.600)
2004 4-11 (.267)
2005 10-5 (.667)
2006 10-2 (.833)
SEC HOME SERIES RECORD
Year Record
1995 3-2
1996 4-1
1997 5-0
1998 5-0
1999 5-0
2000 4-1
2001 3-2
2002 4-1
2003 3-2
2004 0-5
2005 4-1
2006 4-0
