ALABAMA BASEBALL: Weekly Update
2/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE BASEBALL NOTEBOOK
Monday, February 26, 2007
Overall Record: 8-2 (.800)
Last Week’s Record 2-1 (.677)
Feb. 23 Villanova 6, Alabama 1
Feb. 24 Alabama 5, Villanova 3 (DH)
Alabama 11, Villanova 6 (DH)
This Week’s Schedule:
Feb. 28 UAB at Alabama (3 p.m.)
March 2 McNeese State at Alabama (6:30 p.m.)
March 3 McNeese State at Alabama (4 p.m.)
March 4 McNeese State at Alabama (2 p.m.)
VILLANOVA REWIND:
After dropping the first game of the series, Alabama swept a doubleheader on Feb. 25 to earn a hard-fought series win against Villanova ... The Crimson Tide managed only six singles in the series-opening loss on Feb. 24 ... In the doubleheader sweep, Alabama’s offense came to life with 16 runs and 22 hits en route to the sweep ... Alabama got two stellar defensive plays and a four-run, seventh inning to earn a 5-3 win in game two of the series ... Sophomore Austin Hyatt got out of bases loaded jam in the sixth with a 3-6-1 double play against pinch hitter James Dolbier to ... In the seventh, Matthes threw out Tim Poydenis at home plate to end the inning and keep the score knotted at 1-1 ... The Crimson Tide scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-1 lead ... Senior Emeel Salem drew a lead off walk. stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch to give Alabama its first lead of the series ... Sophomore Kent Matthes had an RBI single and freshman Brandon May capped the inning with a two-run single ... In the nightcap, Alabama snapped a 5-5 tie with two runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to earn an 11-6 win ... Sophomore Alex Avila’s two-run double broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth after Villanova had tied the game with four runs in the top of the inning ... Junior Matt Bentley had two hits and three RBI in the win, including a two-run home run in the second inning as UA built a 3-1 lead ... Senior right-hander Patrick Kelly earned his first collegiate win by allowing an unearned run and two hits in 2 1/3 innings with three strikeouts ...
OFFENSIVE NOTES:
Alabama is hitting .329 (116-for-353) in its first 10 games with 12 home runs and 75 RBI ... The Crimson Tide has averaged 8.3 runs and 11.6 hits through the first 10 games ... This time last year, Alabama was hitting only .244 (80-for-328) with eight home runs and 53 RBI ... The Crimson Tide has increased its run production by more almost three per game and increased its hit production by almost four per game over last season ... One of the keys to Alabama’s early season success has been the ability to score in the early innings ... The Crimson Tide has outscored the opposition 43-4 through the first innings of play this season ... Alabama also owns a 25-4 scoring advantage in the seventh inning this year ... Sophomore right fielder Kent Matthes (Orlando, Fla.) is the leading hitter with a .455 (17-for-40) clip ... He also leads UA with four home runs, 17 RBI and an .800 slugging mark through 10 games ... Matthes has at least one RBI in all 10 games this season ... Matthes was 5-for-11 (.455) with three runs scored and three RBI against Villanova ... Senior center fielder Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) is the second-leading hitter with a .395 (15-for-38) average ... He leads the team with 15 runs scored and has eight stolen bases ... Salem has scored at least one run in all 10 games ... Salem hit .455 (5-for-11) against Villanova with three runs scored, three stolen bases and one RBI ... Freshman third baseman Jake Smith (Shannon) missed the Villanova series with a knee injury ... He is expected to be back this week ... Smith is the third-leading hitter with a .370 (10-for-27) average with one home run and nine RBI ... Junior first baseman Matt Bentley is hitting .345 (10-for-29) after a solid weekend against Villanova ... He has one home run and six RBI in eight games ... Bentley hit .364 (4-for-11) with a home run and four RBI against Villanova .. He matched his career high with three RBI in the Tide’s 11-6 win in the series finale ... Sophomore catcher/outfielder Ryan Rhoden (Tuscaloosa) hit .385 (5-for-13) in the Villanova series to extend his hitting streak to seven games ... During the seven-game streak, he is batting .333 (11-for-33) ... He tied his career high with three hits in the series finale against Villanova ...
PITCHING NOTES:
The pitching staff has an 8-2 record and 2.18 ERA through 10 games ... The staff has worked 93 innings and allowed 80 hits, 36 runs and 26 earned runs, with 23 walks and 99 strikeouts this season ... Opponents are batting only .227 against the Crimson Tide ... Alabama starters are 5-1 with a 1.39 ERA this season ... The starters have logged 51 2/3 innings and allowed 38 hits, 10 runs and eight earned runs, with 13 walks and 34 strikeouts ... Sophomores Tommy Hunter (3 GS, 2-1, 1.89 ERA, 19 IP, 19 K), Miers Quigley (3 GS, 1-0, 1.04 ERA, 17.1 IP, 20 K) and Casey Kebodeaux (3 GS, 1-0, 1.23 ERA, 14.2 IP, 16 K) have nine of the 10 starts ... Alabama has scored 38 runs (12.7 per game) in Kebodeaux’s three starts this season ... The UA bullpen is 3-1 with three saves and 4.57 ERA ... The pen has logged 41 1/3 innings and allowed 42 hits, 26 runs and 21 earned runs, with 10 walks and 45 strikeouts ... Junior right hander Josh Copeland (6 G, 0-1, 4.55 ERA, 2 Saves) leads UA with six appearances through the first 10 games ... Sophomore right hander Austin Hyatt (5 G, 2-0, 0.87 ERA, 1 Save) has stranded all seven inherited runners this season ... Senior right hander Bernard Robert (1 G, 0-0, 4.50 ERA) made his 2007 debut against Villanova on Feb. 23 ... He worked four innings and allowed two runs and three hits, with one walk and five strikeouts ...
THE WEEK AHEAD
Alabama will close out its season-long 14-game homestand with four games this week against UAB (Feb. 28) and McNeese State (March 2-4) ... UAB will bring a 2-5 record to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Feb. 28 for the first of two “Business Persons Special” at the Joe this season ... The Blazers were swept at Arizona State this weekend and were outscored 37-10 in the series ... McNeese State will bring a 2-10 record to Tuscaloosa this weekend ... The Cowboys opened the season with nine straight losses and lost head coach Chad Clement, who suddenly resigned four games into the schedule ... Chris Flackler is the interim head coach ... McNeese plays at UL Monroe on Tuesday, Feb. 27 ...
