No. 25 Alabama Hosts LSU in SEC Baseball Series

GAMES 28-30: LSU TIGERS (15-11, 1-4-1 SEC) vs. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (17-10, 3-3 SEC)

SEWELL-THOMAS STADIUM -- TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA

MARCH 30-APRIL 1, 2007 -- DEFENDING SEC CHAMPS HOST LSU

 SERIES DATES AND TIMES

Friday, March 30 -- 6:37 p.m. (JUMBO Sports and Alabama Cable Network)

Saturday, March 31 -- 6:07 p.m. (JUMBO Sports and Alabama Cable Network)

Sunday, April 1 -- 2:07 p.m (JUMBO Sports and Alabama Cable Network; CSS will join in progress at 3 p.m. - CDT).

ALABAMA HOSTS LSU IN SEC SERIES

Two teams that dominated the Southeastern Conference in the late 1990s square off this weekend in Tuscaloosa as the No. 25 University of Alabama baseball team hosts the LSU Tigers in a three-game SEC series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.  The series begins Friday, March 30 at 6:36 p.m. (CDT).  The teams will also play Saturday, March 31 (6:06 p.m.) and Sunday, April 1 (2:06 p.m.)  All three games will be regionally televised by JUMBO Sports, the Alabama Cable Network and CSS Sports.  Alabama (17-10, 3-3 SEC), the defending SEC Champion, trails Arkansas by one game in SEC Western Division after two weekends of league play.  The Crimson Tide opened the season with a series win over Tennessee before dropping a series at No. 13 Ole Miss last weekend. LSU (15-11-1, 1-4-1 SEC) 1-2 SEC) has dropped both SEC series this season, losing at No. 3 South Carolina (March 16-18) and at home to Kentucky last weekend.  Both Alabama and LSU have struggled after getting off to strong starts this season.  Alabama opened the season with a 12-2 record, but has lost eight of its last 13 games.  LSU began the year with a 7-2 ledger, but has gone 8-9-1 in its last 18 games.  Alabama has four players on its roster from the state of Louisiana, including seniors Brandon Belcher (Ruston) and Bernard Robert (Denham Springs) and sophomores Casey Kebodeaux (Mandeville) and Jeff Texada (New Iberia).  The Crimson Tide received some good news on the injury front this week when Belcher and sophomore right-hander Austin Hyatt (Marietta, Ga.) are expected to return to the mound.  Belcher has missed six weeks with a muscle strain in his left forearm.  He threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and has not pitched since.  Hyatt has not pitched since a one-inning stint against No. 17 Nebraska March 10.

 THE HEAD COACHES

Alabama head baseball coach Jim Wells (Northwestern State, 1980) is the winningest coach in school history.  He has compiled a 540-256 (.678) record in 13 seasons at the Capstone.  Overall, Wells has posted a 732-345 (.680) record in 18 seasons. He has led Alabama to two SEC Championships, three SEC Western Division titles, three CWS appearances and six SEC Tournament titles.  Wells is 24-32 (.429) in his career against LSU, including a 22-26 (.458) mark at Alabama.  LSU head coach Paul Mainieri (Florida International, 1980) is in his first season as head coach of the Tigers and 25th season as a collegiate head coach. Prior to coming to Baton Rouge, Mainieri was the head coach at Notre Dame, where he compiled a 533-212-3 (.714) record in 12 seasons and took the Fighting Irish to the College World Series in 2002.  Mainieri has also served as head coach at Air Force (152-158, .490) and St. Thomas (179-121-1, .596).   His overall collegiate record stands at 879-503-5 (.636) entering the Alabama series.  He is 1-1 (.500) in his career against the Crimson Tide.

STARTING PITCHERS

Alabama sophomore left-hander Miers Quigley (Roswell, Ga.) will make his eighth start of the season in the series opener against LSU.  Quigley is 4-0 with a 2.26 ERA this season for the Crimson Tide.  Alabama is 6-1 (.857) in his previous seven starts with wins over No. 17 Nebraska and No. 13 Ole Miss.  LSU will counter with junior left-hander Charlie Furbish (South Portland, Maine).  Furbush is 3-3 with a 4.12 ERA in his seven previous starts.  He leads the LSU staff with 39 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings this season.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP

Odr          No.           Name                       Pos.         Bats         2007 Stats

 1             2             Emeel Salem           CF            L/L           .393 (42x107), 4 HR, 20 RBI, 19 SB

 2             14            Jake Smith              3B            R/R          .286 (24x84), 4 HR, 23 RBI, .500 Slg

 3             16            Alex Avila                                DH           L/R          .324 (34x205), 5 HR, 26 RBI, 11 2B

 4             22            Kent Matthes           RF            R/R          .333 (37x111), 6 HR, 31 RBI, 23 R

 5             25            Matt Bentley            1B            L/L           .318 (26x88), 5 HR, 19 RBI, .557 Slg

 6             34            Ryan Rhoden           C              R/R          .337 (31x92), 1 HR, 12 RBI, 14 R

 7             10            Jeff Texada             2B            R/R          .275 (22x80), 1 HR, 9 RBI, 13 BB

 -- or --   6             Brandon May                           R/R          .327 (17x52), 0 HR, 7 RBI, 3 2B

 8             32            Brandon Belcher     LF            L/L           .286 (12x42), 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 BB

 9             3             Greg Paiml              SS           R/R          .295 (26x88), 1 HR, 11 RBI, 4 SACs

 ALABAMA-LSU SERIES

*Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU, 187-141-3 (.569) in a series that dates back to the 1906 season.

*The series opener will mark the 332nd all-time meeting between these two longtime SEC Western Division rivals.

*The two teams have met every year since 1947. 

*The Alabama-LSU series is the fourth oldest series in SEC baseball lore.  The two teams have met 331 times prior to the 2007 season.

*The oldest SEC series is Miss. State and Ole Miss.  The two in-state rivals have met 420 times entering the 2007 campaign.

*The Alabama-Miss. State series is the second-longest in SEC history with 365 all-time meetings.

*The LSU-Miss. State series ranks third all-time with 350 meetings.

*Alabama and Ole Miss have met 320 times, including three this year, to rank as the fifth oldest series in SEC history.

*LSU won three of the five meetings last season against Alabama, including a series win in Baton Rouge April 14-16, 2006.

*After dropping a pair of close games on the first two days, Alabama rebounded with a 17-6 win in the series finale.

*UA pounded out an SEC-high 28 hits in that win.

*Alabama and LSU split a pair of games at the 2006 SEC Tournament.  After falling 4-3 in the first round, the Crimson Tide eliminated the Tigers with an 8-3 win two days later.

*LSU had held the upper hand in recent history as the Fighting Tigers are 18-9 (.667) against the Crimson Tide since the 2000 season.

*LSU has won six of the last eight regular-season series with Alabama since 1999.

*Alabama coach Jim Wells is 24-32 (.429) in his career against LSU, including a 22-26 (.458) mark at Alabama.

*LSU coach Paul Mainieri is 1-1 (.500) in his career against Alabama. 

*Alabama and Notre Dame split a two-game series at Eck Stadium in South Bend April 24-25, 1995. 

*The No. 22 Fighting Irish beat the Crimson Tide 5-3 in the series opener.  Alabama rebounded with a 9-1 win the next day to earn the midweek split.

WELLS VS. LSU

*Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 24-32 (.429) in his career against the LSU Tigers. 

*Wells is 22-26 (.458) here at Alabama.  He was 2-6 (.250) against the Tigers in his five-year tenure at Northwestern State.

*Alabama won four (1995-97, 99) of the first five series with LSU under Wells.

*Since 2000, LSU has won six of the last seven regular-season series. 

*Wells led the Crimson Tide to the 1997 and 2003 SEC Tournament Championship with a win over the Tigers in the championship game.

*Wells also led Alabama to the NCAA Super Regional series sweep over LSU as the Crimson Tide advanced to the College World Series for the third time in four years.

*Here is a look at Wells’ game-by-game log against LSU.

SCOUTING REPORT: LSU Tigers

*LSU (15-11-1, 1-4-1 SEC) will be looking for its seventh series win in the last eight years when the Tigers visit Alabama in Tuscaloosa this weekend.

*After winning seven of its first nine games, the Tigers have struggled of late, posting an 8-9-1 record in the last 18 games.

*LSU has lost both SEC series to date, losing two out of three at No. 3 South Carolina (March 16-18) and going 0-2-1 at home to Kentucky (March 23-25) last weekend.

*The series finale with Kentucky ended in a 9-9 tie after eight innings to due to the SEC’s travel curfew.

*LSU is coming off a 6-3 win over New Orleans Tuesday night in Baton Rouge. 

*Catcher Robert Lara and shortstop Michael Hollander were a combined 5-for-7 with two home runs and five RBI in the win.

*Right-hander Ryan Byrd pitched seven strong innings and struck out eight in the Tigers midweek win.

*As a team, LSU is hitting only .247 (218-for-883) this season with 23 home runs and 126 RBI in 27 games.

*The Tigers average 5.3 runs and 8.07 hits per game.

*Freshman outfielder Blake Dean (Crestview, Fla.) is the only LSU regular hitting better than .300 for the season.

*In 27 games, Dean is batting .320 (31-for-97) with two home runs and 22 RBI.  He also has a team-high 11 walks.

*Freshman outfielder Jared Mitchell (New Iberia, La.) is hitting .284 (31-for-109) with one home run and 10 RBI.  He leads the Tigers with 25 runs scored and 11 stolen bases (11 attempts).

*Freshman first baseman Sean Ochinko (Parkland, Fla.) leads LSU with five home runs and 20 RBI.  He is batting .250 (24-for-96) in 27 games.

*Senior outfielder Steven Waguespack (Thibodeaux, La.) has four home runs and 14 RBI.  He is hitting .205 (15-for-73) in 22 games.

*The LSU pitching staff is 15-11 with eight saves and a 4.76 ERA through 27 games.  The Tigers have worked 238 innings and allowed 268 hits, 154 runs and 129 earned runs, with 80 walks and 213 strikeouts.

*LSU has used 17 different pitchers this season, with nine pitchers throwing more than 10 innings.

*The only announced weekend starter is junior left-hander Charlie Furbush (South Portland, Maine). 

*LSU has not announced it starter for the Saturday and Sunday games.

*Furbush is 3-3 with a 4.12 ERA in seven starts this season.  In 39 1/3 innings, he has allowed 41 hits, 24 runs and 18 earned runs, with 19 walks and 39 strikeouts.

*Other starting candidates are  junior right hander Jared Bradford (Hueytown, Ala.) and freshman right hander T.J. Forrest (Benton, La.).

*Bradford, who pitched the last two years at Shelton State CC, is 4-1 with a 2.86 ERA in 10 games and five starts.

*In 44 innings, he has allowed 37 hits, 15 runs and 14 earned runs, with eight walks and 37 strikeouts.

*Bradford has held opponents to an LSU-best .230 batting average this year.

*He defeated No. 3 South Carolina (8.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) March 17 for the Tigers’ lone SEC win.

*Forrest is is relatively new to the rotation and has compiled a 1-1 record and 3.21 ERA in four starts.

*In 14 innings, he has allowed 15 hits, seven runs and five earned runs, with 11 walks and 14 strikeouts.

*He has started the last two SEC Sunday games for LSU and held South Carolina to one unearned run in five innings on March 18.

*LSU has featured a bullpen by committee this season as four different pitchers have recorded at least one save.

*Freshman right hander Paul Bertuccini (Metarie, La.) leads the way with 12 appearances this season.  He has no record, one save and 3.24 ERA (8.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 10 K) in holding opponents to a .188 batting average.

*Sophomore right hander Nolan Cain (Cantonment, Fla.) has made 11 appearances out of the pen.  Cain is 0-1 with one save and 3.38 ERA (10.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 9 BB, 10 K).

*Sophomore right hander Louis Coleman (Schlater, Miss.) has assumed the dual role as starter and closer this season, but has settled into the pen of late.

*Coleman is 2-3 with a team-leading four saves and 5.62 ERA (31 IP, 38 H, 21 R, 19 ER, 7 BB, 32 K) in 13 appearances.  He has four starts and nine games in relief this season.

*He has nearly a five-to-one strikeout to walk ratio this season, but opponents own a .304 batting average against the right hander.

*Bradford also has two saves in relief this season.

*LSU’s defense has committed 47 errors in 27 games, an average of 1.74 per game.

*The 47 errors have led to 25 unearned runs, almost one per game.

*Hollander leads the way with 12 errors at shortstop, while Lara (C) and Wise (INF) have made six errors each.

MAINIERI REUNITED WITH BAMA

*LSU head coach Paul Mainieri will not be seeing the Alabama Crimson Tide or Sewell-Thomas Stadium for the first time this weekend.

*Mainieri coached two games against Alabama during the 1995 campaign, his rookie season at Notre Dame.

*The 1995 season was also Jim Wells first season as head coach at Alabama.

*Both Wells and Mainieri are the winningest first-year coaches at Alabama (42-23) and Notre Dame (40-21).

*The Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish split two midweek games at Eck Stadium April 24-25, 1995. 

*Notre Dame won the first game (5-3), while Alabama earned a split with a win (9-1) in game two.

*In 1996, Mainieri guided the Fighting Irish to a 44-18 record and a berth in the 1996 NCAA South I Regional here in Tuscaloosa.                

*The Fighting Irish finished third in the South I Regional that also featured Alabama, Virginia, Stetson, South Alabama and Princeton.

*Mainieri is 1-1 (.500) in his head coaching career against Alabama.

*He owns a 1-2 (.333) record in his career here at the Joe.

LOUISIANA LIGHTNING

*Alabama has four Louisiana natives on its 2007 baseball roster.

*The list includes the following players.

LOUISIANA NATIVES

Player, Pos.                             Hometown

Brandon Belcher, LF               Ruston

Casey Kebodeaux, RHP           Mandeville

Bernard Robert, RHP               Denham Springs

Jeff Texada, INF                      New Iberia

LOUISIANA PURCHASE

*Alabama has enjoyed a fair amount of success over teams from the state of Louisiana.

*The Crimson Tide has forged a 306-176 (.635) all-time record against Louisiana teams, with the majority of those games coming against the flagship school LSU.

*Alabama is 3-0 against Louisiana schools this season after sweeping a three-game series from McNeese State March 2-4.

*The Crimson Tide is also scheduled to host Southeastern Louisiana here in Tuscaloosa Tuesday, April 10.

Alabama vs. Louisiana Schools

Opponent                                 Series Record

Centenary                                UA leads, 6-0

UL Lafayette                            UA leads, 3-0

LSU                                         UA leads, 189-139-3

Louisiana Tech                       UA leads, 12-2

McNeese State                        UA leads, 6-1

New Orleans                            UA leads, 7-4

Nicholls State                          UA leads, 4-2

NE Louisiana                           UA leads, 5-2

Northwestern State                 UA leads, 3-0

SE Louisiana                           UA leads, 7-0

Southern                                 UA leads, 4-0

Tulane                                     UA leads, 60-26

OFFENSE SHOWS IMPROVEMENT

*The main reason for Alabama’s early season success is a much improved offensive attack.

*Alabama’s current batting average (.314) is the highest at this point in the season since the 2001 team posted a .316 batting average through 27 games.

*The Crimson Tide’s current average is 45 points higher than this time last year.

*Alabama’s 28 home runs are the most through 27 games since the 2003 team swatted 35 dingers.

*The 175 RBI are the most by an Alabama team after 27 games since the 2003 team posted 204 RBI.

*The Crimson Tide has scored 190 runs in 27 games, an average of 7.04 per game this season. 

*The run totals and average runs per game are the highest 27-game totals since the 2003 team scored 235 runs for an average of 8.7 runs per game.

*Alabama has collected 298 hits in 27 games this season, an average of 11.04 hits per game. 

*The total number of hits and average number of hits are also the highest since the 2001 team posted 305 hits and averaged 11.3 hits per game.

University of Alabama Athletics

No. 25 Alabama Hosts LSU in SEC Baseball Series

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