UA HOSTS UGA AS FIRST HALF CLOSES
The 2007 Southeastern Conference race will hit the midpoint of the season this weekend as the Alabama Crimson Tide hosts the Georgia Bulldogs in a three-game SEC series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The series opener is set for Friday, April 13 at 6:36 p.m. (CDT) and the game will be televised locally by WVUA Sports. The two teams are set to meet Saturday, April 14 at 3:06 p.m. (CDT) and Sunday, April 15 at 2:06 p.m. (CDT). The Saturday game will be televised by FSN South as the “SEC Game of the Week” while Sunday’s game will be aired on Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS). Alabama (20-14, 5-7 SEC) had its midweek game against Southeastern Louisiana rained out Tuesday night. The game will be made up Tuesday, May 15 at 6:60 p.m. (CDT). The Crimson Tide picked up a much needed win at No. 1 Vanderbilt April 8 toavoid its first sweep in the Music City since 1986. Trailing 3-1 after seven innings, Alabama scored four times in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings for the comeback win. Junior first baseman Matt Bentley (Hazel Green) scored the winning run with a straight steal of home with two outs in the 10th inning. Senior left fielder Brandon Belcher (Ruston) followed with an RBI single to give the Tide a 5-3 lead. Sophomore right fielder Kent Matthes (Orlando, Fla.) tied the game with a two-out single in the ninth. Sophomore DH Alex Avila (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) hit two home runs, including solo shorts in the second and eighth innings. Senior center fielder Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) leads Alabama in hitting (.356), runs scored (38) and stolen bases (21) this year. Matthes and Avila share the team lead with seven home runs. Five of Avila’s seven home runs have come in SEC play. Matthes (33 RBI) and Avila (30 RBI) are also the top two run producers on the team. Georgia (12-21, 4-8 SEC) has lost its last three SEC series after opening the season with a three-game sweep at home agianst Auburn. The Bulldogs defeated Savannah State (1-0) Tuesday and was rained out at Western Carolina Wednesday night. The Bulldogs have two of three after a six-game (March 30-April 6) losing streak.
THE HEAD COACHES
Alabama head baseball coach Jim Wells (Northwestern State, 1980) is the winningest coach in school history. He has compiled a 543-260 (.676) record in 13 seasons at the Capstone. He coached his 800th game with the Tide Wednesday, April 4 at Regions Park in Hoover. Overall, Wells has posted a 736-349 (.677) 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. Georgia head coach David Perno (Georgia, 1991) has compiled a 194-138 (.000) record in his six years at the helm of the Bulldogs. The former UGa player and assistant coach has guided the Bulldogs to three NCAA Regionals and two trips (2004 and 2006) to the College World Series.
STARTING PITCHERS
Alabama will open the series with sophomore left-hander Miers Quigley (Roswell, Ga.) on the mound against Georgia. Quigley (4-1, 2.62 ERA) will be making his 11th appearance of the season and 10th start. He is seventh in the SEC in innings (58.1) and opponents batting average (.198), 10th in ERA (2.62) and strikeouts (55) and 11th in fewest runs allowed (18). Georgia wil send sophomore right-hander Stephen Dodson (Norcross) to the mound in the series opener. In 13 games, Dodson has a 2-4 record and 2.08 ERA. He beat No. 14 Ole Miss (8 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) in his best outing of the 2007 season.
ALABAMA-GEORGIA SERIES
*In a series that dates back to the 1904 season, Georgia holds a 61-56-2 all-time lead.
*The Bulldogs are the only SEC team to post a winning record against the Crimson Tide.
*Alabama has won four of the last five series dating back to 2002, including the last two in-a-row.
*The Crimson Tide will be looking to win its third straight series from the Bullodgs for the second time this decade. Alabama also won three straight series from 2001-03.
*Alabama opened its 2006 SEC Championship season by winning two of three from Georgia in Athens March 17-19, 2006.
*The Crimson Tide took the series opener as junior LHP Wade LeBlanc (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) tossed a complte-game gem in the opener.
*Emeel Salem went 3-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI in the win. His RBI doubled snapped a scoreless tie in the fifth inning against Brooks Brown.
*Pitching was the story again in game two as RHP Bernard Robert (6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) worked into the seventh inning in the Tide’s 5-3 win.
*RHP David Robertson (1 IP, 3 K) struck out the side in the ninth for his fifth save.
*Evan Bush had three hits and Kody Valverde slapped a two-run home run in the win.
*The Bulldogs roughed up RHP Tommy Hunter (4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) with six runs in the fifth inning to salvage the series finale.
*Georgia SS Gordan Beckham had three hits and one RBI in the series finale.
*The home team has won seven of the last nine series. Alabama is the only road team to win a series in the last nine meetings, beating Georgia in Athens in 1998 and 2006.
*Georgia has not won in Tuscaloosa since 1993, losing the last five trips to the Joe.
*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 28-25 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 22-12 (.647) in his career against Georgia.
*Georgia coach David Perno is 6-9 (.400) against Alabama.
Alabama-Georgia Series File
at Tuscaloosa: UA, 36-30-1
at Athens: UGa, 31-17-1
Neutral Sites: Tied, 1-1
Jim Wells vs. Georgia: 21-12 (.647)
David Perno vs. Alabama: 6-9 (.400)
UA Longest Win Streak: 12 (1946-86)
GA Longest Win Streak: 7 (1913-15)
SCOUTING REPORT: Georgia
*The Georgia Bulldogs (12-21, 4-8 SEC) have struggled throughout much of the 2007 season, thanks to a brutal non-confernece schedule that saw the Bulldogs play defending national champion Oregon State and Southern Cal at home.
*Georgia was swept in its season-opening series by Oregon State and then was swept three weeks later at home by USC.
*Georgia entered SEC play with a 6-11 overall record and opened the league slate with a three-game sweep of Auburn in Athens.
*After a 3-0 start in conference play, Georgia has lost eight of its last nine SEC games and snapped a seven-game SEC losing streak with a 4-3 win at Ole Miss last Saturday (April 7).
*On offense, Georgia is batting .267 (318-for-1192) with 23 home runs and 138 RBI in 33 games.
*The Bulldogs average 4.5 runs and 9.6 hits per game this season.
*In SEC play, Georgia is batting .243 (104-for-483) with nine home runs and 40 RBI.
*The Bulldogs average 3.6 runs and 8.6 hits per game through 12 SEC games.
*Senior center fielder Jonathan Wyatt (Kennesaw, Ga.) and sophomore shortstop Gordon Beckham (Atlanta) are the only regulars hitting over .300 this season.
*Wyatt is hitting a team-leading .313 (40-for-128) with three home runs and 22 RBI. Wyatt leads UGa with 23 runs scored.
*Beckham is second in hitting with a .308 (44-for-143) average and leads the Dogs with seven home runs and 30 RBI, mainly in the two-hole this year.
*Beckham is second on the team in SEC play with a .360 (18-for-50) batting average with one home run and four RBI.
*Beckham, Wyatt and sophomore third base Ryan Piesel (Marietta) are the only Bulldogs to start all 32 games.
*Piesel is hitting .226 (31-for-137) with 19 runs scored and six RBI.
*Freshman 1B/3B Rich Poytheress (Grovetown, Ga.) leads the Dogs in SEC play with a .371 (13-for-35) avergae in 10 games. He has added two home runs and six RBI.
*The Georgia pitching staff has been solid much of the year. The Bulldogs are 12-21 with three saves and a 3.72 ERA.
*UGa pitchers have worked 307 innings and allowed 286 hits, 162 runs and 127 earned runs with 134 walks and 220 strikeouts.
*The staff has hurled three shutouts this season, including a 1-0 win over Savannah State Tuesday night (April 10) in Athens.
*Sophomore right-hander Stephen Dodson (Columbus, Ga.) is expected to open the series on the mound for the Bulldogs.
*Dodson (2-4, 2.08 ERA) has logged 39 innings and allowed 29 hits, 21 runs and nine earned runs, with 10 walks and 26 strikeouts. He has the lowest ERA on the staff.
*He is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in six SEC games, including two starts. Dodson beat No. 16 Ole Miss (8 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) last Saturday (April 7) in Oxford.
*Freshman left-hander Justin Earls (Lawrenceville, Ga.) is expected to pitch game two on Saturday.
*Earls (2-2, 3.51 ERA) has worked 33 1/3 innings and allowed 35 hits, 16 runs and 13 earned runs, with 15 walks and 15 strikeouts.
*In league play, Earls is 1-1 with a 5.71 ERA in four starts.
*The game three starter has not been announced but the leading candidates are sophomore left-hander Nathan Moreau (Lilburn, Ga.) and sophomore right hander Trevor Holder (Mountain Brook, Ala.).
*Moreau (2-1, 4.85 ERA) has worked 42 2/3 innings and allowed 40 hits, 25 runs and 23 earned runs with 14 walks and 31 strikeouts.
*He is the only Georgia starter to see action in all eight weekend series.
*Moreau is 0-1 with a 7.48 ERA in four SEC starts and allowed 27 hits in 20 innings on the mound.
*Holder (11 G, 5 GS, 0-2, 3.89 ERA) has worked 34 2/3 innings and allowed 40 hits, 17 runs and 15 earned runs with 14 walks and 31 strikeouts.
*He is 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA in five SEC games. He has allowed 19 hits in 12 innings. Holder beat Alabama last year as the Bulldogs salvaged the final game of the series in Athens to avoid the sweep.
*Junior right-hander Joshua Fields (Hull, Ga.) and freshman right-hander Ryan Woolley (Montclair, Vir.) have combined for 25 releif appearances.
*Woolley (12 G, 0-1, 3.12 ERA) has worked 17 1/3 innings and allowed nine hits, seven runs and six earned runs, with seven walks and 11 strikeouts.
*Fields (14 G, 1 GS, 1-5, 2 SV, 5.40 ERA) has worked 23 1/3 innings and allowed 23 hits, 16 runs and 14 earned runs, with 15 walks and 30 strikeouts.
*On defense, Georgia is fielding .960 through its fist 32 games, with 51 errors and 30 double plays.
*Beckham leads the way with 12 errors, while freshmen infielders Luke Stewart (Normal, Ill.) and Mike Freeman (Orlando, Fla.) have seven errors each.
GEORGIA TIDERS
*The Georgia roster contains two players from the state of Alabama.
*Sophomore RHP Trevor Holder hails from Birmingham and played at Mountain Brook High School.
*Freshman OF Kurt Waid hails from Jasper and attended Clay-Chalkville High School.
ALABAMA BULLDOGS
*The Alabama roster contains six players from the state of Georgia.
*The list includes freshman catcher Brock Bennett (Tucker), junior RHP Josh Copeland (Palmetto), sophomore RHP Austin Hyatt (Marietta), freshman outfielder Braynt Jones (Dacula), freshman infielder Brandon May (Marietta) and sophomore LHP Miers Quigley (Roswell).
HIGH SCHOOL REUNIONS
*The Alabama-Georgia series will reunite three sets of high school teamamates this weekend in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama center fielder Emeel Salem and Georgia RHP Trevor Holder are both Mountain Brook High School graduates. They were teammates with the Spartans during the 2004 season.
*Alabama right fielder Kent Matthes and Georgia freshman infielder Mike Freeman are both graduates for Edgewater High School in Orlando, Fla. They were high school teammates in 2004 and 2005.
*Alabama LHP Miers Quigley and Georgia RHP Brent Hallman are both graduates of Roswell High School. They were teammates in 2004 and 2005.
CLOSE CALLS
*Alabama and Georgia have experienced numerous close games this season.
*The two teams have combined to play 20 one-run games, 12 games decided by two runs and 10 extra inning games this season.
*Georgia is 6-6 (.500) in one-run games this year, while Alabama is 2-6 (.250) in one-run games.
*The Crimson Tide is batting .233 (63-for-270) in its eight one-run games.
*The Bulldogs are hitting .256 (121-for-472) in one-run games this year.
*Alabama owns a 5-3 (.625) record in games decided by two runs, while Georgia is 1-5 (.167) in two-run affairs.
*Bama is hitting .265 (73-for-275) in games decided by two runs this season.
*The Bulldogs are hitting .271 (56-for-207) in four games decided by two runs.
*Neither team has been particularly successful in extra innings this year.
*Alabama is 2-4 (.333) in extra innings, while Georgia is 0-4.
*Alabama is hitting .232 (52-for-224) in its six extra inning games.
*Georgia is hitting slightly over .200 (.203, 38-for-187) in its four extra inning games.
*The Bulldogs hit .125 (7-for-56) and scored only two runs in an 18-inning loss to Gardner-Webb in Athens, March 9.
HOME RUNS
*Alabama has hit 33 home runs in its first 34 games of the 2007 season.
*The Crimson Tide ranks fourth in the SEC with those 33 home runs. South Carolina (57), Florida (47) and Arkansas (44) have more home runs than Alabama.
*In SEC play, Alabama has 14 home runs in 12 conference games and is tied with Florida for third in the league. South Carolina (22) and Arkansas (15) have more home runs than Alabama.
*Alabama did not hit its 33rd home run last year until April 22.
*The Crimson Tide has hit 23 solo home runs this season, which accounts for 69.6 percent of his dinger totals.
*Alabama has hit 10 consecutive solo home runs, dating back to March 17 when Jake Smith and Matt Bentley each hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning of Bama’s 9-1 win over Tennessee.
*Nine of the Crimson Tide’s 33 home runs have led off an inning.
*The Crimson Tide has hit three home runs in a game three times this season, including Georgia State (Feb. 10), Tennessee (March 16) and LSU (March 30).
*Matthes and Avila lead Alabama with seven home runs this season.
*Salem, Smith and Bentley have five home runs each.
*Avila has five home runs in SEC play to lead the team, while Smith has hit three of his five dingers in conference action.
*Smith homered in second collegiate at-bat against Georgia State (Feb. 10) on opening day.
*He slugged a two-run home run in his first career SEC at-bat against Tennessee (March 16) in the Tide’s 9-7 win.
ON DECK
Alabama and Georgia will play game two of this three-game series Saturday, April 14 at 3:05 p.m. (CDT). The game will be televised by FSN South as the “SEC Game of the Week”. Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Larry Conley (color) serves as the network’s announce crew.
