BAMA HOSTS SOUTH ALABAMA
The University of Alabama baseball team opens a five-game run against in-state foes when the Crimson Tide hosts the South Alabama Jaguars in a 6:36 p.m. (CDT) game Wednesday, April 18 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The game will be televised locally by WVUA Sports. Alabama (22-15, 7-8 SEC) is coming off a series win over the Georgia Bulldogs this past weekend in Tuscaloosa. After dropping the series opener, Alabama rebounded to win the next two games and claim the series win. The Crimson Tide has posted back-to-back wins for just the third time since March 6. Senior left fielder Brandon Belcher (Ruston), who leads the Crimson Tide in hitting in SEC play, was 5-for-10 (.500) in the Georgia series. Senior center fielder Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) hit .462 (6-for-13) with three runs scored to break out of a four-game slump at the plate. Junior first baseman Matt Bentley (Hazel Green) was 5-for-12 (.417) and drove in the winning run with a bases loaded single in the ninth inning April 14. Alabama is 2-2 against in-state teams this season and will play Auburn (April 20-22) and Samford (April 25) in the four games following Wednesday’s game with South Alabama. Sophomore catcher Ryan Rhoden (Tuscaloosa) is 9-for-16 (.563) in four games this season against in-state teams, including an Alabama single-game record five hits against UAB on Feb. 28. South Alabama (17-16) had an unusual open date scheduled this past weekend and did not play a series. The Jags host Nicholls State Tuesday night before coming to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday. Sophomore third baseman David Doss is the leading hitter with a .366 (48-for-131) average with four home runs and 28 RBI in 33 games. Junior first baseman Jeff Cunningham (.308, 36-for-117) is the main power source with 13 home runs and 34 RBI in 32 games.
THE HEAD COACHES
Alabama head baseball coach Jim Wells (Northwestern State, 1980) is the winningest coach in school history. He has compiled a 545-261 (.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 738-350 (.678) 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 14-3 (.824) in his career against South Alabama. USA head coach Steve Kittrell (South Alabama, 1971) is 919-523-1 (.637) in his 24th year with the Jags. Overall, he is 952-542-1 (.637) in 25 years of coaching. He is 20-36 (.357) all-time against the Crimson Tide.
STARTING PITCHER
Alabama is expected to send sophomore right-hander Casey Kebodeaux (Mandeville, La.) to the mound for Wednesday’s game with South Alabama. Kebodeaux has not pitched since a win over UAB (8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) at Regions Park on April 4. For the season, Kebodeaux is 3-2 with 3.86 ERA in 10 appearances and eight starts. He has worked 42 innings and allowed 44 hits, 22 runs and 18 earned runs with 11 walks and 33 strikeouts. Kebodeaux is 1-0 with 2.08 ERA in two starts against in-state teams this season.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Odr No. Name Pos. Bats 2007 Stats
1 2 Emeel Salem CF L/L .366 (53x145), 5 HR, 24 RBI, 21 SB
2 6 Brandon May 2B R/R .274 (20x73), 0 HR, 8 RBI, 3 3B
3 16 Alex Avila DH L/R .312 (44x141), 7 HR, 33 RBI, 12 2B
4 22 Kent Matthes RF R/R .293 (44x150), 8 HR, 34 RBI, 26 R
5 25 Matt Bentley 1B L/L .290 (36x124), 5 HR, 20 RBI, 19 R
6 14 Jake Smith 3B R/R .272 (31x114), 6 HR, 27 RBI, 5 GW RBI
7 32 Brandon Belcher LF L/L .333 (24x72), HR, 6 RBI, Hit in 14/16
8 1 Kyle Moore C R/R .200 (4x20), 0 HR, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 4 R
-- or -- 34 Ryan Rhoden /R .303 (36x119), 1 HR, 14 RBI
9 3 Greg Paiml SS R/R .279 (34x122), 1 HR, 13 RBI, 11 2B
ALABAMA-SOUTH ALABAMA SERIES
Alabama leads the all-time series, 50-44. The Crimson Tide has won 14 of the last 16 meetings and brings a four-game winning streak into Wednesday’s game. Bama has won nine in-a-row here in Tuscaloosa with the Jags last win coming March. 21, 1995.
SCOUTING REPORT: South Alabama
*The South Alabama Jaguars (17-16) are not having the kind of season they are accustomed too in Mobile.
*The Jags, a perennial NCAA Regional team, are just one game over .500 through 33 games heading into Tuesday’s home game against Nicholls State.
*The Jaguars did not have a weekend series this past weekend and have not played since a 5-1 loss to Mississippi State at Trustmark Park in Pearl Wednesday, April 11.
*As a team, South Alabama is hitting only .284 (321-for-1132) with 37 home runs and 204 RBI.
*The Jags are averaging 6.8 runs and 9.7 hits per game this season.
*The offense is built around sophomore third baseman David Doss (Cantonment, Fla.), junior catcher Joel Collins (Richmond Hill, Ontario) and junior first baseman Jeff Cunningham (Vincennes, Ind.).
*Doss, who was a freshman All-American in 2006, leads South Alabama with a .366 (48-for-131) average with four home runs and 28 RBI in 33 starts.
*He also leads the team with eight doubles, four triples and 30 runs scored.
*Collins is hitting .313 (35-for-112) with four home runs and 27 RBI in 33 games.
*Collins has also been hit by a pitch 14 times this season.
*Cunningham is the main power source for the Jags. He is hitting .308 (36-for-117) with a team-high 13 home runs and 34 RBI in 32 games.
*Junior outfielder Ray Kruml (Lisle, Ill.) is 12-for-16 in stolen bases to lead the Jags on the basepaths.
*South Alabama pitchers are 17-16 with six saves and a 5.19 ERA this season. The Jags have one complete game.
*The staff has worked 289 2/3 innings and allowed 351 hits, 209 runs and 167 earned runs with 122 walks and 238 strikeouts.
*Opponents are batting .301 (351-for-1166) against the Jags this year and average 6.3 runs and 10.7 hits per game,
*Freshman LHP Lance Baxter (Robertsdale) is expected to start on the mound against Alabama, although the Jags anticipate using a number of pitchers in the game.
*Baxter (8 G, 3 GS, 1-1, 6.03 ERA) has worked only 19 1/3 innings this season and allowed 24 hits, 14 runs and 13 earned runs with 14 walks and 16 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .316 against the rookie this year.
*Senior LHP Brett Turner (Mobile) and freshman LHP Chris LaGrow (Leesburg, Vir.) are the main guys out of the pen.
*Turner (1-1, 5.40 ERA) has a staff-leading 14 appearances and worked 16 2/3 innings and allowed 17 hits, 11 runs and nine earned runs with six walks and 14 strikeouts.
*Opponents have compiled a .38 batting average against him this year.
*LaGrow (1-1, 5 SV, 3.05 ERA) has 13 appearances and amassed five of the six saves.
*He has worked 20 2/3 innings and allowed 22 hits, 11 runs and seven earned runs with 13 walks and 21 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .275 against him in 2007.
*South Alabama has made 50 errors (.961) in 33 games this season, led by sophomore SS Russell Harben (Alphraetta, Ga.) 10 errors this season.
*Junior middle infielder Bunky Keaton (Mobile), who transferred from Mississippi State, has eight errors.
*The Jags have allowed 43 unearned runs this season.
SALEM’S DAD PLAYED FOR THE JAGS
*Alabama senior centerfielder Emeel Salem is the son of former Jaguar player, Emeel Salem, Sr.
*The younger Salem is 1-for-5 (.200) in three career games against South Alabama.
*Salem’s father, Emeel, Sr., played at South Alabama for legendary coach Eddie Stanky in 1974-77.
*The Jags compiled a 158-48 (.767) record in Salem’s four-year career, including two NCAA Regional appearances.
*South Alabama went 52-14 in 1975, losing to Texas and Texas-Pan American in the 1975 NCAA South Central Regional in Austin.
*South Alabama opened the 1975 season with 17 straight wins.
*After a 4-3 loss to Ohio, the Jags then reeled off 19 straight wins to start the year with an incredible 36-1 record and the No. 1 national ranking in Collegiate Baseball newspaper’s polls.
*The Jags were 42-13 in 1977, losing to South Carolina and Wake Forest in the 1977 NCAA Atlantic Regional in Columbia, S.C.
*The Jags were 1-2 against Alabama during the elder Salem’s career.
*After dropping two of three to the Tide to open the 1977 season, South Alabama reeled
IN-STATE FOES
Alabama is 2-2 this season against in-state teams. The Crimson Tide is batting .290 (45-for-155) in its four games with two home runs and 25 RBI. The Tide averages 6.5 runs and 11.5 hits per game. Rhoden leads the team with a .563 (9-for-16) average this season against in-state teams, with three runs scored and two RBI. Freshman 3B Jake Smith (Shannon) is hitting .375 (.6-for-16) with three RBI in four games. The UA pitching staff has compiled a 2.50 ERA in four games (39.2 IP, 29 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 10 BB, 30 K). Opponents are hitting .201 (29-for-144) and average only 3.0 runs and 7.9 hits per game.
ON DECK
Alabama travels to face the Auburn Tigers this weekend at Plainsman Park. The series opener is Friday, April 20 at 6:06 p.m. and will be televised by CSS.
