Alabama
Nicholls State
Matthes Hits for Cycle in 11-4 Win
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Alabama-Nicholls State Boxscore 
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Senior right fielder Kent Matthes hit for the cycle and knocked in a career-high tying five runs as No. 23 ranked Alabama beat Nicholls State 11-4 Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Matthes recorded the fifth cycle in school history with a three-run triple, solo home run, double and RBI single in five at-bats. The cycle came on an infield base hit in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored Taylor Dugas from third base. The last UA player to hit for the cycle was Darren Wood at LSU on May 14, 2000, in the final game of the regular season.
"It's definitely an honor," Matthes said after the game. "It comes about very rarely. A couple of guys brought it up to me in the dugout after my fourth at-bat, after the double. You don't want to think about it, you just want think about what you have to do, which at that point was getting the guys in from second and third. It was kind of hard not to, since that is the first time I've ever (hit for the cycle). It was definitely exciting and I am glad we got a win tonight."
It was the fifth cycle in school history, joining Frank Menechino vs. South Alabama (Feb. 23, 1993), Darren Wood vs. Southern Mississippi (March 9, 1999), Andy Phillips vs. Kansas State (March 23, 1999) and Wood vs. LSU (May 14, 2000).
Sophomore Ross Wilson added four hits and scored three runs as the Crimson Tide posted a season-high 11 runs and 15 hits in the win. Dugas had two hits and scored runs, while Rutledge chipped in two hits for the Tide.
Alabama (2-2) set the tone early with two runs in the bottom of the first inning and four more runs in the third inning to build a 6-0 lead. In the first inning, Dugas and Wilson opened the game with back-to-back doubles as the Tide grabbed a quick one-run lead. Josh Rutledge followed with a base hit and Clay Jones' infield ground out scored Wilson from third base with the 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Alabama tacked on four more runs to take a 6-0 lead. Wilson led off with his second double of the game and Rutledge beat out an infield single. After Jones walked to load the bases, Matthes cleared the bases with a three-run triple to left-center field to put the Tide in front 5-0. Brandon May's infield ground out scored Matthes to give UA a 6-0 lead.
Nicholls State (3-1) plated two runs in the fourth inning when Kevin Schlegel's two-out, two-run single cut the UA lead to 6-2. The Colonels added another run in the fifth inning when Adam Miley's two-out single to center scored Chris Murrill to make it 6-3.
The Crimson Tide got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning on Matthes' towering solo home run to left field. It was his third home run of the season and all three have come in the last two games.
Matthes was involved in another Tide scoring rally in the seventh inning as UA stretched its lead to 8-3. Matthes led off the inning with a double down the right field line and later scored on Tyler Odle's base hit to left.
Senior Miers Quigley (1-0) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings for the win. He also added eight strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Jake Parrish (0-1) was the loser for the Colonels. He allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The Colonels cut the lead to 8-4 in the eighth inning when Miley tripled and scored on Josh Swenson's infield ground out.
Alabama added three runs in the bottom of the inning to make the final 11-4. Matthes reached on an infield single to short to score Dugas from third base and complete the cycle. UA's final two runs came on a bases-loaded walk to Matthes that scored Wilson and when Trotter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Matthes.
Alabama and Nicholls State close out this two-game series on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 4:05 p.m. (CST). Alabama will send junior right-hander Austin Graham to the mound for game two. Tickets are available on www.RollTide.com or at the Sewell-Thomas Stadium box office, beginning two hours prior to first pitch. The Tide will offer several game-day promotions, including "Dollar Day" (one dollar admission), "Family Day" (four tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of chips and four drinks for $20) and "Future All-American Night" (kids stand on field for National Anthem).
Game Notes:
*Senior right fielder Kent Matthes (Orlando, Fla.) recorded the fifth cycle in Alabama history by going 4-for-5 with four runs scored and five RBI against Nicholls State. It was the first cycle by a Crimson Tide player since Darren Wood turned the trick against LSU on the final day of the 2000 season. The list of cycles includes Frank Menechino vs. South Alabama (Feb. 23, 1993), Darren Wood vs. Southern Mississippi (March 9, 1999), Andy Phillips vs. Kansas State (March 23, 1999) and Wood vs. LSU (May 14, 2000).
*Matthes has hit safely in all four games this season and leads UA in hits, extra base hits, home runs, RBI and runs scored.
*Sophomore second baseman Ross Wilson tied his career high with four hits in the win over Nicholls State. He had two doubles and two singles and scored three runs.
*Sophomore Austin Evans (Tampa, Fla.) pitched a career-high 2 1/3 innings on Tuesday and allowed one run and two hits with one strikeout. He entered the game in the sixth inning and needed only 11 pitches (10 strikes) to record three outs.
*Junior Cody Trotter (Fulton, Miss.) made his Crimson Tide debut as the starting catcher in Tuesday's game against Nicholls. Senior Tyler Odle (Vestavia Hills, Ala.) made his first start of the season in center field. Odle singled in his lone pinch-hit opportunity this past weekend against Southeast Missouri State.
*Alabama's four-run, third-inning are the most runs scored by Alabama in an inning this season.
