Alabama Meets Auburn in Capital City Classic
3/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 9, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - For the first time since the 1996 season, Alabama and Auburn will play a non-conference game in capital city when the two long-time, in-state rivals meet in the 2009 Capital City Classic at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery. The game begins at 7:05 p.m. (CDT) and does not count in the Southeastern Conference standings. A limited number of berm seats, priced at $15 each, are available for the game. Alabama head coach Jim Wells will coach his 900th game as the Tide skipper tonight against the Tigers. In addition, Wells is four wins shy of becoming the sixth coach in SEC history to win 600 games.
RADIO: The Alabama-Auburn game will be carried by The Crimson Tide Sports Network, with play-by-play announcer Mick Gillispie. The game can be heard in Tuscaloosa on WFFN-FM (95.3) and in Birmingham on WAPI-AM (1070).
HEAD COACH Jim Wells: Coach Jim Wells begins his 15th season at Alabama and his 20th overall as a Division-I head coach. He has compiled a 596-303 (.663) record in 899 games since being named UA's 29th head coach on June 4, 1995. A 2009 Alabama Baseball Coaches Association (AlaBCA) Hall of Fame inductee, Wells is the winningest coach in Crimson Tide baseball lore. He is sixth on the SEC's all-time win list and needs just five wins to become the sixth league coach to win 600 games. He is also fifth on the SEC's all-time list in terms of winning percentage. Overall, Wells has compiled a 788-392 (.668) record in 1,180 games over 20 seasons at the Division-I level. Prior to Alabama, he spent five years at Northwestern (La.) State, where he compiled a 192-89 (.683) record and led the Demons to three Southland Conference championships and two NCAA Regional appearances.
WHO TO WATCH: Senior right fielder Kent Matthes (.442, 9 HR, 22 RBI) leads the NCAA with nine home runs this season. The Orlando, Fla., native has homered in seven of his last nine games, including a UA record six straight games from Feb. 22-March 2. He has two multi-homer games this season against SE Missouri State (Feb. 22) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (March 7). Sophomore second baseman Ross Wilson (.364, 2 HR, 10 RBI) went 5-for-9 (.556) last weekend with one home run and four RBI. He also scored five runs and walked four times. Junior DH Brandon May (.294, 0 HR, 5 RBI) broke out of his season-long slump on the final two games of the Whataburger College Classic. May went 6-for-8 (.750) with eight runs scored, two doubles and two RBI. He reached base six times and scored four runs in the win over Texas Pan-American. He went 4-for-5 with four runs scored, two doubles and two RBI in the win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Junior first baseman/DH Clay Jones was 4-for-9 (.444) with one double, one triple, one home run and eight RBI. He hit a ninth-inning grand slam against Texas-Pan American on March 6. UA's bullpen worked 13 1/3 scoreless innings in three games at the Whataburger College Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas. The six Tide relievers yielded six hits in the series, with 14 strikeouts and one walk.
MATTHES LEADS NATION WITH NINE HOME RUNS: Alabama senior right-fielder Kent Matthes leads the nation with nine home runs, entering Tuesday's game against Auburn at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery. Matthes has homered in seven of his last nine games, including a pair of multi-home run games against Southeast Missouri State (Feb. 22) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (March 7). As of Monday, March 9, Matthes is one of 15 NCAA Division I players with at least six home runs. There are five players with seven home runs, to rank second nationally. That list includes Joseph Sanders (Auburn), Mike Spina (Cincinnati), Leon Landry (LSU), Daniel Hill (Murray State) and Jose Hernandez (Texas-San Antonio). A total of nine players have hit six home runs, including Trent Mummey (Auburn), De'Angelo Mack (South Carolina), Blake Forsythe (Tennessee) and Cory Hahn (Tennessee) from the the SEC.
ALABAMA AMONG NCAA HOME RUN LEADERS: Alabama is third in the SEC and eighth nationally with 21 home runs, heading into Tuesday's game with Auburn. The Tigers lead the SEC and rank second nationally with 29 home runs this season. LSU is second in the SEC and third nationally with 27 home runs. Alabama has gotten at least one home run from 10 different players this season. Matthes leads the team with nine, followed by Ross Wilson, Jake Smith and Clay Jones with two home runs each. Taylor Dugas, Wes Henderson, Cody Trotter, Tyler Odle, Vin DiFazio and Alex Kubal have one home run each.
UA HOMERS IN 11 STRAIGHT GAMES: Alabama has homered in all 11 games this season, the most to begin the season in the Wells era. The previous best was held by the 1997 team, who homered in the first 10 games of the year. The 1997 team hit 22 home runs in the first 10 games of the season. The 1997 team holds the Alabama single-season record with 161 home runs and 2.29 home runs per game.
2009 MAX CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC: Alabama and Auburn will play its first non-conference game in 13 years when the two in-state rivals meet in the inaugural MAX Capital City Classic on Tuesday, March 10, at Montgomery's Riverwalk Stadium. A limited number of lawn seats, priced at $15 each, remain for next week's game. This will be the first time Alabama and Auburn have met in a non-conference regular season game since the 1996 season. The Crimson Tide and Tigers met annually throughout state during the 1980s and 1990s, including a seven-game series at Montgomery's Paterson Field from 1990-96. Alabama won four of those seven meetings, including a 2-0 decision in the last meeting in Montgomery on April 2, 1996. In 1993 and 1995, the Tide and Tiger's played one SEC game at Paterson Field. Auburn won 11-3 in 1993, while Alabama beat top-ranked Auburn 10-5 in 1995 in front of a then state-record 8,543 fans on May 12, 1995. Alabama has compiled a 5-7 (.417) all-time record in the city of Montgomery, dating back to its first game against the Cincinnati Reds during the 1918 season. The Crimson Tide has also played Vanderbilt (1924), Georgia Tech (1926) and Troy (2007) in the capital city.
CAPITAL CITY RECORD: The Crimson Tide owns a 5-7 (.364) all-time record in the city of Montgomery, since its inaugural game against the Cincinnati Reds during the 1918 season. Alabama and Auburn played a six-game series in the capital city from 1990-96, with the Tide winning four of the six games. Alabama won the inaugural meeting, 9-2, in 1990. The teams alternated wins from 1990-93, before the Tigers won back-to-back games in 1993-94. Alabama won the final two meetings in 1995 and 1996. The Tide knocked off No. 1 ranked Auburn 10-5 on May 12, 1995 in the only SEC meeting in Montgomery between the two schools. Dustan Mohr clouted two home runs and knocked in five runs in the win. He smacked a three-run home run in the third inning and added a two-run blast in the fifth. The following year, Alabama came within two outs of a no-hitter in a 2-0 win on April 2, 1996. Cory Spires (5 IP), Manny Torres (3 IP) and Skip Ames (1 IP) combined on the one-hit, shutout. AU second baseman Rob Marjory broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single to center. Dominic Rich then hit into a game-ending double play. Alabama beat Auburn all four times during the 1996 season and held the Tigers to one run in four meetings.
AUBURN SERIES: Alabama leads the all-time series with Auburn, 138-112. The two teams first met on the diamond in 1896 with Auburn winning the first two games played in Auburn. Alabama swept a two-game series the following year in Tuscaloosa for its first series win. The two teams split the first 10 meetings, before Alabama won 14 of the next 21 meetings (1901-08) before the series was halted. Alabama and Auburn did not meet in football (1908-48) or baseball (1909-48) for a 41-year period. The series was finally resumed in 1949, with the Crimson Tide and Tigers playing in opposite divisions in the SEC from 1949-75. Alabama has been a long-standing member of the SEC Western Division, while Auburn moved from the Eastern Division to the Western Division after the 1975 baseball season. The Tide and Tigers annually played four games each season, but none of those counted in the SEC standings until 1976. When the series was finally resumed in 1949, Alabama posted a nine-game winning streak en route to a 28-8 record over Auburn during a 36-game stretch from 1949-58. Alabama and Auburn met in the best-of-three SEC Playoffs in 1958, with the Tigers sweeping two games from the Tide at Rockwood Field to win the 1958 SEC Championship. The SEC championship series was part of six-game series winning streak for the Tigers. From 1958-79, Auburn posted a 34-18 record against Alabama. The Tigers had a series-long nine-game winning streak from 1978-79, winning three straight SEC series with two sweeps. Alabama regained the upper hand in the 1980s, posting a 35-19 record from 1980-89, including a 10-game winning streak from 1980-82. Alabama RHP Vince Barrentine fired a seven-inning no-hitter against Auburn at Plainsman Park in 1981. The Tigers went 14-8 against Alabama from 1990-94. Since Coach Wells arrival, the Tide 31-21 against the Tigers and has won nine of the 14 series. Alabama beat No. 1 ranked Auburn two out of three in 1995, including a 10-5 win at Montgomery's Paterson Field in front of a then-state record 8,543 fans, on May 12, 1995. The Crimson Tide beat the Tigers four times in 1996 as Auburn managed only one run in 36 innings against Alabama. UA came within two outs of no-hitter against the Tigers at Paterson Field on April 2, 1996 as Corey Spiers, Manny Torres and Skip Ames combined on the one-hitter. Alabama also went 4-0 against Auburn in 2002, including a 6-3 win in the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional at the Joe. Alabama and Auburn have met at 11 different sites in the 112-year history of the rivalry. Alabama owns a 72-41 all-time series lead in games played in Tuscaloosa, including a 58-34 mark at the Joe since 1948. The two teams have also played in Auburn, Selma, Birmingham, Mobile, Dothan, Huntsville, Baton Rouge, La. (1986, 1993 SEC Tournament), Montgomery, Huntsville and New Orleans (Winn Dixie Showdown).
AUBURN SCOUTING REPORT: Auburn (9-4) brings a seven-game winning streak into Tuesday's MAX Capital City Classic. The Tigers have ridden the long ball to success this season, with an SEC-leading 29 home runs in 13 games. Nine different Tigers have homered this season, with eight hitting at least two home runs. As a team, Auburn is batting .303 (137-for-452) and averages 8.8 runs and 10.5 hits per game. The Tigers rank ninth in the league in hitting. Sophomore outfielder Trent Mummey and junior infielder Joseph Sanders have paced the Tigers at the plate. Mummey leads AU with a .423 average (22-for-52) with six home runs and 15 RBI. He leads the SEC with 26 runs scored in 13 games. Sanders is hitting .375 (21-for-56) with a team-best seven home run and 24 RBI. Sanders is second nationally to Alabama's Kent Matthes in home run this season. Matthes leads the nation with nine home runs in 11 games for UA. Auburn's pitching staff has compiled a 9-4 record and a league-worst 5.45 ERA this season. The Tigers have used six different starters and eight different relievers this season. Senior right-hander Paul Burnside (2 GS, 0-0, 4.24 ERA) will get the start on the mound against Alabama. On defense, Auburn is seventh in the league with a .964 fielding percentage (18 errors). Auburn has turned seven double plays; only Alabama (3) and LSU (6) have turned fewer twin-killings. AU catchers have thrown out nine of 24 (.375) base stealers this season, tying Florida for the most in the SEC.
2008 ALABAMA-AUBURN SERIES RECAP: Alabama won its seventh straight SEC home series as the Tide took two of three from arch-rival Auburn, April 25-27, at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide hit .342 (38 for 111) in the series with four home runs and 23 RBI. Alabama averaged 8.67 runs and 12.67 hits per game against Auburn. The Crimson Tide hit four home runs, including three in-a-row in the seventh inning, to cruise to a 17-7 series-clinching win in the finale. Rutledge and sophomore third baseman Jake Smith had four hits each to lead the Tide's 21-hit attack. Avila added three hits and senior first baseman Matt Bentley cracked two home runs and drove in a career-high six runs. Alabama scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to even the series with a 5-4 win on Saturday in front of the fourth-largest paid crowd (6,459) in stadium history. Junior Tyler Odle had a pinch-hit single and May added an RBI single to right in the inning. Junior right fielder Kent Matthes had a two-run double in the first inning and turned in a highlight-reel catch to rob AU's Joseph Sanders of a home run in the fourth inning. Senior Josh Copeland (1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K) was the winning pitcher, while sophomore Austin Graham (2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K) earned his first career save. Auburn's Michael Hurst (0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, and 2 ER) suffered the loss. Auburn used a four-run sixth inning, including Brian Fletcher's three-run home run, to beat Alabama, 5-4, in the opener. Grant Dayton (5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) earned the win on the mound, while Bryan Woodall notched his 10th save of the year. Rutledge had three hits to lead the Alabama offense, while freshman second baseman Ross Wilson and junior first baseman Wes Henderson added two hits each. Avila knocked in two runs with a bases loaded single in the fifth inning. Junior Miers Quigley (5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) took the loss.
IN-STATE SCHOOLS: Alabama holds a 496-247 (.668) all-time record against teams from the state of Alabama. Coach Wells is 111-50 (.689) in his career against in-state schools. The Tide is 0-1 this season after a 6-2 loss at Troy on March 2.
QUOTE BOOK: Here are some quotes from Alabama head coach Jim Wells and senior right-fielder Kent Matthes on Tuesday's game with Auburn.
Head Coach Jim Wells:
(On team's recent play):
"We are getting better. We certainly played better the last two or three games. We pitched a lot of guys and just got better as a team."
(On the Auburn game):
"We need to play another good game tomorrow. They are a very good team. They hit a lot of home runs and are hitting the ball a lot better. They are a much better offensive team."
(On playing in Montgomery):
"We were approached about playing this game and I was all for it. We did it in 1995 and 1996 and they had great crowds. I remember Dustan Mohr hit two home runs in the game. There was a huge crowd with pom-poms, one side for Alabama and one side for Auburn. I had never seen anything like that. It was a neat experience."
Senior RF Kent Matthes:
(On recent home run binge):
"I've always been a power hitter. I haven't gotten off to this kind of a start before. I put on 20 pounds this off-season and I worked really hard with (assistant coach) Dax (Norris) and Coach (Mitch) Gaspard on utilizing my power to its full potential and that is what I have done so far to get off to a good start. We have a lot of power on this team and I think as a team we will start to utilize it more as the season goes along."
(On your emotions right now):
"In baseball, you have to stay even-keel. You can't get too high or too low. This is a game of failure. So when things are going good, you really have to stay composed and not get too ahead of yourself and when things are going bad, you still have to be confident. When things are going well, like they are now for me, I still try to focus on the job at hand and try and help the team win and not focus too much on the numbers."
(On playing Auburn):
"It will be a great atmosphere tomorrow night against Auburn. We are looking forward to the game. We played Troy there last year and it is a great stadium. It is a great place to play. We play Samford (on Wednesday) and they have always played us tough, and then Georgia this weekend. This is a tough week for us, but we kind of got the ball rolling last weekend in Texas. I think we are all looking forward to the challenge this week."
