Baseball Team Opens SEC Tournament on Wednesday
5/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 19, 2009
2009 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE BASEBALL
No. 5 South Carolina vs. No. 4 Alabama (37-17, 18-11 SEC)
Wednesday, May 20 (8:30 p.m.)
Regions Park (10,800) - Hoover, Alabama
FIRST PITCH: The top eight teams in the Southeastern Conference head to Regions Park in Hoover, Alabama for the 2009 SEC Tournament, with the winner earning the automatic bid into the 2009 NCAA Regionals, which begin next week. No. 4 seed Alabama will take on No. 5 South Carolina in the final first round game on Wednesday, May 20, scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. (CDT). The Crimson Tide and Gamecocks are two of the league's hottest teams entering the post-season. Alabama won nine of its final 11 games of the season, while South Carolina won 10 of its last 11, including a sweep of Georgia on the final weekend of the regular season. Alabama has finished in the top four of the SEC for the third time in the last four years, the only team to make that claim.
RANKINGS: Alabama's recent play on the field has not gone unnoticed in the national polls. The Crimson Tide is ranked in all five polls with its highest ranking at No. 12 by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. The Tide is ranked 13th by Rivals.com and 18th by Baseball American and ESPN/Coaches poll. South Carolina has won 10 of 11 games and has vaulted as high as No. 19 in the Rivals.com poll.
STARTING PITCHERS: Alabama will send junior lefty Del Howell (10 GS, 5-3, 6.1 1 ERA) to the mound in the SEC Tournament opener, while South Carolina will counter with junior right-hander Blake Cooper (15 G, 14 GS, 8-4, 4.61 ERA).
HEAD COACH Jim Wells: Coach Jim Wells became the seventh coach in Southeastern Conference history to win 600 games when the Tide posted a lopsided 24-0 win over Alabama A&M on March 17. Wells joins former SEC greats Ron Polk (1,218), Skip Bertman (870), Keith Madison (735), Rod Delmonico (699), Roy Mewbourne (655) and Hal Baird (634) as the only coaches with 600 wins at an SEC school. Wells has compiled a 625-318 (.663) record in his 15th season as the Crimson Tide's head coach. He was named the school's 29th head baseball coach on June 4, 1995. He was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Jan. 16, 2009. Overall, Wells has compiled an 817-407 (.667) record in 1,224 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.
MATTHES NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Senior right fielder Kent Matthes was the unanimous SEC Player of the Year, the league office announced on Tuesday. He is the first Alabama player to win SEC Player of the Year honors since the league began presenting the award in 1993. The Orlando, Fla., native is hitting .362 with 27 home runs and 79 RBI for the Crimson Tide this season. He led the SEC in home runs, total bases (166) and slugging percentage (.883) and was second in the league in RBIs. He was also third in runs scored (63) and sixth in hitting this season.
FIVE UA PLAYERS NAMED ALL-SEC: The University of Alabama baseball team placed five players on the 2009 First-Team All-SEC squad, the league office announced Tuesday. The 2009 SEC Player of the Year Kent Matthes highlighted the list of Crimson Tide players on this year's team. Joining Matthes, was sophomore second baseman Ross Wilson, sophomore shortstop Josh Rutledge, junior third baseman Jake Smith and senior right-hander Austin Hyatt, who is just the third Alabama pitcher since 1986 to earn First-Team All-SEC honors. Pete Roberts (1986) and Wade LeBlanc (2006) were the other two first team pitchers. Freshman left fielder Taylor Dugas was named Freshman All-SEC on Tuesday, while Wilson and Smith were named to the SEC All-Defensive squad. Alabama's five First-Team All-SEC ties the school record for the most in one season. The Crimson Tide also had five First-Team All-SEC picks in 1955, including left-hander Jon Paul Anderson, right-hander Gene Lary, outfielders Bobby Barnes and Bobby Hunt and third baseman Herb Kosten.
ALABAMA EARNS NO. 4 SEED AT SEC TOURNAMENT: Alabama is the No. 4 seed at the 2009 SEC Tournament (May 20-24) this week at Regions Park, marking the Crimson Tide's third top four finish in the SEC standings in the last four seasons. Under its current format, the 2009 season marks the first time Alabama has been the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament. Alabama and Kentucky tied for fourth place in the 2008 SEC standings, but the Tide got the No. 5 seed in the tournament after Kentucky won the regular season series in Lexington.
SEC TOURNAMENT STREAKS: Alabama is making its fifth straight SEC Tournament appearance, which is the third-longest active streak behind South Carolina (13) and Ole Miss (7). Alabama has made the tournament every year since 2005. The last time UA did not make the tournament was 2004. Overall, Alabama has qualified for the SEC Tournament 13 times in Coach Wells' 15 seasons at UA. The Tide also failed to make the tourney in 2001 despite a 15-15 record. The 2001 Alabama team is the only one finishing with a .500 winning percentage under the current tournament format not to make the SEC Tournament.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Alabama will be making its 29th SEC post-season appearance at the 2009 SEC Tournament at Regions Park. The Crimson Tide has compiled a 49-42 (.538) all-time record in SEC post-season games. The 29 post-season appearances includes six SEC Championship series, a best-of-three series between the Eastern Division and Western Division champions, and 22 SEC Tournament berths. Alabama's six championship series appearances came in 1950, 1955, 1957, 1968, 1973 and 1974. The 2008 SEC Tournament will be Alabama's 21st appearance under the current tournament setting. The Crimson Tide has compiled a 39-35 (.527) record since the tournament's inception in 1977, including seven championships. Alabama took home SEC Tournament crowns in 1983, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003. Alabama owns a winning record against seven of the 11 league teams in SEC Tournament play. The Crimson Tide has a losing record against both LSU (5-7) and Ole Miss (1-5) in SEC Tournament play. The Tide has split two meetings with Georgia and has never faced Vanderbilt under the current format. Alabama has lost five of its last seven SEC Tournament games, including a 0-2 record in 2007 against Arkansas and Florida. Ole Miss eliminated Alabama in both 2005 and 2006, while LSU eliminated the Tide last year.
Jim Wells SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Alabama head coach Jim Wells has led the Tide to a 34-16 (.680) record in his 13 SEC Tournament appearances since 1995. Wells has guided the Tide to SEC Tournament championships in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003. Alabama's presence in the SEC Tournament was basically non-existent before Wells arrival in 1995. The Crimson Tide posted a 5-19 (.208) record in SEC Tournament play in 10 appearances from 1977-94. Alabama lost a school-record 10 consecutive SEC Tournament games from 1986-94. Since Wells' arrival in 1995, Alabama has been a fixture in the SEC Tournament, making 12 appearances and winning an SEC record six championships. Wells owns a winning SEC Tournament record against every team with the exception of Ole Miss (1-3).
ALABAMA AT REGIONS PARK: Alabama may as well call Regions Park (formerly known as the Hoover Met), its home away from home. The Crimson Tide has had a tremendous amount of success at the ballpark since its opening in 1988. Alabama has compiled a 34-18 (.653) record at Regions Park since its initial game during the 1989 season. Alabama beat UAB, 14-3, on April 27, 1989 in its in initial game in Hoover and has enjoyed much success ever since. Regions Park is also the home to the 2009 SEC Baseball Tournament (May 20-24) and the Crimson Tide has captured four SEC Tournament titles (1996, 1999, 2002 and 2003) in Hoover under Coach Wells. Alabama is 7-4 (.636) in 11 regular-season games at Regions Park, including a 6-3 (.667) mark against the UAB Blazers. Alabama is 27-14 (.659) in SEC Tournament games at Regions Park.
MATTHES TIES HOME RUN RECORD: Right fielder Kent Matthes tied a 23-year old school record with his 27th home run in the final game of the regular season at Auburn on May 16. Matthes shares the Alabama single-season home run record with Doug Duke, who swatted 27 home runs in 1986. Matthes' record-tying home run was an opposite-field, solo homer to right center field that gave Alabama a 1-0 lead in the second inning en route to a 13-3 win.
MATTHES SETS OUTFIELD ASSISTS RECORD: Right fielder Kent Matthes became the school's all-time leader with his 23rd outfield assist on Thursday, May 14 at Auburn. Matthes picked up the record-breaking assist in the ninth inning when he threw out Auburn's Casey McElroy after a base hit to right field. McElory rounded first base and was thrown out in an attempt to get back to the bag. Matthes broke the record of 22 career outfield assists held by Scott McClanahan from 1999-2002. Matthes has seven assists this season to go along with seven assists in 2007 and 2008. He had two outfield assists as a freshman in 2006.
DISABLED LIST: The Crimson Tide has battled the injury-bug this season and has three players that are out for the season, including catcher Cody Trotter (torn UCL), pitcher Miers Quigley (torn ACL) and pitcher Casey Kebodeaux (torn hamstring). Second baseman Ross Wilson (slight concussion) missed the final two games of the Auburn series after colliding with Auburn's Justin Hargett in the series opener on May 14. Josh Rutledge (ankle) turned his ankle in the series finale at Auburn as he slid into second base with a ninth-inning double. Both are expected to play in the SEC Tournament this week.
TIDE IS RED HOT: Alabama is one of the hottest teams in the nation, having won 20-of-27 games since April 1. The Crimson Tide posted an eight-game winning streak (April 26-May 12) and a six-game SEC winning streak (April 26-May 10), both season highs. It was UA's first eight-game winning streak since the 2006 season. Alabama's six-game SEC winning streak was the longest since the 2002 season when UA posted back-to-back sweeps over Florida (3) and Kentucky (3). Alabama closed the season by winning seven of nine, 11 of 14 and 15 of 20 SEC games, dating back to April 1. Alabama won four straight SEC series and six overall series this season. The Tide also posted a five-game SEC road winning streak, following consecutive sweeps at No. 28 Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. The five-game road winning streak was the longest since UA won five straight SEC road games in 1997-98. Alabama had not won five straight SEC road games in the same season since 1983, winning two at LSU and three at Auburn to close out the season. Here are some notes on each of the Tide's winning streaks.
All Games Since April 1st - Alabama is 20-7 (.783) in its last 27 games ... UA hit .344 over its last 27 regular season games and averaged 8.8 runs and 12 hits per game ... Clay Jones is hitting .435 (27-for-62) with 16 runs scored, five doubles, four home runs and 19 RBI ... May is hitting .413 (45-for-109) with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, nine home runs and 42 RBI ... he also has a whopping .789 slugging mark ... Matthes (11 HR, 36 RBI) and Smith (10 HR, 31 RBI) have combined for 21 home runs and 67 RBI in the last 27 games ... the pitching staff was 20-7 and had a 5.35 ERA with four complete games and five saves ... Hyatt (4-0), Howell (3-1) and Kilcrease (3-1, 1 SV) have 10 of the 20 wins.
Eight-Game Winning Streak - Alabama posted an eight-game winning streak from April 26-May 12 ... UA hit .330 during its eight-game winning streak ... averaged 8.5 runs and 11.4 hits per game ... The Tide scored 29 of its 68 runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings ... Senior center fielder Alex Kubal was the leading hitter with a .556 (10-for-18) average ... he added three home runs and nine RBI ... May hit .515 (17-for-33) and led UA with four home runs and 17 RBI ... he averaged 2.13 hits and 2.12 RBI per game during the winning streak ... Wilson hit .448 (13-for-29) with 11 runs scored and seven RBI and Jones hit .364 (8-for-22) with eight runs scored, two home runs and three RBI ... Senior right-hander Austin Hyatt was 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts ... Sophomore Nathan Kilcrease had two wins and one save in four relief appearances ... he had a win and save in UA's sweep over Arkansas (May 8-10) ... Jake Smith and Tyler White have one save each.
Six-Game SEC Winning Streak - Alabama posted a six-game SEC winning streak from April 26-May 10 ... The wins came against Kentucky (3-2), Mississippi State (10-8 and 17-16) and No. 11 Arkansas (2-1, 8-6 and 6-5) ... The Tide hit .314 with nine home runs and 45 RBI ... the Tide averaged 7.7 runs and 10.8 hits per game ... Kubal was the leading hitter with a .600 (9-for-15) average ... he added two home runs and eight RBI ... Wilson hit .440 (11-for-25) with nine runs scored and seven RBI and May hit .423 (11-for-26) with three home runs and 13 RBI ... Hyatt was 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts ... Sophomore Nathan Kilcrease had two wins and one save in four appearances, including a win and save in the series sweep over Arkansas.
Five-Game SEC Road Winning Streak - Alabama posted a five-game SEC road winning streak, after back-to-back sweeps over No. 28 Vanderbilt and Mississippi State ... the Tide averaged 10.2 runs and 12.6 hits per game and outscored the opposition 6-0 in the fourth inning and 10-1 in the seventh inning ... Kubal (.421, HR, 8 RBI) and DiFazio (.412, HR, 3 RBI) both hit over .400 in the Tide's last two SEC road series ... Wilson and May led the club with 10 RBI each in the five SEC road games ... Hyatt was 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA and had 15 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings ... Howell, Kilcrease and White have the other three wins, while Smith and White earned saves.
MAY RECORD: Alabama has compiled a 145-75 (.659) record in the month of May under Coach Wells in 220 games. The Tide is 7-2 in the month of May, including back-to-back SEC series sweeps against Mississippi State and Arkansas. Alabama had won seven straight SEC series in the month of May before dropping the final series of the year at Auburn. The streak included series wins over Arkansas (2007), Mississippi State (2007), Arkansas (2008), Florida (2008), Georgia (2008), Mississippi State (2009) and Arkansas (2009). The Tide was 9-6 last season in May, winning all three SEC series against Arkansas, Florida and Georgia. The Arkansas and Georgia series were on the road. From 1995-2001, Alabama went 88-25 (.793) in the month of May. The Crimson Tide went 29-2 (.935) in May during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Since 2002, Alabama is 57-50 (.533) in the month and had losing records in 2003 (7-10) and 2004 (4-8). Alabama is 70-50 (.583) in SEC games in the month of May since 1995. The Tide went 10-2 (.833) in SEC play in the month of May in 1996 and 1997. In addition, the Tide has compiled a 56-23 (.667) record in the postseason during the month of May.
MAY DAY: May has had a phenomenal career during the month of May the last three seasons at Alabama. The junior is hitting .399 (59-for-148) with seven home runs and 30 RBI in 36 games. He has also added nine doubles and scored 32 runs in the month of May. The Marietta, Ga., native has hit safely in 29 of 36 career games in the month, with a 20-game hitting streak. He was 4-for-4 at Florida on May 4, 2007. Last year, he was named SEC Player of the Week (May 5), after leading Alabama to a road series win against Arkansas. May was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, two home runs and four RBI in the series-clinching win on May 3. He also added four hits against Florida (May 11) and Kentucky (May 23) last season. He was named SEC Player of the Week on May 4, after leading UA to a sweep of Mississippi State. May went 3-for-6 with two home runs and seven RBI in the 17-16 win on May 2. Both of his SEC Player of Week honors and multi-home run games have come in the month of May.
ALABAMA AMONG NCAA HOME RUN LEADERS: Alabama leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally with 106 home runs this season. The 106 home runs are the fourth-most in school history. Only three other UA teams have hit 100 or more home runs in a season. The Tide hit a school-record 160 home runs in 1997 and followed with 122 home runs in 1998 and 120 four-baggers in 1999. The Crimson Tide swatted a season-high eight home runs during its three-game series at Vanderbilt (April 17-18). The 1997 and 1998 teams are the two most prolific home run hitting teams in school history. The 1997 team is the most prolific home run-hitting team in school history with 160 four-baggers in 70 games. The 1997 team homered in 62 of 70 games that year. The 1999, 2000 and 2003 squads are consistently among the top five home run-hitting teams in school history. The 1999 team made a significant jump during the 39th game of the season with a then-NCAA record 13 home runs in a 30-4 win at UAB on April 14, 1999.
MATTHES TIES HOME RUN MARK: Alabama right fielder Kent Matthes has 27 home runs this season, tying the Alabama single-season record held by Doug Duke, who swatted 27 home runs in 1986. Matthes has homered in four of his last six games and hit his record-tying 27th home run in the second inning of the Tide's series finale at Auburn on May 16. Matthes is one of 13 players in school history to hit 20 or more home runs in a single season. Beau Hearod was the last UA player to hit 20 home runs during the 2003 season. Matthes has homered in 23 of 52 games this season and has four multi-homer games against Southeast Missouri State (Feb. 22), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (March 7), Mississippi (March 22) and Troy (April 7). Matthes has also homered against 16 of the Tide's 22 opponents, including nine of 10 (MSU) SEC teams. Matthes' 27 home runs this season surpasses his three-year total from 2006-08 (20 home runs). His previous best was 11 home runs in 61 games last season. He is currently tied with Dustan Mohr for fourth-place on the school's all-time home run list with 47 career dingers. G.W. Keller and Doug Duke are tied for second with 50 career home runs. Andy Phillips holds the UA career record with 61 homers.
*NCAA co-leader with 27 home runs
*One of 10 players nationally with 20+ home runs this season
*Homered in 23 of 52 games
*Homered against 16 of the Tide's 22 opponents this year (UT Pan American, Alabama A&M, UAB, MVSU, USA and MSU)
*Homered against 9 of 10 SEC teams (Miss. State)
*Homered in nine different innings, including season-best five home runs in the first and fourth innings
*Hit 21 of 27 home runs against right-handers (5 vs. LHP)
*Hit 17 of 27 home runs at home (9 HR on road; 1 HR at neutral site)
*Hit 18 of 27 home runs during the day (9 HR at night)
*Hit 10 HRs with no outs; 11 HRs with one out; six HRs with two outs
*14 of 27 home runs have tied the game or given Alabama the lead; 11 HRs have given the Tide the lead
*Has two-game winning home runs against Nicholls State (Feb. 25) and UIC (Feb. 28)
*Hit walk-off home run in 10th inning vs. NSU; one night after hitting for cycle
ALABAMA-SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES: Alabama leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 23-21. The Crimson Tide and Gamecocks did not meet during the 2008 or 2009 regular seasons. The two teams first met at the 1973 Joe Sewell Classic in Tuscaloosa, with the Crimson Tide and Gamecocks splitting a pair of meetings. Alabama won the first-ever meeting between the two teams, 1-0. South Carolina rebounded for a 6-0 win in day two of the tournament. The two teams would not meet again until the 1986 NCAA Atlantic Regional in Coral Gables, Fla. South Carolina posted an 8-2 win in first-round action, while UA eliminated USC two days later with an 8-7 win. Alabama defeated South Carolina 12-5 in Tuscaloosa during the 1989 season and 6-4 at the USF Invitational in Tampa, Fla., in 1990. The Tide held a 4-2 series lead before the teams hooked up as SEC members for the first time in 1994. Since then, the series is tied at 19-19. The Gamecocks won the regular season series in 1994 at Sarge Frye Field, while Alabama claimed a series win in Tuscaloosa in 1995. Alabama has three straight series wins (2005-07) over South Carolina, including last year's thriller in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide overcame a 10-4 deficit to post an 11-10 win, capped by Alex Avila's three-run home run in the seventh inning. South Carolina has been ranked in the Top 10 in each of the last four seasons they have faced Alabama. Last year, Alabama posted series win over the fourth-ranked Gamecocks. In 2006, Alabama knocked off No. 1 South Carolina with a series win at Sarge Frye Field. The USC series was the second straight week the Tide had knocked off the No. 1 ranked team in 2006. Alabama and USC have met four times in the post-season, with UA winning three games. The two teams split a pair of NCAA Regional meetings, while Alabama has won both SEC Tournament games, including the 2002 championship game. The Tide and Gamecocks have split 12 regular-season series since 1994. Alabama holds a 13-8 (.611) series lead in games played in Tuscaloosa and has won five of the six SEC series. South Carolina holds a 12-6 (.667) series lead in Columbia and has won five of six series. Alabama has won four of the five neutral site games. Alabama coach Jim Wells is 18-17 (.514) in his career against South Carolina. USC head coach Ray Tanner is 16-16 (.500) in his career against the Tide.
ALABAMA-LSU SERIES: Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU, 191-147-3 in a series that dates back to the 1906 season. The Tigers have the upper-hand of late winning nine of the last 10 series, including four in a row. The Tigers won two out of three from the Tide in Tuscaloosa from April 10-12 to snap UA's streak of 10 straight SEC home series wins. Alabama has not won a series from LSU since taking two of three from the Tigers in Tuscaloosa in 2005. LSU has also won three of the last four series in Tuscaloosa, dating back to the 2001 season. UA and LSU have met every year since 1947. The three ties occurred in 1931 (18-18), 1932 (3-3) and 1962 (4-4). LSU won the first five meetings between the two schools, sweeping a three-game series in Baton Rouge in 1906 and two-game series in Tuscaloosa the following year. Alabama first series win came in 1908, with a 3-1 win in Tuscaloosa. From 1908-21, Alabama won 18 of the 19 games played between the two schools, including a pair of nine-game winning streaks. In 1967, LSU's Bruce Baudier threw a seven-inning perfect game against Alabama at Alex Box Stadium. The Tigers won 1-0. Alabama closed out the 1968 season by winning two of three games at LSU, forcing a one-game playoff to decide the SEC Western Division champion. Alabama beat LSU 1-0 in the one-game playoff in Baton Rouge to advance to the best-of-three series against Florida. Alabama took two of three from Florida to win the 1968 SEC Championship. Alabama and LSU played three, one-run, extra-inning games in Tuscaloosa in 1986, with the Tigers taking the series. The two teams combined to have more than 20 players selected in the Major League Draft later that summer. UA left-hander Mike Sodders tossed a 1-0 shutout at LSU in 1987. The Crimson Tide posted a 3-1 win in a rain-shortened, one-game series in Baton Rouge in 1993. Alabama coach Jim Wells led the Crimson Tide to back-to-back series wins at LSU in 1995 and 1996. It marked the first time since 1977-78 that UA had won two straight series in Alex Box Stadium. LSU and Alabama were both ranked No. 1 during the 1997 season. The Tide won the regular-season series in Tuscaloosa, but LSU's 6-4 win in the series finale clinched the SEC Championship. Alabama beat LSU 12-2 for the SEC Tournament Championship in Columbus, Ga., but LSU won the national title three weeks later with a 13-6 win over the Tide at the College World Series in Omaha. Alabama won four of five games from LSU in 1999, including a two-game sweep of the first NCAA Super Regional in Tuscaloosa. The Tide won 13-6 and 13-5 to advance to the CWS for the third time in four years. Since 2000, LSU has won eight of the last nine series. The Tigers won a school-record eight straight games against the Tide from 2000-02. Coach Wells is 25-33 (.431) against LSU since taking over the Alabama program in 1995. He has won five of the 15 regular-season series against the Tigers. Wells is 11-11 (.500) against the Tigers in Tuscaloosa and has won three of the six series. Overall, Wells is 26-39 (.400) in his career at LSU. He was 1-6 (.143) against the Tigers while the head coach at Northwestern State. LSU head coach Paul Mainieri is 8-4 (.667) against Alabama, including a 6-3 mark at LSU. He led the Tigers to series win in both 2007 and 2008. Mainieri was 1-1 against the Tide while at Notre Dame. The Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish split a two-game series in South Bend in 1995.
ALABAMA-VANDERBILT SERIES: Alabama leads the all-time series with Vanderbilt, 82-45-2. The Crimson Tide swept a three-game series from then-No. 28 Vanderbilt in Nashville on April 17-18. It was UA's first series win in Nashville since 2000, when UA also swept the series. Alabama posted a 10-4 win in the series opener, marking the first time since 2000 that UA had scored a run in the series opener in Nashville. Prior to this season, Alabama had been shut out by David Price (3-0, 2007) and Jensen Lewis (1-0, 2005) in its last two trips to Hawkins Field. The two teams first met in 1893, with a four-game series in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide posted a 2-1 win the first ever meeting between the two schools. The teams also played to a 2-2 tie in 1893 in a game that was called after 16 innings due to darkness. The 16-inning game is still the longest game in the Tide record books. Vanderbilt posted two wins the following day, winning 10-5 and 4-1. The two teams split a two-game series the following year in Nashville. Alabama and Vanderbilt met on a regular basis through the 1930 season before a 21-year hiatus in the series. The series was resumed in 1951 and the teams played 18 times in the 1950s, with the Crimson Tide posting a 17-1 record. Alabama went 25-1-1 against Vandy from 1925-57. Alabama and Vanderbilt met for the SEC Championship in 1973 and 1974. The Commodores swept the best-of-three series in 1973 and 1974 to win back-to-back SEC titles. The two teams also met during the regular season in 1974 and 1975 seasons at the Joe Sewell Classic in Tuscaloosa. The two teams did not begin meeting on regular basis in 1986 when the SEC adopted the round-robin format. Since 1986, UA and VU have met every year with the exception of 1993-95 and 2002-03. Alabama has won 12 of the 20 series since 1986. Alabama head coach Jim Wells is 25-11 (.694) in his career against Vanderbilt. Wells has won eight of the 12 series with the Commodores, including four of the six contested in Nashville. He led the Tide to a 13-1 record against the Commodores from 1996-2000. Vandy head coach Tim Corbin is 7-11 against Alabama, including a 4-5 record in Nashville. Corbin has led the Commodores to three series wins in five years. Alabama owns a 56-26 record against Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide holds a 25-19 record in Nashville. Alabama and Vanderbilt have never met in an SEC Tournament game, but the two teams did square off in the 1973 and 1974 SEC Playoffs, with Vandy winning both three-game series.
