Alabama Baseball to Host Eastern Illinois, Samford for Single Midweek Contests
3/13/2017 4:41:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide and Panthers square off on Tuesday before the Tide meets the Bulldogs on Wednesday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama welcomes Eastern Illinois to Tuscaloosa on Tuesday, March 14, before playing host to in-state foe Samford on Wednesday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide and Panthers are set for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch with the Tide and Bulldogs scheduled to square off at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday. Both games were moved up from an original 6 p.m. CT start due to extremely cold conditions predicted for nighttime on each day. Both games can be seen live on SEC Network+ with the duo of Eli Gold and Lance Cormier calling all the action.
FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can follow the pair of midweek games via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: 102.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com
LEADING OFF
• Eastern Illinois enters the Tuesday game with a 1-13 overall record. The Panthers lone win came on Feb. 26 against Central Arkansas. EIU has since fallen in seven straight contests. Alabama will meet with Eastern Illinois for the fourth time in series history, with the Tide holding a 4-0 advantage in the series.
• Samford holds a 9-5 mark overall with a Tuesday contest scheduled against Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs won six consecutive matchups through Monday, completing the sweep of EIU last weekend. Prior to the three-game sweep, Samford defeated Alabama State in a midweek and took the final two games of a three-game set for Indiana. Alabama and Samford will square off for the 104th time in series history, with UA maintaining a 90-13 advantage overall, including a 73-7 mark at home.
• Wednesday's contest will feature the Crimson Tide's $5 Wednesday promotion. For the matchup with Samford, all grandstand tickets are only $5 for fans.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
TUESDAY:  UA – Garret Rukes (Fr., LHP) vs. EIU – Brendon Allen (R-Sr., RHP)
WEDNESDAY: UA – TBD vs. SAM – TBD
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• Alabama came away with 3-1 series win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff this past week. The Crimson Tide claimed victories in the first two games of the series, before splitting Sunday's doubleheader. UA rallied for a 12-2, seven-inning victory in the series finale on Sunday to clinch the series victory.
• The Crimson Tide held on to claim the 6-5 win over UAPB on Thursday evening. Alabama received a strong start from freshman Garret Rukes, with the left-hander working a career-long 4.2 innings of two-run baseball. Garrett Suchey followed Rukes to earn the win, tossing a career-long 4.0 innings, before turning the ball over to Davis Vainer for the game's final out and Vainer's second save of the season.
• Alabama extended its winning streak to five games with a 14-1 win on Friday evening, using 13 hits and a season-high 10 walks for the victory. The Tide received three-hit efforts from Chandler Avant, who went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, and Cobie Vance, who finished 3-for-4 with a double, a team-high tying three RBI and one run scored. Tanner DeVinny also contributed a three-RBI night, collecting his second home run in as many starts and finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk.
• Jake Walters put together a strong start on Friday, striking out five across his 6.0 innings of work to collect his third win of the season. Walters tossed a season-high 95 pitches and limited the Golden Lions' offense to five hits, a walk and one earned run. The bullpen trio of Zac Rogers, Tyler McMurray and Tyler Adams combined to pitch the final three scoreless frames with each reliever throwing one inning apiece.
• The Tide fell, 8-3, in game one of Sunday's doubleheader, as a six-run fourth from Pine Bluff proved to be the difference. After evening the game at one apiece in the third, the Golden Lions rallied for six in the fourth to gain a decisive advantage. UA rallied for one in the seventh and ninth innings but the deficit proved too large.
• The Alabama offense collected a season-high 15 hits leading to 12 runs as the Crimson Tide claimed the series victory with a 12-2, seven-inning win in the series finale. The offense was highlighted by Hunter Alexander's 3-for-4 game which included a double, one RBI and a run scored. Also contributing multiple RBI was DeVinny, who finished with a team-leading four as part of his 2-for-3 day, and Alex Webb, who collected three thanks to a three-run home run.
• Alabama received a solid starting effort from Dylan Duarte, who recorded career-highs in both strikeouts and innings pitched, striking out eight across 6.0 innings of work on his to his first win of the season. Duarte tossed 72 pitches while facing the minimum, and limited the Golden Lions' offense to one hit and a walk over six scoreless frames. The sophomore retired the final 13 batters he faced in order before handing the ball over to his bullpen.
SERIES HISTORY – EASTERN ILLINOIS
• Alabama and Eastern Illinois will meet for the fifth time in series history when the two teams match up on Tuesday. The Crimson Tide owns a 4-0 all-time advantage in the series, claiming a 22-1 victory in the initial meeting on March 17, 1998.
• Most recently, the two teams met for a three-game set from March 11-13, 2011, with Alabama sweeping EIU. The Tide took game one, 3-2, before a 12-1 victory on Saturday and a 5-0 shutout victory on getaway day.
• Alabama head coach Greg Goff has never faced Eastern Illinois during his career.
SERIES HISTORY – SAMFORD
• Alabama and Samford will meet for the 104th time in series history when the two teams square off on Wednesday afternoon. The Crimson Tide owns a 90-13 advantage in the series, including a 73-7 mark as the home team.
• The Tide is 9-1 over the last 10 meetings, including a split in the two matchups in 2016. Alabama fell, 3-2, on a walkoff home run in Birmingham on April 26 before an 8-2 victory at home in Tuscaloosa on May 17.
• Alabama head coach Greg Goff owns a 1-2 career mark against Samford.
ON DECK
Alabama is scheduled to start Southeastern Conference play following the pair of midweek matchups. The conference slate will begin with Missouri from March 17-19. The Crimson Tide holds a 4-3 advantage in the series, including a series victory, 2-1, in the initial meeting between the two schools in 2013. The last pairing came on May 21, 2015, in the SEC Tournament, with Alabama taking a 4-3 victory to survive another game in the conference tourney.
