SEC Plays Begins as Baseball Hosts Ninth-Ranked Florida
3/17/2022 12:32:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide and Gators will meet for the 122nd time in series history on Friday evening
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama will begin Southeastern Conference play this weekend at Sewell-Thomas Stadium as the Crimson Tide hosts No. 9 Florida for a three-game series. Things get underway on Friday at 6 p.m. CT with Saturday's start also set for 6 p.m. The series finale on Sunday is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch with all three games airing live on SEC Network+.
The Joe will have promotions for fans of all ages this weekend as the Crimson Tide hosts Florida. Saturday will be Alabama's 'Alumni Game' as the program recognizes the 25-year anniversary of the 1996 and 1997 teams that reached the College World Series. Former players on both rosters will be honored with a pregame ceremony. Additionally, all former Alabama baseball players and staff will be welcomed back for an alumni celebration at The Joe. The Saturday matchup will feature a commemorative hat giveaway to the first 250 fans through the gates. The hat will feature a retro logo recognizing the '96 and '97 College World Series.
The series finale on Sunday will continue the Tide's "Kids' Day at The Joe" promotion. All kids 18-and-under can purchase a $5 general admission ticket. Children will then have the chance to run the bases postgame. Sunday's series finale will also begin the Tide's baseball card giveaway as part of a season-long promotion highlighting the 2022 roster. Kids can get their first pack of baseball cards and stay after the game to get autographs from the group of players featured on this Sunday's set of cards.
Follow the Tide
Fans can follow this weekend's games via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / The Varsity App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com
Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
FRIDAY: UA – Garrett McMillan (Jr., RHP) vs. UF – Hunter Barco (So., LHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Antoine Jean (Jr., LHP) vs. UF – Brandon Sproat (So., RHP)
SUNDAY: UA – Grayson Hitt (So., LHP) vs. UF – TBA
Leading Off
- Alabama and Florida will meet for the 122nd time in series history when the two teams open SEC play on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide owns a 30-23 advantage in the series when the two teams meet in Tuscaloosa with the Gators maintaining a 64-57 advantage overall in the series.
- The two last met on May 27, 2021, in Hoover as part of the 2021 SEC Tournament. Florida came out on top in that pairing with a 7-2 victory. The last weekend series between the Tide and Gators came in 2019 from March 29-31 in Gainesville with UF earning a series sweep.
- Alabama enters SEC play with the usual rotation of right-hander Garrett McMillan along with lefties Antoine Jean and Grayson Hitt. McMillan will take the hill in Friday's series opener with Jean to follow on Saturday. Things wrap up on Sunday with Hitt getting the start in the finale.
- Florida opens league play with left-hander Hunter Barco on the mound. The Gators will then call on righty Brandon Sproat for Saturday's matchup with the game-three starter still to be announced.
About Alabama
- Alabama finished enters this weekend with Florida at 3-1 over the last four contests. The Crimson Tide swept Binghamton last weekend before falling at Southern Miss on Wednesday evening.
- The Tide suffered a 3-2 loss at Southern Miss on Wednesday evening in Hattiesburg.
- Alabama got out front early with a solo home run from Zane Denton in the first. Southern Miss knotted things up with a solo homer in the second before taking the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Both teams went scoreless until the top of the eighth when UA was able to score one. The Tide had the tying and go-ahead runs on base with two down but a check-swing strike-three call ended the rally.
- Another dominant pitching performance and steady offense helped UA cruise to a 9-3 win over Binghamton on Friday.
- Garrett McMillan provided the Tide with another impressive start for his second win of the season. The junior tossed a career-high 7.0 innings of one-run baseball, allowing just two hits and striking out seven in the process. McMillan did not issue a walk and retired the final 11 batters he faced.
- UA's offense was equally impressive on Friday, scoring in five of the eight innings including the final four to secure the win. The Tide bats collected 13 hits with seven of the nine Alabama starters recording at least one hit in the game.
- Tommy Seidl led the offensive charge with a 3-for-4 showing that included a double, two runs and a team-high four RBI. Also contributing multi-hit efforts were Denton, Eric Foggo and Andrew Pinckney, with the threesome each posting two-hit days. Denton highlighted the group with a double and a homer to go with three RBI, one run and a walk.
- Alabama's offense erupted for a season-high 14 runs in a 14-2 win over Binghamton on Saturday.
- The Tide posted 14 runs on 14 hits to go with five walks and five hit-by-pitch as all nine starters reached base. Eight of the nine starters contributed one-plus hist while seven of the nine recorded an RBI and seven added at least one run.
- Alabama's 3-4-5 hitters in Seidl, Denton and Drew Williamson were key in the win. The trio contributed seven hits, including a double and one home run, to go with eight RBI and seven runs scored. Antoine Jean picked up the win with a career-high tying 6.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
- The Tide clinched the three-game sweep of Binghamton with a 5-3 win in Sunday's series finale. Alabama got out front early with three runs in the first and added two more in the sixth. Binghamton chipped away at the Tide lead with single tallies in the second and third frames to go with a late run in the seventh but could get no closer.
- Denton and Dominic Tamez each posted a multi-hit effort. Denton homered as part of a 2-for-2 showing that included a team-high two RBI to go with one run and a pair of walks. Tamez led UA in hits with three, including a double.
- Jacob McNairy picked up the win with 2.2 innings of relief. The senior allowed one run on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts. He was followed by Dylan Ray, who picked up his second save thanks to 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings that featured five strikeouts. The duo combined with starter Grayson Hitt, who punched out seven, to post a season-high 15 strikeouts. That total was the most in a single game by Tide pitchers since 2020.
About Florida
- Kevin O'Sullivan is now in his 15th season as the head coach at Florida and entered the new year with a career record of 585-278, all coming at UF. A 1991 graduate of Virginia, O'Sullivan is assisted on staff by Craig Bell, Chuck Jeroloman and David Kopp along with student assistant coach Austin Langworthy.
- Florida wrapped up the 2021 season with a 38-22 overall record, including a 17-13 mark in SEC play. The Gators' season came to a close in June as Gainesville played host to an NCAA Regional that saw UF finish 0-2.
- The Gators were selected to finish second in the Eastern Division and tied for third overall in the Southeastern Conference's preseason poll, as voted on by the league head coaches.
On Deck
Alabama will take to the road for a midweek matchup with UAB on Tuesday, March 22. The Crimson Tide and Blazers are scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch at Regions Field, home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons.
