Homestand Continues as Baseball Hosts Texas A&M for Weekend Series

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama continues the current five-game homestand with a weekend series against Texas A&M at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide and Aggies are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch in the opener on Friday followed by a 4 p.m. start on Saturday. Things wrap up on Sunday at 1 p.m. Games one and three will air on SEC Network+ with the Saturday matchup receiving national attention on SEC Network.

This weekend's series with Texas A&M will feature numerous promotions across the three games. On Friday, the Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series trophy will be on display at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Fans can take pictures and get an up-close look at the Commissioner's Trophy.

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 also have the chance to run the bases postgame. Sunday's series finale will also resume the Tide's baseball card giveaway as part of a season-long promotion highlighting the 2022 roster. Kids can get their second 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+ (Friday/Sunday) | SEC Network (Saturday)
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. A&M – Nathan Dettmer (So., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Jacob McNairy (Sr., RHP) vs. A&M – Micah Dallas (Jr., RHP) -OR- Ryan Prager (Fr., LHP)
SUNDAY: UA – Grayson Hitt (So., LHP) vs. A&M – Micah Dallas (Jr., RHP) -OR- Ryan Prager (Fr., LHP)

Leading Off

Alabama and Texas A&M will meet for the 28th time when the two teams open the series on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Aggies hold the all-time advantage, 17-10, including a 7-4 mark in Tuscaloosa.
The two teams last met from April 9-11, 2021, in Bryan-College Station with Alabama earning three wins to secure the series sweep of A&M. The last series in Tuscaloosa came from May 10-12, 2019, with the Aggies claiming wins in the bookend games of the weekend to clinch the series, 2-1.
Alabama will continue with its' rotation from last weekend in Starkville. The Crimson Tide will first send junior right-hander Garrett McMillan to the mound before senior righty Jacob McNairy takes the hill on Saturday. Left-hander Grayson Hitt will get the nod in game three with the sophomore starting Sunday's series finale.
Texas A&M calls on sophomore right-hander Nathan Dettmer in the series opener. The Aggies are then split between who will start on Saturday and Sunday, with junior righty Micah Dallas and left-handed freshman Ryan Prager both in the mix to get the call.

About Alabama

Alabama enters the series with Texas A&M having won two games in a row as part of four matchups this past week. The Crimson Tide went 1-2 at Mississippi State last weekend, claiming a victory in the series finale, before downing South Alabama at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Crimson Tide used a bases loaded wild pitch to bring in the game-winning run for a 5-4 win over South Alabama.
South Alabama took a 2-0 lead after three innings, with UA gaining the advantage in the fourth thanks to four-run frame highlighted by a Bryce Eblin three-run home run.
The Jaguars added one in the fifth and eighth to tie things up at four apiece headed to the ninth. Alabama was able to keep USA off the board in the top half before rallying for the game-winning run in the home half.
Jim Jarvis began the ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double before the Tide loaded the bases up with intentional walks to both Zane Denton and Owen Diodati. Following a strikeout for out No. 2, a wild pitch in the next at-bat got away from the South Alabama catcher to allow Jarvis to cross. Jake Leger was tabbed with the win on Tuesday night.
The Crimson Tide battled down to the final out in all three games at State and was afforded the opportunity thanks to strong outings from each of the three weekend starters.
UA's trio of Garrett McMillan, Jacob McNairy and Grayson Hitt combined for a 2.20 ERA (4 ER/16.1 IP) and 18 strikeouts against the Bulldogs. McMillan contributed 6.0 innings of one-run baseball on Friday while McNairy posted 5.0 frames and allowed just two runs on Saturday. Hitt tossed 6.0 innings in which he gave up just one run on Sunday to send the Tide home with a win.
Alabama suffered a 7-6 loss to Mississippi State in the 10th inning of Friday's game at Dudy Noble Field.
State scored one in the second before Alabama took the lead with a three-run fourth. The Tide added two more in the top of the seventh, but MSU was able to counter with three in the bottom of the frame to make it a one-run ballgame.
Alabama added one in the ninth but a two-run home run in the home half sent the game to extras. The Bulldogs secured the win with a solo homer in the 10th.
McMillan provided the Crimson Tide with a solid start on Friday. The junior tossed 5.1 innings of one-run baseball, allowing six hits and issuing two walks with six strikeouts.
Alabama traded blows with State all Saturday, with the Bulldogs coming out on top late, 8-7.
MSU gained the advantage with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Alabama came right back with a three-run sixth to take the lead. State would score one in the home half to make it a 3-3 affair before UA moved out front once again, this time with one in the seventh. The Bulldogs matched with one in the bottom of the eighth to send things to the ninth. The ninth saw Alabama score three to take the lead before State walked it off with a four-run home half.
McNairy was impressive in his first weekend start of the season. The senior allowed two runs on six hits and no walks with a career-high tying seven strikeouts in his 5.0 innings of work.
The Tide secured a 6-2 win on Sunday in Starkville. Alabama led 2-1 after five full and maintained a lead from thereon out. UA added one in the sixth with State countering for a run of their own in the seventh to make it a one-run affair.
Alabama was not content with a one-run advantage, widening the gap with a three-spot in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach. The Tide used two walks followed by three straight RBI-singles with two outs to earn the 6-2 win.
Hitt posted a quality start for the Crimson Tide to earn his second win of the season. The sophomore allowed one run on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts across his career-high 6.0 innings and 102 pitches. Hitt turned the ball over to junior Antoine Jean. The Tide lefty tossed the final 3.0 frames, allowing one unearned run on three hits and a walk with one punchout for his first career save.
The Alabama offense was highlighted by Drew Williamson. The senior finished 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk to go with a team-high two RBI and two runs scored.

About Texas A&M

Jim Schlossnagle is now in his first year as the head coach at Texas A&M. Schlossnagle entered the new season with a career record of 811-393 and appeared in five College World Series across his previous 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Tabbed as the 2016 Baseball America National Coach of the Year, Schlossnagle spent the majority of his career at TCU before making the jump to A&M. A 1989 graduate of Elon, Schlossnagle is joined on staff by associate head coach Nate Yeskie along with assistants Nolan Cain and Michael Earley.
Texas A&M finished the 2021 campaign at 29-27 overall, including a 9-21 mark in league play. The Aggies posted ranked wins against a number of programs, including No. 11 Ole Miss, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 8 Texas and No. 1 Arkansas.
The Aggies were selected to finish sixth in the West and 11th overall in the SEC in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.

On Deck

Alabama will host Samford at The Joe on Tuesday, April 5, to close out the current homestand. The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch on SEC Network+.

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