Home Portion of Baseball’s SEC Schedule Starts with No. 22 Kentucky
3/23/2023 3:47:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide and Wildcats will meet for the 108th time in series history on Friday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 25th-ranked Alabama baseball team welcomes No. 22 Kentucky to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this weekend for a three-game set. Friday's series opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch with the final two matchups slated for 2 p.m. Fans can catch games one and two on SEC Network+ with the series finale airing nationally on SEC Network.
The weekend with Kentucky will feature numerous promotions across all three games of the series. Friday will be 'Food Truck Friday' with a food truck located in right field that features a unique food option available to all fans. This weekend's vendor will be World of Beer. The Right Field Terrace will also have extra televisions available to students sitting in that area on Friday. Game two of the weekend will feature the first of five 'SEC Cup Series' giveaways. The first 500 fans can pick up their Kentucky series cup upon arrival at The Joe.
Sunday will continue 'Kids' Day at The Joe'. All kids 18-and-under can purchase a $5 general admission ticket. Children will then have the chance to run the bases postgame. Sunday will also be the Tide's first baseball card giveaway of the 2023 season. The giveaway is part of a season-long promotion highlighting the 2023 roster. Kids can get their first pack of 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 the series via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+ (Friday and Saturday) / SEC Network (Sunday)
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / The Varsity App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com
Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
FRIDAY: UA – Ben Hess (So., RHP) vs. UK – Logan Martin (Sr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Luke Holman (So., RHP) vs. UK – Tyler Bosma (Gr., LHP)
SUNDAY: UA – Grayson Hitt (Jr., LHP) vs. UK – Zack Lee (Sr., RHP)
Leading Off
- Alabama and Kentucky will meet for the 108th time in history when the two SEC cross-divisional foes meet on Friday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series, 64-43, including a 36-18 mark at home.
- The most recent pairing between the Tide and Wildcats came from April 23-25, 2021 in Lexington. Alabama earned a 10-1 win in the series opener before falling in consecutive games of a doubleheader, 2-5 and 0-11.
- Alabama last welcomed Kentucky to The Joe from March 30-April 1, 2018. That weekend saw Alabama clinch the series with a pair of 4-2 wins in the first two contests. The Wildcats avoided the sweep with a 5-2 win on getaway day.
- Across the last 10 weekends between Alabama and Kentucky, the home team has come out on top for the series win. That streak dates back to the 2005 season, when the Tide started the run by sweeping UK in Tuscaloosa.
About Alabama
- Alabama hosts Kentucky to open its SEC home slate after finishing the last week at 2-2 overall. The Crimson Tide claimed one win last Thursday-Friday at second-ranked Florida before defeating UAB, 12-2, in an eight-inning run-rule victory on Tuesday in Tuscaloosa.
- The Crimson Tide scored in four of the final five innings for the 12-2, eight-inning win over UAB on Tuesday at The Joe.
- UAB took an early lead with one in the first and kept Alabama off the board until the fourth. That fourth saw the Tide score two runs to take the lead for good. Alabama added five in the sixth and two in the seventh before the Blazers tallied one in the eighth. The Tide then crossed three in the eighth to end the game at 12-2.
- The Tide offense was powered by Drew Williamson, who finished 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored. Tommy Seidl provided three hits as part of a perfect 3-for-3 effort that included a double and three runs. Colby Shelton joined the veterans with a multi-hit night, contributing two hits and a pair of runs while drawing one walk.
- Jacob McNairy got the win on Tuesday with 5.0 innings of one-run baseball. The right-hander allowed just four hits and issued no walks while striking out four.
- Alabama suffered a 3-0 loss at Florida last Thursday evening at Condron Family Ballpark.
- A pitchers' duel saw both teams combine for only four hits in the game. The two high-powered offenses were held scoreless until the sixth when a two-run homer got UF on the board. The Gators then added one more in the seventh.
- Alabama's arms kept pace with the Gators' starter, first with Hagan Banks. The Tide starter tossed 3.1 scoreless frames with two punchouts. He was followed by Hunter Furtado who was tagged with the loss. The junior worked a career-high 4.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with four punchouts.
- The Crimson Tide split a doubleheader with the Gators last Friday. Florida was able to mount a late comeback for an 8-7 walkoff win in game one, with Alabama claiming a 6-3 win in the finale.
- Both two teams traded runs in game one, with the Tide jumping out front early thanks to a three-run first. Florida then evened things up in the home half on a high fly ball that caught the wind and sailed over the wall in right.
- Alabama crossed one in the second and one in the fifth to make it a 5-3 ballgame, but UF evened things up with one apiece in the fifth and sixth. The Crimson Tide moved back in front with a run in the seventh but was matched again with a single Gator tally.
- The Tide regained the lead again in the top of the eighth thanks to a Shelton home run but a two-run ninth helped Florida walk it off.
- Alabama's offense was led by Williamson, who finished 4-for-5 with a double, a home run, five RBI and one run scored. Shelton also added a home run as part of his 1-for-3 day that included an RBI, one run scored and a hit-by-pitch.
- The Crimson Tide bounced back in the nightcap with a 6-3 win in the series finale last Friday.
- Alabama put up three in the first with UF countering for two in the home half. The Tide then added one in the second before the teams went scoreless until the seventh when the Gators made it a one-run affair. The Tide went to the eighth looking for insurance and got it by way of a two-run home run from Caden Rose.
- Grayson Hitt picked up the win, throwing 5.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits and four walks with five punchouts. Hitt turned the ball over to his bullpen with Zane Probst and Kade Woods limiting the Gators over the final 3.1 frames. Woods notched his first save of the season, striking out all seven of the batters he faced to secure the win for the Tide.
About Kentucky
- Nick Mingione is in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach, all with Kentucky. Mingione entered the 2023 campaign with a 176-129 career record. A 2000 graduate of Embry-Riddle, he is joined on staff by assistants Will Coggin and Dan Roszel along with volunteer assistant Nick Ammirati.
- Kentucky finished the 2022 season at 33-26 overall, including a 12-18 mark in Southeastern Conference play.
- The Wildcats were selected to finish sixth in the Eastern Division and tied for 11th overall in the SEC in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.
On Deck
Next up for Alabama is a trip to Huntsville for a neutral site contest against Middle Tennessee. The Crimson Tide and Blue Raiders will square off at Toyota Field, home on the Rocket City Trash Pandas, this Tuesday, March 28. First pitch for the midweek matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m.
