In-State Matchup Sends Baseball to Birmingham to Face UAB

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball travels to Birmingham on Tuesday evening for a midweek contest with UAB. The Crimson Tide and Blazers are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch at Regions Field, home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons. The in-state pairing will air on the Crimson Tide Radio Sports Network and C-USA TV ($).

Follow the Tide

Fans can follow the midweek via the below outlets:
Watch: C-USA TV ($)
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / The Varsity App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: UABSports.com

Probable Starting Pitching Matchup

TUESDAY: UA – Kade Woods (R-Fr., RHP) vs. UAB – Braxton Shelton (Fr., RHP)

Leading Off

Alabama and UAB will meet for the 84th time in history and second time this season when the teams square off on Tuesday night at Regions Field. The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series, 56-27, including a 20-11 mark in Birmingham. The Tide also holds a 6-3 mark against the Blazers at Regions Field.
The most recent pairing between the Tide and Blazers came in Tuscaloosa on March 21 of this season. Alabama claimed a 12-2 run-rule win over UAB that night in an eight-inning affair at The Joe.
Alabama's last trip to Birmingham finished in favor of UAB, 5-4. That contest took place on March 23 of last year.

About Alabama

Alabama wrapped up last week at 3-1. The Crimson Tide first blanked Southern Miss on Tuesday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium before earning a 2-1 series win at home against Auburn over the weekend.
The Tide's pitching staff shined during the week-long stretch, finishing with a 2.50 ERA (10 ER/36.0 IP) while limiting the opposition to a .179 average against. UA led the SEC with the lowest ERA along with the fewest hits (22), runs (11), earned runs (10) and walks (12) allowed across Week 9.
Alton Davis II picked up two saves to help UA clinch the series with Auburn while Jacob McNairy made two starts, combining for 8.1 innings of one-run baseball with nine strikeouts compared to two walks. Also highlighting the starters was Garrett McMillan, who earned his first win of the year with 5.0 scoreless frames that included four strikeouts to help the Tide even the series up with Auburn on Saturday.
UA posted a 13-0 shutout win over Southern Miss last Tuesday evening in Tuscaloosa to improve to 10-0 in midweeks.
The Tide wasted no time getting on the board, posting a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff homer from Colby Shelton to start the fifth, the offense left no doubt, adding six more runs in that frame. The Tide then posted two runs apiece in the sixth and eighth innings for insurance.
The offense was complimented by a strong effort from the Tide pitching staff. McNairy got things started, tossing 4.2 innings and striking out four with no walks for the win. He then gave way to the bullpen, with five pitchers combining to hold the Golden Eagles hitless over the final 4.1 innings.
Alabama's offense rallied late but fell short in an 8-4 loss to Auburn last Friday night.
The Tigers used a home run in the second to take an early 2-0 lead and added two more with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh. AU then plated one in the eighth and added three in the ninth for an 8-0 advantage.
Alabama was able to load the bases with two down in the seventh and reached a pair with two outs in the eighth but was held off the scoreboard until the ninth. The Crimson Tide rallied for four in the final frame and had the tying run at the plate but a flyout to left ended the ballgame.
Luke Holman was tagged with the loss in the opener with Auburn despite another solid start. He allowed four runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts across 6.2 innings and a career-high 89 pitches.
Alabama evened the rivalry series up thanks to a 4-2 win over the Tigers on Saturday.
UA jumped out front early with a three-run second. The Tide then added one more in the fourth before the Tigers cut into the lead with one run apiece in the seventh and ninth. Auburn was able to reach the tying run in the top of the ninth, but a 4-6-3 double play ended things in favor of the Crimson Tide.
McMillan was masterful in his extended outing despite being on a pitch count. The senior tossed 5.0-plus scoreless frames, allowing just one hit while striking out four for the win. The Tide then went to the bullpen with Davis II highlighting the relief effort, working a scoreless ninth with one strikeout for his second save of the year.
While only recording five hits on Saturday night, Alabama's offense was aided by 11 free passes made up of eight walks and three hit-by-pitch.
The Crimson Tide clinched the series on Sunday afternoon with a 6-1 win over the Tigers.
Auburn was first to strike with one run in the fourth but would not add any more. Alabama proceeded to score six unanswered runs over the final 4.0 frames with a three-run fifth, one tally in the seventh and two in the eighth.
McNairy gave the Tide a solid start on short rest, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in his 3.2 innings of work. He turned the ball over to a pair of freshmen in Riley Quick and Davis II, who blanked the Tigers the rest of the way.
Quick earned the win thanks to 3.2 innings that included two hits, two walks and a pair of strikeouts. Davis II followed, tossing the final 1.2 frames with two strikeouts for his third save of the season and second in as many days.
The Tide's offense was led by Jim Jarvis, Mac Guscette and Andrew Pinckney, who all contributed two-hit games. Jarvis finished 2-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and two runs, one of which came on a steal of home. Guscette went 2-for-4 with a run, while Pinckney posted a 2-for-3 performance that included a walk and two runs scored.

About UAB

Casey Dunn is in his 19th season as a collegiate head coach and his second at UAB. Dunn entered his second season with the Blazers holding a career 587-463 mark. A 1999 graduate of Auburn, Dunn is joined on staff by associate head coach B.J. Green, assistant coach Alan Kunkel and volunteer assistant Frankie Navarrete.
UAB finished the 2022 season at 31-25 overall, including a 13-17 mark in Conference USA action.
The Blazers were selected to finish tied for sixth in Conference USA in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.

On Deck

Alabama will continue on the road with a weekend series at Missouri from April 21-23. Friday's series opener in slated for 6 p.m. with game two set for 5 p.m. and the finale scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. The bookend games of the series will air on SEC Network+ with Saturday's matchup being broadcast nationally on SEC Network.

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