The Crimson Tide and Tigers will meet for the second and third times in program history
Feb. 23, 2015
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Crimson Tide will begin Tuesday action this afternoon with its first of three doubleheaders for the year, this one coming against Savannah State.
First pitch of today's game is set for 2 p.m. CT with the second game beginning 30 minutes after completion of the first. Both games will be nine-inning affairs.
FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can watch/follow this weekend's games via the below outlets:
Gametracker: RollTide.com
Watch: SECN+
Listen: 99.1 FM/CTSN
Lee Tracey
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
TUESDAY (GAME 1): UA - Nick Eicholtz (So., RHP) vs. SSU - TBD
TUESDAY (GAME 2): UA - TBD vs. SSU - TBD
LEADING OFF
• Savannah State comes to Hoover after being swept by UAB this past weekend. Two of the three contests between the Tigers and Blazers were decided by one run, with the middle game resulting in a 20-0 win for the Blazers.
• Alabama and Houston will meet for the second and third times in program history, with the Crimson Tide owning the 1-0 advantage in the series. The lone contest between the two teams came in the 2013 Tallahassee Regional, with Alabama claiming the 3-2 victory.
• The Crimson Tide will start sophomore RHP Nick Eicholtz in game one and will use a collection of pitchers for the second game of the day.
• Savannah State's starter for both games is still to be determined.
• Alabama claimed its 2,500th victory by a score of 8-3 at third-ranked Houston on Sunday. The Crimson Tide sits at third in the SEC behind Mississippi State at No. 2, and Texas A&M, who owns the conference record with 2,524 victories in its history.
• The Crimson Tide recorded its first two home runs of the season this weekend and recorded eight or more hits in all three games at No. 3 Houston.
• Alabama enters this year after finishing 37-24 (15-14 SEC) during the 2014 season.
• Today's contest is a "Two for One" Tuesday. Fans who buy one general admission ticket to today's contest will receive a second one at no cost.
• Following today's contest with Savannah State, Alabama will welcome the University of Louisiana-Lafayette to the Hoover Met for a three-game series this weekend. The Crimson Tide and Ragin' Cajuns have met six times in the past with Alabama owning the all-time series, 4-2.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• The Crimson Tide spent last weekend in Houston, going 1-2 overall against the third-ranked Cougars. Alabama had the 1-0 lead in game one, but came up short with an eventual, 3-1 final. In the second game, the two squads swapped leads, but Houston pulled away to win the game 14-9. Alabama claimed the 8-3 victory over the Cougars on getaway day, thanks to five extra-base hits and a great performance from Geoffrey Bramblett.
• Alabama earned the 1-0 lead in Friday's contest thanks to a leadoff double in the fourth inning by Casey Hughston and then the eventual RBI single from Chance Vincent. Houston countered two innings later with a three-run homer after the first two batters of the inning reached safely.
• In game two, Alabama and Houston swapped leads and ties throughout the night. The Cougars got out to an early 4-0 lead, but Alabama battled back to even up the score. Houston would respond with one an inning later, only to be countered once again by Alabama thanks to a solo-home run by Casey Hughston. In the top of the seventh, the Crimson Tide placed a four-spot on the Cougars, but UH would come right back with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. UH would add three more before it was all over for the eventual 14-9 win.
• Sunday's contest tipped in Alabama's favor early, when Mikey White doubled and was immediately followed by Hughston with another two-bagger to plate the first run of the day's game before there were two outs. Houston would add one run in the bottom of the third to even the score, but Alabama bounced back to score runs in each of the last four innings of play, highlighted by a three-run sixth to take the lead for good.
• Sophomore outfielder Casey Hughston led the Tide offensive attack, finishing the three-game set against Houston batting .583 (7-12) with three doubles, a home run, three RBI, five runs scored and a walk and HBP.
• Senior J.C. Wilhite had a big weekend as well, finishing with a .545 (6-11) average across his three starts. He also added a home run - the first of his career - as well as three RBI and two runs scored.
• Kyle Overstreet also played a big part in the Tide's weekend against the Cougars. The junior infielder batted .385 (5-13) with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Alabama kicked off the season with a record-setting weekend against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Twelve of UA's 40 hits were for extra bases, including 10 doubles and two triples. The Tide finished the weekend batting .360 as a team and accumulating 37 total runs, the most since Alabama scored 38 against the University of Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 26-27, 2010.
• Alabama claimed the 6-0 victory on opening night of the 2015 season. Senior LHP Taylor Guilbeau tossed 6.0 IP in the second opening day start of his career. UA's offense provided 11 hits, including five for extra bases, while every positional starter reached base at least once.
• On Saturday, the Crimson Tide earned the 11-0 shutout win thanks to a standout performance from junior college transfer Will Carter. The tall righty contributed 7.0 IP, striking out six and allowing just two hits.
• The Alabama offense put together a 19-0 performance in Sunday's finale thanks to 15 hits, including five-RBI performances from Kyle Overstreet and Casey Hughston.
• Hughston and Overstreet were the first pair of UA players to each record five RBI in the same game since Clay Jones and Brett Booth accomplished the task against UIC on Feb. 27, 2010.
• Alabama's starters limited UMES to just six total hits while striking out 19 batters across 19.0 IP.
• The Crimson Tide bullpen did well to maintain the shutouts each night, tossing a combined 8.0 IP while striking out 12 batters and allowing only five hits during that time.
• Alabama returns 23 letterwinners from last season's team that reached the NCAA Tallahassee Regional. The 2015 Tide also features five positional returners, and three pitchers who made five or more starts last season.
• UA's returning pitchers owned a 3.89 ERA (111 ER/257.0 IP) in 2014 and had a 16-11 record.
• This season's returners batted .263 (344-1,310) a season ago.
SCOUTING SAVANNAH STATE
• Savannah State comes to Hoover after being swept by the UAB Blazers this past weekend. Two of the three contests were decided by one run, with the middle game going to the Blazers by a score of 20-0.
• The Tigers fell, 2-1, in the series opener with the Blazers. The two teams were tied going into the ninth, but UAB recorded a walkoff hit in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.
• In the second game of the series, Savannah State was shut out by a score of 20-0. The UAB hitters compiled 15 hits and knocked out the SSU starter after just one inning.
• The third game of the set finished at a score of 7-6, in favor of UAB. The Blazers broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch by the Savannah State reliever to pull ahead, 7-6, for the eventual win.
• Offensively, Savannah State is led by Hector Benitez. The sophomore is batting .350 (7-20) in his seven games played, six of which he has started. He has recorded one double, four RBI and three runs scored for the Tigers. Savannah State has also received big numbers from Zachary Brigham. The third baseman is batting .316 with two doubles and a triple, while adding seven RBI and four runs scored to the Tiger totals. Savannah State has also received a big year thus far from Charles Sikes. The senior is batting .318 in seven contests, including two doubles and two home runs. He has also added a team-high nine RBI.
SERIES HISTORY
• Alabama and Savannah State will meet for the second time in program history. The two teams had their lone meeting come in 2013 during the Tallahassee Regional, with UA claiming the 3-2 victory.
HUGHSTON, TEXAS
• Casey Hughston has been on fire this season, and that didn't change this weekend at No. 3 Houston.
• The sophomore outfielder finished the weekend batting .583 (7-12) with three doubles, a home run, three RBI, five runs scored, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
• Following the weekend's gaudy numbers, Hughston leads the SEC in batting average (.720), doubles (6), total bases (29), hits (18) and on-base percentage (.724).
• Hughston has recorded at least one extra-base hit and run scored in all six contests this season. He has also added one or more RBI in five of the six games for the Tide.
• His home run in Saturday's contest was the Crimson Tide's first bomb of the 2015 campaign.
• He also recorded one outfield assist in Sunday's 8-3 victory. A liner to right appeared deep enough for the runner to test Hughston's arm, but the right fielder gunned down the Cougar at home on a one-hop toss.
WILHITE BREAKS OUT IN TEXAS
• Senior J.C. Wilhite had a career-weekend at No. 3 Houston this past weekend. Wilhite finished second on the team in average, batting .545 (6-11) with a double, home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
• His home run on Sunday was the first of his career the second of the season for the 2015 Tide.
• In Saturday's contest, the outfielder recorded the first multi-hit contest of his career, going 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI and run apiece.
OVERSTREET STREAKING
• Junior infielder Kyle Overstreet continues to excel in his third year with the Crimson Tide.
• The Boaz native has recorded a hit in each of his first six games this season and is batting .458 (11-24) during that time to rank second on the team in average, while also adding three doubles to his pace.
• Overstreet leads the team in RBI with 12 and has added five runs overall.
• The longest hitting streak of his career was 11 games in 2014 from March 15-30.
• He began the season on a tear, finished the UMES series batting a stout .545 (6-11) with two doubles, three runs and a team-leading 10 RBI.
• Contributing to his RBI total was a huge Sunday game. In the series finale, Overstreet joined teammate Casey Hughston by contributing five-RBI games for the Tide. The five-RBI game was the first of its kind since Jared Reaves recorded five RBI against South Alabama on Feb. 26, 2011.
• Overstreet entered the season as a preseason All-SEC First Team honoree as the team's primary second baseman over the past two seasons.
SALEM CONTINUES TO GET ON BASE
• Georgie Salem finished the weekend in Houston with three hits and a walk, reaching base safely in all three contests. He also started three contests in center field for the Crimson Tide.
• Dating back to last season, Salem has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games coming into today's contest with Savannah State. The streak started on May 31 of last season against Florida State.
• The longest streak reaching base for Salem is 14 games and came from Feb. 15 to March 19 of 2013 in his first 14 games with the Crimson Tide.
• He started off his 2015 season with a solid weekend. The junior wrapped up the UMES series with five runs, three walks three stolen bases in three attempts.
• The center fielder returns to the Capstone after a 2014 season where he finished with a .282 average while leading the team in at-bats (259) and hits (73).
• Salem started all 61 games in center field a season ago and has started 130 straight games at UA.
• He finished 2014 without committing an error to set the school record for consecutive games in a season without an error. Dating back to 2013, Salem has gone 71 games without an error. The school record is 84 games set by Jeremy Brown from 2000-02.
THIS WEEKEND
Alabama will welcome Louisiana-Lafayette to the Hoover Met for a three-game, weekend series with the Ragin' Cajuns.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
Feb. 23, 2015
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Crimson Tide will begin Tuesday action this afternoon with its first of three doubleheaders for the year, this one coming against Savannah State.
First pitch of today's game is set for 2 p.m. CT with the second game beginning 30 minutes after completion of the first. Both games will be nine-inning affairs.
FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can watch/follow this weekend's games via the below outlets:
Gametracker: RollTide.com
Watch: SECN+
Listen: 99.1 FM/CTSN
Lee Tracey
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
TUESDAY (GAME 1): UA - Nick Eicholtz (So., RHP) vs. SSU - TBD
TUESDAY (GAME 2): UA - TBD vs. SSU - TBD
LEADING OFF
• Savannah State comes to Hoover after being swept by UAB this past weekend. Two of the three contests between the Tigers and Blazers were decided by one run, with the middle game resulting in a 20-0 win for the Blazers.
• Alabama and Houston will meet for the second and third times in program history, with the Crimson Tide owning the 1-0 advantage in the series. The lone contest between the two teams came in the 2013 Tallahassee Regional, with Alabama claiming the 3-2 victory.
• The Crimson Tide will start sophomore RHP Nick Eicholtz in game one and will use a collection of pitchers for the second game of the day.
• Savannah State's starter for both games is still to be determined.
• Alabama claimed its 2,500th victory by a score of 8-3 at third-ranked Houston on Sunday. The Crimson Tide sits at third in the SEC behind Mississippi State at No. 2, and Texas A&M, who owns the conference record with 2,524 victories in its history.
• The Crimson Tide recorded its first two home runs of the season this weekend and recorded eight or more hits in all three games at No. 3 Houston.
• Alabama enters this year after finishing 37-24 (15-14 SEC) during the 2014 season.
• Today's contest is a "Two for One" Tuesday. Fans who buy one general admission ticket to today's contest will receive a second one at no cost.
• Following today's contest with Savannah State, Alabama will welcome the University of Louisiana-Lafayette to the Hoover Met for a three-game series this weekend. The Crimson Tide and Ragin' Cajuns have met six times in the past with Alabama owning the all-time series, 4-2.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• The Crimson Tide spent last weekend in Houston, going 1-2 overall against the third-ranked Cougars. Alabama had the 1-0 lead in game one, but came up short with an eventual, 3-1 final. In the second game, the two squads swapped leads, but Houston pulled away to win the game 14-9. Alabama claimed the 8-3 victory over the Cougars on getaway day, thanks to five extra-base hits and a great performance from Geoffrey Bramblett.
• Alabama earned the 1-0 lead in Friday's contest thanks to a leadoff double in the fourth inning by Casey Hughston and then the eventual RBI single from Chance Vincent. Houston countered two innings later with a three-run homer after the first two batters of the inning reached safely.
• In game two, Alabama and Houston swapped leads and ties throughout the night. The Cougars got out to an early 4-0 lead, but Alabama battled back to even up the score. Houston would respond with one an inning later, only to be countered once again by Alabama thanks to a solo-home run by Casey Hughston. In the top of the seventh, the Crimson Tide placed a four-spot on the Cougars, but UH would come right back with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. UH would add three more before it was all over for the eventual 14-9 win.
• Sunday's contest tipped in Alabama's favor early, when Mikey White doubled and was immediately followed by Hughston with another two-bagger to plate the first run of the day's game before there were two outs. Houston would add one run in the bottom of the third to even the score, but Alabama bounced back to score runs in each of the last four innings of play, highlighted by a three-run sixth to take the lead for good.
• Sophomore outfielder Casey Hughston led the Tide offensive attack, finishing the three-game set against Houston batting .583 (7-12) with three doubles, a home run, three RBI, five runs scored and a walk and HBP.
• Senior J.C. Wilhite had a big weekend as well, finishing with a .545 (6-11) average across his three starts. He also added a home run - the first of his career - as well as three RBI and two runs scored.
• Kyle Overstreet also played a big part in the Tide's weekend against the Cougars. The junior infielder batted .385 (5-13) with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Alabama kicked off the season with a record-setting weekend against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Twelve of UA's 40 hits were for extra bases, including 10 doubles and two triples. The Tide finished the weekend batting .360 as a team and accumulating 37 total runs, the most since Alabama scored 38 against the University of Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 26-27, 2010.
• Alabama claimed the 6-0 victory on opening night of the 2015 season. Senior LHP Taylor Guilbeau tossed 6.0 IP in the second opening day start of his career. UA's offense provided 11 hits, including five for extra bases, while every positional starter reached base at least once.
• On Saturday, the Crimson Tide earned the 11-0 shutout win thanks to a standout performance from junior college transfer Will Carter. The tall righty contributed 7.0 IP, striking out six and allowing just two hits.
• The Alabama offense put together a 19-0 performance in Sunday's finale thanks to 15 hits, including five-RBI performances from Kyle Overstreet and Casey Hughston.
• Hughston and Overstreet were the first pair of UA players to each record five RBI in the same game since Clay Jones and Brett Booth accomplished the task against UIC on Feb. 27, 2010.
• Alabama's starters limited UMES to just six total hits while striking out 19 batters across 19.0 IP.
• The Crimson Tide bullpen did well to maintain the shutouts each night, tossing a combined 8.0 IP while striking out 12 batters and allowing only five hits during that time.
• Alabama returns 23 letterwinners from last season's team that reached the NCAA Tallahassee Regional. The 2015 Tide also features five positional returners, and three pitchers who made five or more starts last season.
• UA's returning pitchers owned a 3.89 ERA (111 ER/257.0 IP) in 2014 and had a 16-11 record.
• This season's returners batted .263 (344-1,310) a season ago.
SCOUTING SAVANNAH STATE
• Savannah State comes to Hoover after being swept by the UAB Blazers this past weekend. Two of the three contests were decided by one run, with the middle game going to the Blazers by a score of 20-0.
• The Tigers fell, 2-1, in the series opener with the Blazers. The two teams were tied going into the ninth, but UAB recorded a walkoff hit in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.
• In the second game of the series, Savannah State was shut out by a score of 20-0. The UAB hitters compiled 15 hits and knocked out the SSU starter after just one inning.
• The third game of the set finished at a score of 7-6, in favor of UAB. The Blazers broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch by the Savannah State reliever to pull ahead, 7-6, for the eventual win.
• Offensively, Savannah State is led by Hector Benitez. The sophomore is batting .350 (7-20) in his seven games played, six of which he has started. He has recorded one double, four RBI and three runs scored for the Tigers. Savannah State has also received big numbers from Zachary Brigham. The third baseman is batting .316 with two doubles and a triple, while adding seven RBI and four runs scored to the Tiger totals. Savannah State has also received a big year thus far from Charles Sikes. The senior is batting .318 in seven contests, including two doubles and two home runs. He has also added a team-high nine RBI.
SERIES HISTORY
• Alabama and Savannah State will meet for the second time in program history. The two teams had their lone meeting come in 2013 during the Tallahassee Regional, with UA claiming the 3-2 victory.
HUGHSTON, TEXAS
• Casey Hughston has been on fire this season, and that didn't change this weekend at No. 3 Houston.
• The sophomore outfielder finished the weekend batting .583 (7-12) with three doubles, a home run, three RBI, five runs scored, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
• Following the weekend's gaudy numbers, Hughston leads the SEC in batting average (.720), doubles (6), total bases (29), hits (18) and on-base percentage (.724).
• Hughston has recorded at least one extra-base hit and run scored in all six contests this season. He has also added one or more RBI in five of the six games for the Tide.
• His home run in Saturday's contest was the Crimson Tide's first bomb of the 2015 campaign.
• He also recorded one outfield assist in Sunday's 8-3 victory. A liner to right appeared deep enough for the runner to test Hughston's arm, but the right fielder gunned down the Cougar at home on a one-hop toss.
WILHITE BREAKS OUT IN TEXAS
• Senior J.C. Wilhite had a career-weekend at No. 3 Houston this past weekend. Wilhite finished second on the team in average, batting .545 (6-11) with a double, home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
• His home run on Sunday was the first of his career the second of the season for the 2015 Tide.
• In Saturday's contest, the outfielder recorded the first multi-hit contest of his career, going 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI and run apiece.
OVERSTREET STREAKING
• Junior infielder Kyle Overstreet continues to excel in his third year with the Crimson Tide.
• The Boaz native has recorded a hit in each of his first six games this season and is batting .458 (11-24) during that time to rank second on the team in average, while also adding three doubles to his pace.
• Overstreet leads the team in RBI with 12 and has added five runs overall.
• The longest hitting streak of his career was 11 games in 2014 from March 15-30.
• He began the season on a tear, finished the UMES series batting a stout .545 (6-11) with two doubles, three runs and a team-leading 10 RBI.
• Contributing to his RBI total was a huge Sunday game. In the series finale, Overstreet joined teammate Casey Hughston by contributing five-RBI games for the Tide. The five-RBI game was the first of its kind since Jared Reaves recorded five RBI against South Alabama on Feb. 26, 2011.
• Overstreet entered the season as a preseason All-SEC First Team honoree as the team's primary second baseman over the past two seasons.
SALEM CONTINUES TO GET ON BASE
• Georgie Salem finished the weekend in Houston with three hits and a walk, reaching base safely in all three contests. He also started three contests in center field for the Crimson Tide.
• Dating back to last season, Salem has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games coming into today's contest with Savannah State. The streak started on May 31 of last season against Florida State.
• The longest streak reaching base for Salem is 14 games and came from Feb. 15 to March 19 of 2013 in his first 14 games with the Crimson Tide.
• He started off his 2015 season with a solid weekend. The junior wrapped up the UMES series with five runs, three walks three stolen bases in three attempts.
• The center fielder returns to the Capstone after a 2014 season where he finished with a .282 average while leading the team in at-bats (259) and hits (73).
• Salem started all 61 games in center field a season ago and has started 130 straight games at UA.
• He finished 2014 without committing an error to set the school record for consecutive games in a season without an error. Dating back to 2013, Salem has gone 71 games without an error. The school record is 84 games set by Jeremy Brown from 2000-02.
THIS WEEKEND
Alabama will welcome Louisiana-Lafayette to the Hoover Met for a three-game, weekend series with the Ragin' Cajuns.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
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