The Crimson Tide and Blazers will meet for the 71st time in series history on Tuesday
March 21, 2016
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Crimson Tide travels to Birmingham to take on in-state opponent UAB inside Regions Field on Tuesday. Alabama will be the visiting team in the contest. The teams are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT start inside the home of the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
LEADING OFF
The Crimson Tide is currently ranked or receiving votes in all major polls. UA is seeded 22nd in the latest Baseball America and College Baseball News polls, and is receiving votes in the D1Baseball, NCBWA and USA Today Coaches polls. UAB is not ranked in any of the five polls.
Alabama and UAB will meet for the 71st time in a series that dates back to 1974. The Crimson Tide owns a 47-23 advantage, including a perfect 2-0 mark at Regions Field. The Tide is currently riding a three-game winning streak, but the two teams have split even in the last 10 contests at 5-5.
UAB welcome the Tide to their home away from home after finishing last week at 2-3. The Blazers were defeated in consecutive games by Ole Miss during the midweek, but bounced back to claim the series win, 2-1, over Louisiana Tech to kick off Conference USA play over the weekend.
The Crimson Tide will call on right-hander Mike Oczypok for the midweek start. Oczypok owns a 2-1 record and has started two games thus far for the Crimson Tide. Tuesday's start will be his second midweek of the season following his first midweek start a week ago at Southern Miss.
The Blazers look to redshirt junior Adam Lamar to counter the Tide. Lamar, a left-hander, owns a 2-1 record on the season and has made eight total appearances, four of those coming in the starter's role. He is limiting opposing hitters to a .169 average and has allowed five earned runs across his 24.0 innings pitched.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
UA - Mike Oczypok (RS-Jr., RHP) vs. UAB - Adam Lamar (RS-Jr., LHP)
SCOUTING ALABAMA
Alabama travels to Birmingham after a 2-2 week. The Tide first fell to Southern Miss on Tuesday before taking two of three games from seventh-ran• Al ked LSU this past weekend.
The Tide played a doubleheader on Saturday against the Tigers, winning both games to claim the series win. The first contest featured a strong pitching performance by Geoffrey Bramblett and Jon Keller, who proceeded to shut out the Tigers, 6-0.
Saturday's second game saw Alabama get out to a big lead, taking a 4-1 advantage into the ninth. LSU rallied for two runs and had the tying run on base before Matt Foster got the Tiger hitter to flyout. The 4-3 win helped the Tide clinch the series victory in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1996.
On Sunday, Alabama once again got out to an early lead, but a six-run eighth inning by the Tigers proved the difference as LSU won the series finale, 7-5. Alabama scored one in the ninth and had the tying runs on base but a questionable strike three call ended the game in favor of the Tigers.
Alabama returned home this season after spending 2015 on the road. The Tide played a total of 34 "home" games across the state of Alabama on top of the 22 road contests slotted into the schedule. Thirty of the team's home games were played at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover. The Crimson Tide also played a weekend series at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile and a single game inside Joe W. Davis Municipal Stadium in Huntsville.
In addition to the "home" contests, UA also traveled to Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery for the annual MAX Capital City Classic against Auburn, and then to Regions Field in Birmingham for an away game with UAB.
Alabama's roster features 21 letterwinners from the 2015 squad that reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 SEC Tournament. The 2016 Tide returns five positional starters, and five pitchers who made five or more career starts.
SERIES HISTORY
Alabama and UAB will meet for the 71st time in a series that dates back to 1974.
The Crimson Tide owns the all-time advantage, 47-23, including a 16-8 mark away from Tuscaloosa, and is a perfect 2-0 against the Blazers at Regions Field.
Alabama earned a 5-2 win on April 16, 2014, the initial meeting at the Barons stadium in Birmingham. Most recently, the Crimson Tide claimed a 7-2 win over the Blazers on March 31, 2015.
The Tide is currently riding a three-game winning streak over UAB dating back to that 2014 win, but the two teams are even at 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
TAYLOR NAMED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Alabama outfielder Chandler Taylor was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance across four games from March 15-20.
Taylor closed out the week with four hits, three of which were for extra bases including one double and his team-leading third and fourth home runs of the season. He contributed a team-high 11 total bases for the week and led the Tide in slugging percentage at .733.
He began the week with a pair of walks at Southern Miss before the Tide traveled to Baton Rouge to take on the seventh-ranked LSU Tigers.
The Montgomery, Ala., native finished his first career SEC series with a hit in each game and four total.
In Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers, Taylor batted .333 (3-9) with a double, home run, two RBI and one run scored to help the Crimson Tide earn its first series victory in Baton Rouge since 1996.
Taylor knocked a two-run home run in the ninth inning of Saturday's first game of the twinbill, putting the game out of reach as the Tide blanked the Tiger, 6-0, for the first shutout win over LSU since May 14, 2000.
On Sunday, he homered once again, extending his team lead to four homers on the young season.
ON DECK
Alabama will return home for the weekend, hosting Tennessee at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The matchup with the Volunteers will be the first conference games inside the new "Joe". Friday's first game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT start followed by an 8 p.m. CT start for game two on Saturday. The Sunday finale will begin at 3 p.m. CT. All three games will be televised, with the first contest airing on SECN+ and the final two games showing on the SEC Network.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
March 21, 2016
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Crimson Tide travels to Birmingham to take on in-state opponent UAB inside Regions Field on Tuesday. Alabama will be the visiting team in the contest. The teams are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT start inside the home of the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
LEADING OFF
The Crimson Tide is currently ranked or receiving votes in all major polls. UA is seeded 22nd in the latest Baseball America and College Baseball News polls, and is receiving votes in the D1Baseball, NCBWA and USA Today Coaches polls. UAB is not ranked in any of the five polls.
Alabama and UAB will meet for the 71st time in a series that dates back to 1974. The Crimson Tide owns a 47-23 advantage, including a perfect 2-0 mark at Regions Field. The Tide is currently riding a three-game winning streak, but the two teams have split even in the last 10 contests at 5-5.
UAB welcome the Tide to their home away from home after finishing last week at 2-3. The Blazers were defeated in consecutive games by Ole Miss during the midweek, but bounced back to claim the series win, 2-1, over Louisiana Tech to kick off Conference USA play over the weekend.
The Crimson Tide will call on right-hander Mike Oczypok for the midweek start. Oczypok owns a 2-1 record and has started two games thus far for the Crimson Tide. Tuesday's start will be his second midweek of the season following his first midweek start a week ago at Southern Miss.
The Blazers look to redshirt junior Adam Lamar to counter the Tide. Lamar, a left-hander, owns a 2-1 record on the season and has made eight total appearances, four of those coming in the starter's role. He is limiting opposing hitters to a .169 average and has allowed five earned runs across his 24.0 innings pitched.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
UA - Mike Oczypok (RS-Jr., RHP) vs. UAB - Adam Lamar (RS-Jr., LHP)
SCOUTING ALABAMA
Alabama travels to Birmingham after a 2-2 week. The Tide first fell to Southern Miss on Tuesday before taking two of three games from seventh-ran• Al ked LSU this past weekend.
The Tide played a doubleheader on Saturday against the Tigers, winning both games to claim the series win. The first contest featured a strong pitching performance by Geoffrey Bramblett and Jon Keller, who proceeded to shut out the Tigers, 6-0.
Saturday's second game saw Alabama get out to a big lead, taking a 4-1 advantage into the ninth. LSU rallied for two runs and had the tying run on base before Matt Foster got the Tiger hitter to flyout. The 4-3 win helped the Tide clinch the series victory in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1996.
On Sunday, Alabama once again got out to an early lead, but a six-run eighth inning by the Tigers proved the difference as LSU won the series finale, 7-5. Alabama scored one in the ninth and had the tying runs on base but a questionable strike three call ended the game in favor of the Tigers.
Alabama returned home this season after spending 2015 on the road. The Tide played a total of 34 "home" games across the state of Alabama on top of the 22 road contests slotted into the schedule. Thirty of the team's home games were played at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover. The Crimson Tide also played a weekend series at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile and a single game inside Joe W. Davis Municipal Stadium in Huntsville.
In addition to the "home" contests, UA also traveled to Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery for the annual MAX Capital City Classic against Auburn, and then to Regions Field in Birmingham for an away game with UAB.
Alabama's roster features 21 letterwinners from the 2015 squad that reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 SEC Tournament. The 2016 Tide returns five positional starters, and five pitchers who made five or more career starts.
SERIES HISTORY
Alabama and UAB will meet for the 71st time in a series that dates back to 1974.
The Crimson Tide owns the all-time advantage, 47-23, including a 16-8 mark away from Tuscaloosa, and is a perfect 2-0 against the Blazers at Regions Field.
Alabama earned a 5-2 win on April 16, 2014, the initial meeting at the Barons stadium in Birmingham. Most recently, the Crimson Tide claimed a 7-2 win over the Blazers on March 31, 2015.
The Tide is currently riding a three-game winning streak over UAB dating back to that 2014 win, but the two teams are even at 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
TAYLOR NAMED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Alabama outfielder Chandler Taylor was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance across four games from March 15-20.
Taylor closed out the week with four hits, three of which were for extra bases including one double and his team-leading third and fourth home runs of the season. He contributed a team-high 11 total bases for the week and led the Tide in slugging percentage at .733.
He began the week with a pair of walks at Southern Miss before the Tide traveled to Baton Rouge to take on the seventh-ranked LSU Tigers.
The Montgomery, Ala., native finished his first career SEC series with a hit in each game and four total.
In Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers, Taylor batted .333 (3-9) with a double, home run, two RBI and one run scored to help the Crimson Tide earn its first series victory in Baton Rouge since 1996.
Taylor knocked a two-run home run in the ninth inning of Saturday's first game of the twinbill, putting the game out of reach as the Tide blanked the Tiger, 6-0, for the first shutout win over LSU since May 14, 2000.
On Sunday, he homered once again, extending his team lead to four homers on the young season.
ON DECK
Alabama will return home for the weekend, hosting Tennessee at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The matchup with the Volunteers will be the first conference games inside the new "Joe". Friday's first game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT start followed by an 8 p.m. CT start for game two on Saturday. The Sunday finale will begin at 3 p.m. CT. All three games will be televised, with the first contest airing on SECN+ and the final two games showing on the SEC Network.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
