The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs will meet for the 398th time in series history when the series opens Thursday night
April 27, 2016
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Crimson Tide welcomes third-ranked Mississippi State to Tuscaloosa for a three-game set from Thursday through Saturday. The series against MSU will be the Tide's third in a line of three consecutive SEC series against top-10 foes. The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT start in the series opener on Thursday with the game airing nationally on ESPNU. Friday's second game is set to start at 7 p.m. CT, while Saturday's finale is slated for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch. The final two contests will air on SECN+.
LEADING OFF
Mississippi State is ranked in all five major polls, with its lowest ranking coming from Collegiate Baseball News, who has State at No. 8. D1Baseball and the USA Today Coaches polls each have the Bulldogs at No. 4, while MSU is ranked highest by Baseball America and the NCBWA at No. 3.
The Bulldogs come to Tuscaloosa following a 2-0 shutout win over Ole Miss on Tuesday evening in Pearl, Miss. Prior to the midweek contest, Mississippi State took two of three from LSU in Baton Rouge last weekend.
Alabama and Mississippi State will meet for the 398th time in series history when the teams square off on Thursday night. The Crimson Tide owns the all-time advantage, 212-182-3, including a 142-89-3 mark in Tuscaloosa. The two Western Conference foes last met from March 14-15 of last season. UA left Starkville with a 2-1 series win, earning victories in the first and third games of the weekend.
The Crimson Tide will call on its trio of right-handed starters for the weekend once again, first with junior Geoffrey Bramblett to open the series on Thursday. Sophomore Jake Walters will follow on Friday, before junior Nick Eicholtz closes out the series with the start on Saturday.
The Bulldogs counter with junior right-hander Dakota Hudson for Thursday's series opener. On Friday, State will throw junior righty Austin Sexton, while Saturday's starter for the series finale is still to be announced.
Alabama will host "Heroes Weekend" for the trio of games, recognizing all police, fire and emergency personnel with free admission (ID required). Thursday's game will be the College of Arts & Sciences Night along with Greek Night. Friday's contest will feature a mini-bat giveaway to the first 250 fans through the gate. It is also "Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night" with free admission to all faculty and staff members of the University. It will also be the College of Nursing night, welcoming all faculty, staff and alumni of the college to a get together on the third base concourse. Saturday's series finale will recognize first responders from the tornado relief efforts five years ago on April 27, 2011. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox will also be in attendance and throw out the first pitch as part of the remembrance.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY: UA - Geoffrey Bramblett (Jr., RHP) vs. MSU - Dakota Hudson (Jr., RHP)
FRIDAY: UA - Jake Walters (So., RHP) vs. MSU - Austin Sexton (Jr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA - Nick Eicholtz (Jr., RHP) vs. MSU - TBA
REMEMBERING THE TORNADO
Prior to the start of Saturday's series finale, The University of Alabama and Alabama baseball team will hold a moment of silence to honor those who were lost in the April 27, 2011, tornado that devastated the Tuscaloosa community. First responders from that day will be honored on the field pregame with Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox throwing out the game's first pitch.
SERIES HISTORY - MISSISSIPPI STATE
Alabama and Mississippi State will meet for the 398th, 399th and 400th time when the two teams square off on for the three-game set. The series dates back to 1896 when State was still referred to as Mississippi A&M. It is the third-longest running SEC pairing in Crimson Tide history.
The Crimson Tide holds a 212-182-3 advantage all-time, including a 142-89-3 mark in Tuscaloosa. The initial meetings between the two teams came in 1896, with Alabama winning both games that season as part of a six-game winning streak UA went on until 1906.
Over the last 10 seasons, Alabama holds a 17-12 advantage and has claimed series wins in seven of the 10 two- or three-game pairings.
The teams met last season for three games in Starkville to start SEC play from March14-15. Alabama collected wins in the bookend games of the series, first winning 10-5 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, before taking the series with an 8-4 victory on Sunday. The Bulldogs were ranked 15th at the time of the meeting.
Last time the two teams met in Tuscaloosa, 16th-ranked Mississippi State left with a 2-1 series win from May 15-17, 2014. The Bulldogs won game one, 9-4, before a 1-0 shutout victory in game two. Alabama salvaged the series with a 2-1 win on Sunday to avoid the sweep.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Alabama has taken advantage of games played in Tuscaloosa at the newly renovated Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Crimson Tide owns a 15-6 mark at home compared to a 9-12 record in games away from the Joe.
At home, Alabama is batting .271 (180-665) compared to a .227 (162-715) mark away from Tuscaloosa. The Tide has also scored 110 runs at home and only 68 at an opposing park or neutral site.
On the pitching side of things, the Crimson Tide arms own a 2.65 ERA (55 ER/187.0 IP) at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, compared to a 4.00 ERA (82 ER/184.1 IP) as the visiting squad.
Alabama's pitchers have used the new park to their advantage, limiting opposing hitters to a .213 (144-675) average at home as opposed to a .280 (201-717) mark on the road.
ON DECK
Following this weekend's games, the Crimson Tide will take the week off for finals before starting up a three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium against rival Auburn from May 6-8. Friday's first game is set for a 7 p.m. CT start, while Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT start. Sunday's series finale will begin at 3 p.m. CT.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
April 27, 2016
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Crimson Tide welcomes third-ranked Mississippi State to Tuscaloosa for a three-game set from Thursday through Saturday. The series against MSU will be the Tide's third in a line of three consecutive SEC series against top-10 foes. The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT start in the series opener on Thursday with the game airing nationally on ESPNU. Friday's second game is set to start at 7 p.m. CT, while Saturday's finale is slated for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch. The final two contests will air on SECN+.
LEADING OFF
Mississippi State is ranked in all five major polls, with its lowest ranking coming from Collegiate Baseball News, who has State at No. 8. D1Baseball and the USA Today Coaches polls each have the Bulldogs at No. 4, while MSU is ranked highest by Baseball America and the NCBWA at No. 3.
The Bulldogs come to Tuscaloosa following a 2-0 shutout win over Ole Miss on Tuesday evening in Pearl, Miss. Prior to the midweek contest, Mississippi State took two of three from LSU in Baton Rouge last weekend.
Alabama and Mississippi State will meet for the 398th time in series history when the teams square off on Thursday night. The Crimson Tide owns the all-time advantage, 212-182-3, including a 142-89-3 mark in Tuscaloosa. The two Western Conference foes last met from March 14-15 of last season. UA left Starkville with a 2-1 series win, earning victories in the first and third games of the weekend.
The Crimson Tide will call on its trio of right-handed starters for the weekend once again, first with junior Geoffrey Bramblett to open the series on Thursday. Sophomore Jake Walters will follow on Friday, before junior Nick Eicholtz closes out the series with the start on Saturday.
The Bulldogs counter with junior right-hander Dakota Hudson for Thursday's series opener. On Friday, State will throw junior righty Austin Sexton, while Saturday's starter for the series finale is still to be announced.
Alabama will host "Heroes Weekend" for the trio of games, recognizing all police, fire and emergency personnel with free admission (ID required). Thursday's game will be the College of Arts & Sciences Night along with Greek Night. Friday's contest will feature a mini-bat giveaway to the first 250 fans through the gate. It is also "Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night" with free admission to all faculty and staff members of the University. It will also be the College of Nursing night, welcoming all faculty, staff and alumni of the college to a get together on the third base concourse. Saturday's series finale will recognize first responders from the tornado relief efforts five years ago on April 27, 2011. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox will also be in attendance and throw out the first pitch as part of the remembrance.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY: UA - Geoffrey Bramblett (Jr., RHP) vs. MSU - Dakota Hudson (Jr., RHP)
FRIDAY: UA - Jake Walters (So., RHP) vs. MSU - Austin Sexton (Jr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA - Nick Eicholtz (Jr., RHP) vs. MSU - TBA
REMEMBERING THE TORNADO
Prior to the start of Saturday's series finale, The University of Alabama and Alabama baseball team will hold a moment of silence to honor those who were lost in the April 27, 2011, tornado that devastated the Tuscaloosa community. First responders from that day will be honored on the field pregame with Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox throwing out the game's first pitch.
SERIES HISTORY - MISSISSIPPI STATE
Alabama and Mississippi State will meet for the 398th, 399th and 400th time when the two teams square off on for the three-game set. The series dates back to 1896 when State was still referred to as Mississippi A&M. It is the third-longest running SEC pairing in Crimson Tide history.
The Crimson Tide holds a 212-182-3 advantage all-time, including a 142-89-3 mark in Tuscaloosa. The initial meetings between the two teams came in 1896, with Alabama winning both games that season as part of a six-game winning streak UA went on until 1906.
Over the last 10 seasons, Alabama holds a 17-12 advantage and has claimed series wins in seven of the 10 two- or three-game pairings.
The teams met last season for three games in Starkville to start SEC play from March14-15. Alabama collected wins in the bookend games of the series, first winning 10-5 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, before taking the series with an 8-4 victory on Sunday. The Bulldogs were ranked 15th at the time of the meeting.
Last time the two teams met in Tuscaloosa, 16th-ranked Mississippi State left with a 2-1 series win from May 15-17, 2014. The Bulldogs won game one, 9-4, before a 1-0 shutout victory in game two. Alabama salvaged the series with a 2-1 win on Sunday to avoid the sweep.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Alabama has taken advantage of games played in Tuscaloosa at the newly renovated Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Crimson Tide owns a 15-6 mark at home compared to a 9-12 record in games away from the Joe.
At home, Alabama is batting .271 (180-665) compared to a .227 (162-715) mark away from Tuscaloosa. The Tide has also scored 110 runs at home and only 68 at an opposing park or neutral site.
On the pitching side of things, the Crimson Tide arms own a 2.65 ERA (55 ER/187.0 IP) at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, compared to a 4.00 ERA (82 ER/184.1 IP) as the visiting squad.
Alabama's pitchers have used the new park to their advantage, limiting opposing hitters to a .213 (144-675) average at home as opposed to a .280 (201-717) mark on the road.
ON DECK
Following this weekend's games, the Crimson Tide will take the week off for finals before starting up a three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium against rival Auburn from May 6-8. Friday's first game is set for a 7 p.m. CT start, while Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT start. Sunday's series finale will begin at 3 p.m. CT.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
