The Crimson Tide and Trojans will meet for the 31st time in series history
Feb. 29, 2016
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Crimson Tide takes its first roadtrip of the 2016 season, staying in-state as they travel to Troy for a Tuesday midweek contest with the Trojans. The teams are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT start on Tuesday evening at Riddle-Pace Field.
LEADING OFF
UA is No. 27 in the latest College Baseball News poll thanks to a 6-1 start that included this past week's 4-0 record. The Crimson Tide is also receiving votes in the latest D1 Baseball and NCBWA polls. Troy is not ranked in any of the major polls.
Alabama and Troy will meet for the 31st time overall in the series. The Crimson Tide owns the all-time advantage, 20-10, but has never won at Troy, going 0-3 on the road against the Trojans.
Troy welcomes Alabama after a collecting a 3-1 mark a week ago and owning a 7-1 overall record. The Trojans were a perfect 7-0 before falling to Southeastern, 7-2, on Sunday afternoon. Troy began the season with a four-game weekend sweep of Northern Kentucky, before beating UAB in a midweek contest and then taking the first two of three games from Southeastern this past weekend.
The Crimson Tide will look to senior left-hander Jon Keller on Tuesday evening. Keller will be making his third appearance of 2016 and his first start of the season. He owns a 1-0 record across his 2.2 scoreless innings pitched. The starting nod will be his first since May 4, 2014, against Florida.
The Trojans starter will be freshman right-hander Cory Gill. The first-year starter owns a 1-0 record with a 1.80 ERA (1 ER/5.0 IP). In his lone start against UAB, Gill allowed three hits and issued only one walk while striking out eight Blazer hitters.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
UA -- Jon Keller (Sr., LHP) vs. TU -- Cory Gill (Fr., LHP)
SCOUTING ALABAMA
Alabama enters Tuesday's game with Troy following a perfect 4-0 week that included a 13-1 win over Nicholls State on Wednesday followed by a three-game sweep of North Dakota over the weekend.
The series opener on Friday evening was a pitcher's duel, with Geoffrey Bramblett keeping things close to provide the opportunity for the Tide to walk it off in the ninth, 2-1. Bramblett worked 8.0 innings of one-run baseball, allowing four hits and walking two while striking out six. With runners on the corners and the man from third on the move, freshman Keith Holcombe knocked a ball back up the middle to plate the winning run.
Game two featured another standout start from Alabama's starter, with Jake Walters this time making an impact. The sophomore struck out a career-high 13 batters to help secure the 5-2 victory and the series win. Thomas Burrows closed out the win to earn his 21st career save, tying the UA all-time mark for career stops.
Sunday's series finale featured a standout performance by the Alabama bullpen to complete the sweep of UND. An early exit from the Crimson Tide starter forced the relievers into action, with the foursome of Dylan Duarte, Kyle Cameron, Matt Foster and Burrows tossing 6.0 scoreless innings. Duarte earned the win with 2.2 frames, allowing two hits with one strikeout.
The Crimson Tide offense powered the 13-1 victory on Wednesday, compiling 20 total hits by game's end. The offensive surge was led by Chandler Taylor's perfect 5-for-5 night and Georgie Salem's 2-for-4 performance that included a pair of doubles and a team-high three RBI. The two teams combined to use 13 pitchers which was the most since Alabama and Samford combined for 13 arms on April 30, 2014, with Mike Oczypok claiming his first victory in over two years.
The Crimson Tide outscored its opponents 27-5 over the week.
Alabama returns 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 letter winners 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.
SCOUTING TROY
Troy welcomes the Crimson Tide after claiming victories in three of four contests last week, including a 2-1 series victory at Southeastern this past weekend.
The Trojans claimed a 3-2 win over Southeastern in the series opener on Friday. Senior right-hander Grant Bennett worked 7.0 innings of two-run baseball with eight strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. The Troy offense was highlighted Reid Long, who finished 1-for-4 with a team-high two RBI.
The weekend's second game saw the Trojans fall behind 1-0 early, but a three-run sixth provided all the insurance TU would need for the 5-1 win. Five Southeastern errors aided in the win, as the Fire pitchers allowed only one earned run in the contest.
On Sunday, Troy hopped out to an early 2-0 lead, but was matched an inning later to even things at 2-2. One-run innings in fifth, sixth and seventh followed by a two-run eighth for Southeastern helped the Fire avoid the sweep and claim a 7-2 win on getaway day.
Sophomore Matt Sanders leads Troy in hitting, batting .364 (12-33) with a team-high 12 hits. He also leads the Trojans in runs scored with seven. Long heads the RBI column with seven while also leading his squad in doubles (3) and slugging percentage (.483).
The Trojan bullpen has worked 26.1 innings this season, with junior Trey Johns leading Troy in appearances at six. Johns owns a 1-0 record with one save and has limited opposing hitters to a .154 average against. The team's closer, Corey Childress, has made four scoreless appearances and notched three saves in his 5.0 innings of work.
Troy returns four positional starters and loses five, while seven pitchers return from the 12 on last season's team that finished 30-25 overall, 18-10 in the Sun Belt. The Trojans return 18 letter winners and lose 14.
The Trojans were selected to finish fourth of 11 teams in the Sun Belt Conference in the league's preseason poll voted on by the coaches.
SERIES HISTORY
Alabama and Troy will meet for the 31st time, with the Crimson Tide owning the all-time advantage, 20-10.
The Trojans are a perfect 3-0 against Alabama when playing at Riddle-Pace Field.
In the first meeting in 1941, Alabama came out victorious, 9-6, in Tuscaloosa, as part of a five-game winning streak over the in-state foe. Troy would go on to win the next two games in 1979, before UA strung together another five wins from 1991-1994.
Troy claimed a 8-4 win in the lone meeting in 1998, but then fell in four of the next five contests between the two schools.
Since 2007, the two teams have split evenly at 6-6.
ON DECK
Following Tuesday's game, the Crimson Tide will travel to Cary, N.C., for a four-game, weekend tournament at the USA Baseball-Irish Classic. The tournament schedule will begin with a 4 p.m. CT game against Notre Dame on Friday, before a pair of games against Niagara (11:30 a.m.) and N.C. State (3:30 p.m.) on Saturday. The weekend will wrap up with an 11 a.m. CT contest against Brown on Sunday.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
Feb. 29, 2016
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Crimson Tide takes its first roadtrip of the 2016 season, staying in-state as they travel to Troy for a Tuesday midweek contest with the Trojans. The teams are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT start on Tuesday evening at Riddle-Pace Field.
LEADING OFF
UA is No. 27 in the latest College Baseball News poll thanks to a 6-1 start that included this past week's 4-0 record. The Crimson Tide is also receiving votes in the latest D1 Baseball and NCBWA polls. Troy is not ranked in any of the major polls.
Alabama and Troy will meet for the 31st time overall in the series. The Crimson Tide owns the all-time advantage, 20-10, but has never won at Troy, going 0-3 on the road against the Trojans.
Troy welcomes Alabama after a collecting a 3-1 mark a week ago and owning a 7-1 overall record. The Trojans were a perfect 7-0 before falling to Southeastern, 7-2, on Sunday afternoon. Troy began the season with a four-game weekend sweep of Northern Kentucky, before beating UAB in a midweek contest and then taking the first two of three games from Southeastern this past weekend.
The Crimson Tide will look to senior left-hander Jon Keller on Tuesday evening. Keller will be making his third appearance of 2016 and his first start of the season. He owns a 1-0 record across his 2.2 scoreless innings pitched. The starting nod will be his first since May 4, 2014, against Florida.
The Trojans starter will be freshman right-hander Cory Gill. The first-year starter owns a 1-0 record with a 1.80 ERA (1 ER/5.0 IP). In his lone start against UAB, Gill allowed three hits and issued only one walk while striking out eight Blazer hitters.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
UA -- Jon Keller (Sr., LHP) vs. TU -- Cory Gill (Fr., LHP)
SCOUTING ALABAMA
Alabama enters Tuesday's game with Troy following a perfect 4-0 week that included a 13-1 win over Nicholls State on Wednesday followed by a three-game sweep of North Dakota over the weekend.
The series opener on Friday evening was a pitcher's duel, with Geoffrey Bramblett keeping things close to provide the opportunity for the Tide to walk it off in the ninth, 2-1. Bramblett worked 8.0 innings of one-run baseball, allowing four hits and walking two while striking out six. With runners on the corners and the man from third on the move, freshman Keith Holcombe knocked a ball back up the middle to plate the winning run.
Game two featured another standout start from Alabama's starter, with Jake Walters this time making an impact. The sophomore struck out a career-high 13 batters to help secure the 5-2 victory and the series win. Thomas Burrows closed out the win to earn his 21st career save, tying the UA all-time mark for career stops.
Sunday's series finale featured a standout performance by the Alabama bullpen to complete the sweep of UND. An early exit from the Crimson Tide starter forced the relievers into action, with the foursome of Dylan Duarte, Kyle Cameron, Matt Foster and Burrows tossing 6.0 scoreless innings. Duarte earned the win with 2.2 frames, allowing two hits with one strikeout.
The Crimson Tide offense powered the 13-1 victory on Wednesday, compiling 20 total hits by game's end. The offensive surge was led by Chandler Taylor's perfect 5-for-5 night and Georgie Salem's 2-for-4 performance that included a pair of doubles and a team-high three RBI. The two teams combined to use 13 pitchers which was the most since Alabama and Samford combined for 13 arms on April 30, 2014, with Mike Oczypok claiming his first victory in over two years.
The Crimson Tide outscored its opponents 27-5 over the week.
Alabama returns 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 letter winners 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.
SCOUTING TROY
Troy welcomes the Crimson Tide after claiming victories in three of four contests last week, including a 2-1 series victory at Southeastern this past weekend.
The Trojans claimed a 3-2 win over Southeastern in the series opener on Friday. Senior right-hander Grant Bennett worked 7.0 innings of two-run baseball with eight strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. The Troy offense was highlighted Reid Long, who finished 1-for-4 with a team-high two RBI.
The weekend's second game saw the Trojans fall behind 1-0 early, but a three-run sixth provided all the insurance TU would need for the 5-1 win. Five Southeastern errors aided in the win, as the Fire pitchers allowed only one earned run in the contest.
On Sunday, Troy hopped out to an early 2-0 lead, but was matched an inning later to even things at 2-2. One-run innings in fifth, sixth and seventh followed by a two-run eighth for Southeastern helped the Fire avoid the sweep and claim a 7-2 win on getaway day.
Sophomore Matt Sanders leads Troy in hitting, batting .364 (12-33) with a team-high 12 hits. He also leads the Trojans in runs scored with seven. Long heads the RBI column with seven while also leading his squad in doubles (3) and slugging percentage (.483).
The Trojan bullpen has worked 26.1 innings this season, with junior Trey Johns leading Troy in appearances at six. Johns owns a 1-0 record with one save and has limited opposing hitters to a .154 average against. The team's closer, Corey Childress, has made four scoreless appearances and notched three saves in his 5.0 innings of work.
Troy returns four positional starters and loses five, while seven pitchers return from the 12 on last season's team that finished 30-25 overall, 18-10 in the Sun Belt. The Trojans return 18 letter winners and lose 14.
The Trojans were selected to finish fourth of 11 teams in the Sun Belt Conference in the league's preseason poll voted on by the coaches.
SERIES HISTORY
Alabama and Troy will meet for the 31st time, with the Crimson Tide owning the all-time advantage, 20-10.
The Trojans are a perfect 3-0 against Alabama when playing at Riddle-Pace Field.
In the first meeting in 1941, Alabama came out victorious, 9-6, in Tuscaloosa, as part of a five-game winning streak over the in-state foe. Troy would go on to win the next two games in 1979, before UA strung together another five wins from 1991-1994.
Troy claimed a 8-4 win in the lone meeting in 1998, but then fell in four of the next five contests between the two schools.
Since 2007, the two teams have split evenly at 6-6.
ON DECK
Following Tuesday's game, the Crimson Tide will travel to Cary, N.C., for a four-game, weekend tournament at the USA Baseball-Irish Classic. The tournament schedule will begin with a 4 p.m. CT game against Notre Dame on Friday, before a pair of games against Niagara (11:30 a.m.) and N.C. State (3:30 p.m.) on Saturday. The weekend will wrap up with an 11 a.m. CT contest against Brown on Sunday.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
