Diamond Notes : Alabama Welcomes Missouri to Begin Southeastern Conference Play

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The Crimson Tide and Tigers will meet for the eighth time in series history on Friday evening

3/16/2017

TUSCALOOSA, AL –
Alabama begins Southeastern Conference play this weekend when the Crimson Tide plays host to the Missouri Tigers for a three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The trio of games from Friday through Sunday will close out UA's 20-game homestand to start the season. The Crimson Tide and Tigers are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT start on Friday evening as part of the conference's whiparound coverage of opening night, highlighting all seven games simultaneously on the Network broadcast. Saturday's second contest is slated for a 1 p.m. CT start with Sunday's series finale set for a 12 p.m. CT first pitch. All three games will air live on the SEC Network, with Dave Neal handling play-by-play for each contest. Neal will be joined by Alabama's Lance Cormier on opening night before Chris Burke takes over analyst duties for the final two games of the series.

FOLLOW THE TIDE

Fans can follow this weekend's games via the below outlets:

Watch: SEC Network
Listen: 102.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com

LEADING OFF

• Missouri comes to Tuscaloosa with a 16-1 overall record and has won 16 consecutive games since falling in the season opener to Eastern Michigan. The Tigers are coming off a Wednesday win over Chicago State, 7-6, in a 13-inning affair with the Cougars.
• Alabama and Missouri will meet for the eighth time in series history when the two teams square off on Friday evening. The Crimson Tide owns a 4-3 advantage in the all-time series, with a 2-1 mark at home in Tuscaloosa.
• The Crimson Tide will look to its pair of regular weekend starters in righties Jake Walters and Nick Eicholtz to begin the weekend. Walters, a junior, will make his first career Friday night appearance in game one after previously serving as the Tide's game two starter across his three seasons in a starting role. Eicholtz will follow on Saturday with the senior making his first start in two weeks. Sunday's starter is still to be determined for Alabama.
• The Tigers are set to use their regular weekend rotation from the first month of the season, starting with junior right-hander Tanner Houck on Friday evening. Saturday's second contest is set to feature sophomore lefty Michael Plassmeyer while junior right-hander Andy Toelken will take the hill in Sunday's series finale for Missouri.
• Opening weekend of SEC play at The Joe is full of promotions. "Little League Weekend" will begin on Friday and run through the three games, with any little leaguer who shows up in his or her uniform receiving the group ticket rate of $5 at the gate. The series opener against Mizzou will celebrate St. Patrick's Day, with "Luck of the Tide" T-shirts for the first 300 fans through the gate along with green-themed food items at the concession stands. Saturday will recognize all students in Tuscaloosa County schools as well as Birmingham City school districts for their academic achievement with standout students getting a pair of free voucher tickets to the game. The Tide's "Saturday Entertainment Series" will continue as well for game two, with Jus Gruv performing on the main concourse two hours before the game up until first pitch. The series finale on Sunday will once again be "Kid's Day" at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, featuring inflatables throughout the day while all children 12 and under can run the bases and get autographs from the Crimson Tide postgame.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

FRIDAY: UA – Jake Walters (Jr., RHP) vs. MIZ – Tanner Houck (Jr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Nick Eicholtz (Sr., RHP) vs. MIZ – Michael Plassmeyer (So., LHP)
SUNDAY: UA – TBA vs. MIZ – Andy Toelken (Jr., RHP)

SERIES HISTORY – MISSOURI

• Alabama and Missouri will meet for the eighth time in series history when the two teams square off in Friday's conference opener. The Crimson Tide holds a slight 4-3 advantage in the series.
• The two teams have split series, with the home team claiming a 2-1 series victory each time, and the deciding factor being Alabama's 4-3 victory over Missouri on May 21, 2015, in the SEC Tournament.
• Alabama and Missouri first squared off from May 10-12, 2013, in the Tigers' first year as a member of the SEC. The Tide took the bookend games of the series for the 2-1 victory.
• The Crimson Tide then traveled to Columbia for a three-game set from April 17-18, 2015, with Mizzou taking Friday's opener before claiming the second game of Saturday's doubleheader for the series victory at home.
• The two teams met in the 2015 SEC Tournament, with Will Haynie's solo home run in the seventh putting the Tide in front for a 4-3 win. Alabama received a strong start from Taylor Guilbeau, who tossed 7.0 innings of three-run baseball for the first win of his senior season against an SEC foe, and was followed by Jay Shaw and closer Thomas Burrows, with Burrows earning his seventh save of the season.
• Alabama head coach Greg Goff is 1-0 for his career against Missouri.

ON DECK

Following this weekend's SEC series, Alabama will take to the road for its first of two pairings with UAB this season. The Crimson Tide will travel to Regions Field, home to the Birmingham Barons, for a Tuesday midweek contest with the Blazers on March 21. Alabama will then travel to Columbia for a weekend series with the 10th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks from March 24-26.


-UA-



RTR,

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