The Crimson Tide and Cougars will meet for the second time in the history of the two programs when the two square off on Friday for game one
2/22/2018
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball will welcome Washington State to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this weekend for a three-game series divided up between Friday and Saturday. Friday will feature a doubleheader, with the opener set for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch and game two of the day scheduled to begin approximately 45 minutes after the final out of game one. Saturday's now-series finale remains as originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start. The two teams were originally signed up to play a traditional weekend series, but the threat of bad weather on Sunday forced the doubleheader Friday afternoon. All three games of the series can be seen live on SEC Network+ with Roger Hoover and Lance Cormier on the call.
FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can follow this weekend's matchups via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: 102.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com
LEADING OFF
• Alabama and Washington State will meet for the second, third and fourth times in series history when the two teams square off this weekend.
• The lone meeting between the Crimson Tide and Cougars came in Omaha at the 1950 College World Series. Washington State would hand UA its first loss of the CWS, 9-1, on June 18. The Tide was eliminated one day later by Wisconsin in a 3-1 game.
• Washington State comes to Tuscaloosa with a 2-3 overall record on the young season. The Cougars began the year with a four-game stretch in Tempe, Ariz., at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the Spring Training stadium of the Los Angeles Angels. While in Arizona, WSU went 1-3 with losses to U.C. Riverside to open the season followed by back-to-back defeats to Nebraska. The Cougars wrapped up the weekend with a 7-6 win over Riverside for their first victory of 2018.
• Most recently, Washington State came away with a 5-4 win at Grand Canyon on Tuesday evening in Phoenix. This weekend's three-game series with the Crimson Tide will wrap up State's eight-game roadtrip to start the 2018 season.
• The Crimson Tide will return to its rotation from a weekend ago that featured three right-handers, with juniors Sam Finnerty and Sam Gardner scheduled for the start in games one and three, respectively. Sandwiched in between is senior Jake Walters, who will start Friday's second game for Alabama.
• The Cougars will counter with three lefties on the hill. Friday's first game will feature redshirt sophomore Isaac Mullins followed by senior Cody Anderson in game two of the doubleheader. Fellow senior Scott Sunitsch will close out the weekend for WSU, getting the start in Saturday's contest.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY (GM1): UA – Sam Finnerty (Jr., RHP) vs. WSU – Isaac Mullins (So., LHP)
FRIDAY (GM2): UA – Jake Walters (Sr., RHP) vs. WSU – Cody Anderson (Sr., LHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Sam Gardner (Jr., RHP) vs. WSU – Scott Sunitsch (Sr., LHP)
SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE
• Washington State returns 18 letterwinners, including eight positional starters and two starting pitchers, from the 2017 team that finished 24-29 overall and 10-20 in the Pac-12. The 2018 roster is without nine letterwinners from a season ago, a number that is comprised of one positional starter and one pitcher, while WSU welcomes 16 newcomers.
• The Cougars were selected to finish 10th overall in the Pac-12 in the conference's preseason poll, as voted on by the league coaches
• Marty Lees is now in his third season as a head coach, all with Washington State. Over his first two seasons, the Cougars were 43-64. WSU comes to Tuscaloosa with a 2-3 mark in the 2018 campaign. A 1994 graduate of Western Oregon, Lees is joined by assistant coaches Dan Spencer and Jim Homer, both in their third seasons with the Cougar baseball team.
• Washington State University is a public university located in Pullman, Wash., and boasts an enrollment of 19,556 students. It was founded on March 28, 1890 as Washington State College, less than five months after Washington gained statehood. The school's name was changed to Washington State University in 1959.
ALABAMA VS. THE PAC-12
• The Crimson Tide welcomes Washington State for the second, third and fourth meetings ever in the history of the two teams. The lone matchup came on June 18, 1950 at the College World Series, with WSU winning, 9-1, in Omaha.
• Alabama has faced off with just four of the current 11 member teams and has never hosted a Pac-12 opponent for a three-game series in Tuscaloosa. The Tide is 4-3 all-time against the current conference teams.
• Stanford and Alabama have met the most of any current Pac-12 participant, with the Cardinal owning a 2-1 advantage in the series. Alabama holds a perfect mark against Arizona State (2-0) and USC (1-0).
• The last time the Tide squared off with a Pac-12 opponent was Stanford in 2000 in the Palo Alto Regional. The Cardinal won the first of three contests, 8-6, on May 27, before the two played a doubleheader a day later. Alabama claimed a 14-9 win in game one to send it to a final deciding game where Stanford would eliminate the Tide from postseason play with a 16-6 win.
ON DECK
The Crimson Tide will take to the road for the first time during the 2018 season in its next game, heading to Birmingham to take on in-state foe Samford on Tuesday evening. The two teams are set for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch at Joe Lee Griffin Field with the game airing on the SoCon Sports Network.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
2/22/2018
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball will welcome Washington State to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this weekend for a three-game series divided up between Friday and Saturday. Friday will feature a doubleheader, with the opener set for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch and game two of the day scheduled to begin approximately 45 minutes after the final out of game one. Saturday's now-series finale remains as originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start. The two teams were originally signed up to play a traditional weekend series, but the threat of bad weather on Sunday forced the doubleheader Friday afternoon. All three games of the series can be seen live on SEC Network+ with Roger Hoover and Lance Cormier on the call.
FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can follow this weekend's matchups via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: 102.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com
LEADING OFF
• Alabama and Washington State will meet for the second, third and fourth times in series history when the two teams square off this weekend.
• The lone meeting between the Crimson Tide and Cougars came in Omaha at the 1950 College World Series. Washington State would hand UA its first loss of the CWS, 9-1, on June 18. The Tide was eliminated one day later by Wisconsin in a 3-1 game.
• Washington State comes to Tuscaloosa with a 2-3 overall record on the young season. The Cougars began the year with a four-game stretch in Tempe, Ariz., at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the Spring Training stadium of the Los Angeles Angels. While in Arizona, WSU went 1-3 with losses to U.C. Riverside to open the season followed by back-to-back defeats to Nebraska. The Cougars wrapped up the weekend with a 7-6 win over Riverside for their first victory of 2018.
• Most recently, Washington State came away with a 5-4 win at Grand Canyon on Tuesday evening in Phoenix. This weekend's three-game series with the Crimson Tide will wrap up State's eight-game roadtrip to start the 2018 season.
• The Crimson Tide will return to its rotation from a weekend ago that featured three right-handers, with juniors Sam Finnerty and Sam Gardner scheduled for the start in games one and three, respectively. Sandwiched in between is senior Jake Walters, who will start Friday's second game for Alabama.
• The Cougars will counter with three lefties on the hill. Friday's first game will feature redshirt sophomore Isaac Mullins followed by senior Cody Anderson in game two of the doubleheader. Fellow senior Scott Sunitsch will close out the weekend for WSU, getting the start in Saturday's contest.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY (GM1): UA – Sam Finnerty (Jr., RHP) vs. WSU – Isaac Mullins (So., LHP)
FRIDAY (GM2): UA – Jake Walters (Sr., RHP) vs. WSU – Cody Anderson (Sr., LHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Sam Gardner (Jr., RHP) vs. WSU – Scott Sunitsch (Sr., LHP)
SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE
• Washington State returns 18 letterwinners, including eight positional starters and two starting pitchers, from the 2017 team that finished 24-29 overall and 10-20 in the Pac-12. The 2018 roster is without nine letterwinners from a season ago, a number that is comprised of one positional starter and one pitcher, while WSU welcomes 16 newcomers.
• The Cougars were selected to finish 10th overall in the Pac-12 in the conference's preseason poll, as voted on by the league coaches
• Marty Lees is now in his third season as a head coach, all with Washington State. Over his first two seasons, the Cougars were 43-64. WSU comes to Tuscaloosa with a 2-3 mark in the 2018 campaign. A 1994 graduate of Western Oregon, Lees is joined by assistant coaches Dan Spencer and Jim Homer, both in their third seasons with the Cougar baseball team.
• Washington State University is a public university located in Pullman, Wash., and boasts an enrollment of 19,556 students. It was founded on March 28, 1890 as Washington State College, less than five months after Washington gained statehood. The school's name was changed to Washington State University in 1959.
ALABAMA VS. THE PAC-12
• The Crimson Tide welcomes Washington State for the second, third and fourth meetings ever in the history of the two teams. The lone matchup came on June 18, 1950 at the College World Series, with WSU winning, 9-1, in Omaha.
• Alabama has faced off with just four of the current 11 member teams and has never hosted a Pac-12 opponent for a three-game series in Tuscaloosa. The Tide is 4-3 all-time against the current conference teams.
• Stanford and Alabama have met the most of any current Pac-12 participant, with the Cardinal owning a 2-1 advantage in the series. Alabama holds a perfect mark against Arizona State (2-0) and USC (1-0).
• The last time the Tide squared off with a Pac-12 opponent was Stanford in 2000 in the Palo Alto Regional. The Cardinal won the first of three contests, 8-6, on May 27, before the two played a doubleheader a day later. Alabama claimed a 14-9 win in game one to send it to a final deciding game where Stanford would eliminate the Tide from postseason play with a 16-6 win.
ON DECK
The Crimson Tide will take to the road for the first time during the 2018 season in its next game, heading to Birmingham to take on in-state foe Samford on Tuesday evening. The two teams are set for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch at Joe Lee Griffin Field with the game airing on the SoCon Sports Network.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
