The Crimson Tide and Norse will meet for the first time in the history of the two programs when the series begins on Friday afternoon
3/7/2019
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball continues on its current six-game homestand this weekend, hosting Northern Kentucky for a three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide and Norse are slated for 3 p.m. CT in the opener followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and a 1 p.m. start in the series finale. All three games will air live on SEC Network+.
Alabama's weekend matchup with Northern Kentucky will feature the Crimson Tide's "Kid's Day" promotion on Sunday. All kids (18 and under) can receive a $5 general admission ticket to the series finale. The first 75 kids through the gates of Sewell-Thomas Stadium will also receive Alabama lanyards. Following the final out of Sunday's matchup, kids 12 and under can run the bases at The Joe.
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
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY: UA – Sam Finnerty (Sr., RHP) vs. NKU – Sam Williams (R-Sr., LHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Brock Love (R-Jr., RHP) vs. NKU – Kyle Service (So., RHP)
SUNDAY: UA – TBA vs. NKU – Jake Dennis (Jr., LHP)
LEADING OFF
• Alabama and Northern Kentucky will meet for the first time in the history of the two schools.
• The Crimson Tide has faced three member-schools in its history and only two of the current six member-teams, going a perfect 10-0 in the combined meetings. Alabama has squared off with UIC on five occasions and Youngstown State three times. Alabama met Cleveland State twice in its history, but the Vikings no longer participate in baseball. UA has never met Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Oakland or Wright State in addition to Northern Kentucky.
• Alabama will call on its usual game-one starter for Friday's opener in senior right-hander Sam Finnerty. The Crimson Tide will follow with redshirt junior Brock Love, a righty, in Saturday's matchup with Sunday's starter to be announced.
• Northern Kentucky will begin the weekend with redshirt senior southpaw Sam Williams on the hill for the opener. The Norse will then look to sophomore righty Kyle Service on Saturday and junior left-hander Jake Dennis on getaway day in Sunday's series finale.
ABOUT ALABAMA
• Alabama enters this weekend on an eight-game win streak after going 2-0 in the midweek and a perfect 3-0 last weekend on the road in Mobile. The Crimson Tide swept South Alabama on the Jaguars' home turf last weekend before taking down UAB, 5-4, on Tuesday followed by another 5-4 win, this one over South Dakota State, in a 14-inning affair.
• Alabama held on for a 4-3 win over UAB on Tuesday night at The Joe. The Tide entered the ninth with a three-run lead, but the Blazers loaded the bases to force a pitching change. Graduate Jeremy Randolph was able to limit the damage, stranding the tying run at third with a strikeout looking to end the game and earn his second save in as many chances.
• At the plate, senior Joe Breaux and sophomore Tyler Gentry each finished with three-hit performances, with Breaux adding a triple and a run while Gentry contributed a home run, one run scored and a team-high two RBI.
• Gentry's RBI-single in the 14th pushed Alabama past South Dakota State, 5-4, in 14 innings on Wednesday. Alabama took a 4-1 lead into the ninth, but a three-run rally by the Jackrabbits moved the game into extras.
• Randolph carried the Crimson Tide through the early innings, tossing 3.1 scoreless with only one walk and two hits allowed while striking out a season-high five batters. Kyle Cameron then took over, working 2.0 scoreless frames for the win. The redshirt junior allowed just one hit to keep the SDSU offense at bay and allow his bats the time needed to push across the winning run.
• Gentry led the Tide offense on Wednesday for a second consecutive game, finishing 3-for-7 with a team-high two RBI. Also posting a three-hit effort was Morgan McCullough. The junior finished 3-for-5 with a triple to go with his team-high two walks and two runs scored.
• A three-run eighth put the game out of reach, as Alabama earned a 7-3 win over South Alabama on Friday night at Stanky Field. The Crimson Tide was able to jump out to an early two-run advantage, but a three-run homer by South Alabama in the third gave the Jaguars the lead. The Tide answered back three innings later, plating one run in both the sixth and seventh innings followed by the huge three-run eighth to blow things open.
• The offense was patient at the plate, drawing a season-high 10 walks in addition to the nine hits. All nine starters reached base safely with eight of the nine recording a hit. Gentry and freshman Drew Williamson each recorded three base-on-balls, while junior Justin King led the team in hits with a 2-for-4 night that included a double, an RBI and one of the team's walks.
• On the mound Friday, Sam Finnerty tossed another quality start for UA. The senior worked 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk with four punchouts. He ended his night by retiring seven straight before handing the ball over to Casey Cobb. The junior right-hander notched his first save of the season with 3.0 scoreless frames that included three punchouts and only one hit allowed.
• Alabama claimed a pair of victories over South Alabama on Saturday at Stanky Field. The Crimson Tide won game one of the doubleheader, 10-5, and followed with a 6-1 victory in the nightcap to claim the series sweep. UA arms totaled 27 strikeouts and limited the USA hitters to a .215 average across the doubleheader to help secure the pair of wins. The hitters wrapped up the two games batting .338 with 13 extra-base hits and eight walks while going a perfect 6-for-6 on stolen bases.
• UA recorded a season-high 15 hits en route to a 10-5 victory in game one of the doubleheader. The Crimson Tide offense featured three players with three-plus hits, led by Gentry's 4-for-5 day that saw the sophomore fall just a triple short of the cycle. Gentry contributed two doubles and a home run to go with a team-leading two runs and three RBI. McCullough finished his afternoon 3-for-6, just a home run short of the cycle. The junior doubled and tripled while adding two RBI, one run scored and a stolen base. Rounding out the trio was junior Kolby Robinson. The Tide shortstop finished a perfect 3-for-3 with one run scored.
• The Tide used five pitchers to secure the win in game one, led by Deacon Medders, who earned the W thanks to 3.2 innings of work that included six strikeouts. Medders retired 11 straight to start his afternoon and allowed just two hits and a walk.
• Brock Love put together a dominant performance in his first true start of the season to help the Crimson Tide to a 6-1 win in the series finale with South Alabama. The redshirt junior tossed 4.2 frames of scoreless baseball, allowing just one hit and walking a batter while striking out a career-high 11 batters in the winning effort.
• At the plate, seven of the Tide hitters recorded at least one hit on the night, led by Breaux The senior finished 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and one run scored. Also putting together a multi-hit night was Williamson and Robinson, with each batter totaling a pair of hits, one RBI and one run apiece.
• The three victories over the Jaguars marked the first time UA has won three consecutive road games against USA since a victory on Feb. 26, 1983, followed by a pair of wins in Mobile on March 3-4, 1984. The Crimson Tide had never won a three-game series over South in Mobile and had only one three-game series win over USA, this one in Tuscaloosa from April 18-19, 1981.
ABOUT NORTHERN KENTUCKY
• Todd Asalon is in his 19th season with the Norse in 2019 and owns a 533-504-1 record at NKU entering this weekend's series. Asalon, a 24-year veteran as a collegiate head coach, is joined by assistant coaches Dizzy Peyton and Pay Hyde.
• Northern Kentucky returns 19 letterwinners, including five positional starters and four starting pitchers, from the 2018 team that finished 14-39 overall and 9-21 in Horizon League action. The 2019 roster is without 13 lettermen from a season ago, a number that includes four positional starters and two starting pitchers. NKU also welcomes 16 newcomers to this year's roster.
• The Norse were selected to finish sixth in the Horizon League in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.
ON DECK
Alabama will wrap up its six-game homestand with a single midweek pairing against Middle Tennessee on Tuesday, March 12, at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The game between the Crimson Tide and Blue Raiders is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
3/7/2019
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama baseball continues on its current six-game homestand this weekend, hosting Northern Kentucky for a three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide and Norse are slated for 3 p.m. CT in the opener followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and a 1 p.m. start in the series finale. All three games will air live on SEC Network+.
Alabama's weekend matchup with Northern Kentucky will feature the Crimson Tide's "Kid's Day" promotion on Sunday. All kids (18 and under) can receive a $5 general admission ticket to the series finale. The first 75 kids through the gates of Sewell-Thomas Stadium will also receive Alabama lanyards. Following the final out of Sunday's matchup, kids 12 and under can run the bases at The Joe.
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
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY: UA – Sam Finnerty (Sr., RHP) vs. NKU – Sam Williams (R-Sr., LHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Brock Love (R-Jr., RHP) vs. NKU – Kyle Service (So., RHP)
SUNDAY: UA – TBA vs. NKU – Jake Dennis (Jr., LHP)
LEADING OFF
• Alabama and Northern Kentucky will meet for the first time in the history of the two schools.
• The Crimson Tide has faced three member-schools in its history and only two of the current six member-teams, going a perfect 10-0 in the combined meetings. Alabama has squared off with UIC on five occasions and Youngstown State three times. Alabama met Cleveland State twice in its history, but the Vikings no longer participate in baseball. UA has never met Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Oakland or Wright State in addition to Northern Kentucky.
• Alabama will call on its usual game-one starter for Friday's opener in senior right-hander Sam Finnerty. The Crimson Tide will follow with redshirt junior Brock Love, a righty, in Saturday's matchup with Sunday's starter to be announced.
• Northern Kentucky will begin the weekend with redshirt senior southpaw Sam Williams on the hill for the opener. The Norse will then look to sophomore righty Kyle Service on Saturday and junior left-hander Jake Dennis on getaway day in Sunday's series finale.
ABOUT ALABAMA
• Alabama enters this weekend on an eight-game win streak after going 2-0 in the midweek and a perfect 3-0 last weekend on the road in Mobile. The Crimson Tide swept South Alabama on the Jaguars' home turf last weekend before taking down UAB, 5-4, on Tuesday followed by another 5-4 win, this one over South Dakota State, in a 14-inning affair.
• Alabama held on for a 4-3 win over UAB on Tuesday night at The Joe. The Tide entered the ninth with a three-run lead, but the Blazers loaded the bases to force a pitching change. Graduate Jeremy Randolph was able to limit the damage, stranding the tying run at third with a strikeout looking to end the game and earn his second save in as many chances.
• At the plate, senior Joe Breaux and sophomore Tyler Gentry each finished with three-hit performances, with Breaux adding a triple and a run while Gentry contributed a home run, one run scored and a team-high two RBI.
• Gentry's RBI-single in the 14th pushed Alabama past South Dakota State, 5-4, in 14 innings on Wednesday. Alabama took a 4-1 lead into the ninth, but a three-run rally by the Jackrabbits moved the game into extras.
• Randolph carried the Crimson Tide through the early innings, tossing 3.1 scoreless with only one walk and two hits allowed while striking out a season-high five batters. Kyle Cameron then took over, working 2.0 scoreless frames for the win. The redshirt junior allowed just one hit to keep the SDSU offense at bay and allow his bats the time needed to push across the winning run.
• Gentry led the Tide offense on Wednesday for a second consecutive game, finishing 3-for-7 with a team-high two RBI. Also posting a three-hit effort was Morgan McCullough. The junior finished 3-for-5 with a triple to go with his team-high two walks and two runs scored.
• A three-run eighth put the game out of reach, as Alabama earned a 7-3 win over South Alabama on Friday night at Stanky Field. The Crimson Tide was able to jump out to an early two-run advantage, but a three-run homer by South Alabama in the third gave the Jaguars the lead. The Tide answered back three innings later, plating one run in both the sixth and seventh innings followed by the huge three-run eighth to blow things open.
• The offense was patient at the plate, drawing a season-high 10 walks in addition to the nine hits. All nine starters reached base safely with eight of the nine recording a hit. Gentry and freshman Drew Williamson each recorded three base-on-balls, while junior Justin King led the team in hits with a 2-for-4 night that included a double, an RBI and one of the team's walks.
• On the mound Friday, Sam Finnerty tossed another quality start for UA. The senior worked 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk with four punchouts. He ended his night by retiring seven straight before handing the ball over to Casey Cobb. The junior right-hander notched his first save of the season with 3.0 scoreless frames that included three punchouts and only one hit allowed.
• Alabama claimed a pair of victories over South Alabama on Saturday at Stanky Field. The Crimson Tide won game one of the doubleheader, 10-5, and followed with a 6-1 victory in the nightcap to claim the series sweep. UA arms totaled 27 strikeouts and limited the USA hitters to a .215 average across the doubleheader to help secure the pair of wins. The hitters wrapped up the two games batting .338 with 13 extra-base hits and eight walks while going a perfect 6-for-6 on stolen bases.
• UA recorded a season-high 15 hits en route to a 10-5 victory in game one of the doubleheader. The Crimson Tide offense featured three players with three-plus hits, led by Gentry's 4-for-5 day that saw the sophomore fall just a triple short of the cycle. Gentry contributed two doubles and a home run to go with a team-leading two runs and three RBI. McCullough finished his afternoon 3-for-6, just a home run short of the cycle. The junior doubled and tripled while adding two RBI, one run scored and a stolen base. Rounding out the trio was junior Kolby Robinson. The Tide shortstop finished a perfect 3-for-3 with one run scored.
• The Tide used five pitchers to secure the win in game one, led by Deacon Medders, who earned the W thanks to 3.2 innings of work that included six strikeouts. Medders retired 11 straight to start his afternoon and allowed just two hits and a walk.
• Brock Love put together a dominant performance in his first true start of the season to help the Crimson Tide to a 6-1 win in the series finale with South Alabama. The redshirt junior tossed 4.2 frames of scoreless baseball, allowing just one hit and walking a batter while striking out a career-high 11 batters in the winning effort.
• At the plate, seven of the Tide hitters recorded at least one hit on the night, led by Breaux The senior finished 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and one run scored. Also putting together a multi-hit night was Williamson and Robinson, with each batter totaling a pair of hits, one RBI and one run apiece.
• The three victories over the Jaguars marked the first time UA has won three consecutive road games against USA since a victory on Feb. 26, 1983, followed by a pair of wins in Mobile on March 3-4, 1984. The Crimson Tide had never won a three-game series over South in Mobile and had only one three-game series win over USA, this one in Tuscaloosa from April 18-19, 1981.
ABOUT NORTHERN KENTUCKY
• Todd Asalon is in his 19th season with the Norse in 2019 and owns a 533-504-1 record at NKU entering this weekend's series. Asalon, a 24-year veteran as a collegiate head coach, is joined by assistant coaches Dizzy Peyton and Pay Hyde.
• Northern Kentucky returns 19 letterwinners, including five positional starters and four starting pitchers, from the 2018 team that finished 14-39 overall and 9-21 in Horizon League action. The 2019 roster is without 13 lettermen from a season ago, a number that includes four positional starters and two starting pitchers. NKU also welcomes 16 newcomers to this year's roster.
• The Norse were selected to finish sixth in the Horizon League in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.
ON DECK
Alabama will wrap up its six-game homestand with a single midweek pairing against Middle Tennessee on Tuesday, March 12, at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The game between the Crimson Tide and Blue Raiders is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
