| BSB/SB 2021 SEC Baseball tournament. . (UA vs UT- FR- 10 CT)

Heading to Hoover – Alabama Set to Open 2021 SEC Baseball Tournament with South Carolina - University of Alabama Athletics

Alabama baseball is set for the 2021 SEC Baseball Tournament, the Tide's first appearance in Hoover since 2016.

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball is set for the 2021 SEC Baseball Tournament, the Tide's first appearance in Hoover since 2016. The Crimson Tide, as a 10-seed, will square off with No. 25 and seventh-seeded South Carolina in the second game of Tuesday's morning session. The contest will air live on the SEC Network.

Follow the Tide​

Fans can follow the Tuesday game via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com

Probable Starting Pitching Matchup​

TUESDAY: UA – Tyler Ras (Jr., RHP) vs. SC – TBA

Leading Off​

• Alabama and South Carolina will meet for the 67th time in series history when the two teams square off on Tuesday afternoon at the Hoover Met. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series, 37-29, but the Tide holds the advantage in neutral site games at 4-2.
• The two teams last met from April 5-6, 2019, in Tuscaloosa, with Alabama claiming a 2-1 series win. The Crimson Tide blanked the Gamecocks in game one of a doubleheader, 9-0, before clinching the series with a 4-1 win on the back-end of the twinbill. South Carolina rallied the next day for a 5-4 win in 12 innings to avoid the sweep.
• Alabama has won two of the three pairings between the two schools in the SEC Tournament. The most recent meeting came in 2009 with SC earning a 9-5 win on May 20. The Tide won the first-ever meeting in Hoover by a score of 6-2 on May 26, 2002 and followed that with a 9-7 win a year later on May 22.
• Alabama will call on junior right-hander Tyler Ras for the Tuesday start. Ras has been the Crimson Tide's Friday night starter each of the last 13 weekends and owns a 6-4 record with a 5.42 ERA (46 ER/76.1 IP).
• South Carolina's starter is still to be announced.

About Alabama​

• Alabama hosted sixth-ranked Mississippi State this past weekend for the final series of the regular season. The Crimson Tide fell in three hard-fought battles with the Bulldogs to finish the 2021 schedule at 29-22 overall and 12-17 in Southeastern Conference play.
• State's four run seventh proved to be too much as Alabama fell, 4-2 on Thursday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
• A pitchers' duel saw both teams go scoreless until the fifth. That inning featured a solo home run from Jackson Tate to get Alabama on the board first.
• Tyler Ras kept the Bulldogs at bay in the sixth before a four-run top of the seventh gave MSU the lead for good. The Crimson Tide battled for one in the bottom of the seventh and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the eighth but would not get any closer.
• Ras was solid once again, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts across 6.1 innings of work. The junior held State scoreless through the first 6.0 frames, giving up four hits and no walks before running into trouble in the seventh.
• Alabama suffered a 7-0 loss on Friday evening. The Bulldogs were first on the board with a run in the top of the second and added three in the third, two in the fifth and one in the ninth for the series-clinching win.
• The Crimson Tide rallied late on Saturday but was unable to battle back in a 7-3 loss to the Bulldogs.
• Alabama struck early with two in the first and one in the second to build a 3-0 lead. The Tide pitching staff held State off the board until the fifth when MSU scored four to gain the advantage. The Bulldogs then added three more in the top of the sixth to make it a 7-3 ballgame.
• UA did not go quietly, bringing the tying run to the plate in the eighth and reaching a pair of runners in the ninth, but would not pull any closer.
• Alabama received a strong start on Saturday from Jacob McNairy in his first appearance since mid-April. The junior tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts before handing it over to his bullpen. The Tide relievers combined to post a solid effort across the final 7.0 frames, but defensive miscues plagued UA in the middle innings leading to seven runs, only four of which were earned.

About South Carolina​

• South Carolina finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign at 12-4 overall. SC was riding a five-game winning streak heading to SEC play before the season was officially put on pause.
• Mark Kingston is in his fourth season at South Carolina and owns a 110-78 record in Columbia as part of a 383-257-1 career mark across his 12 seasons as a collegiate head coach. A 1995 graduate of North Carolina, Kingston is joined on staff by assistants Trip Couch, Skylar Meade and Stuart Lake.
• South Carolina was selected to finish fourth in the East and eighth overall in the SEC in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.

Back in Hoover​

• Alabama returns to SEC Tournament for the first time since 2016 when the Crimson Tide takes on South Carolina on Tuesday afternoon.
• The Tide is 49-43 all-time in the Tournament and will be appearing for a 34th time.
• Alabama holds a 2-1 record against the Gamecocks and owns a winning record against eight of the 11 participating teams in this year's installment of the Tournament.

On Deck​

A win for Alabama would advance the Crimson Tide to the double-elimination portion of the 2021 SEC Tournament. The Tide would pair with #2 seed Tennessee in the second game of the morning session on Wednesday, May 26. A loss would end UA's time in Hoover with a chance to still play in an NCAA Regional.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I have taken the same approach with Bama baseball as I do with Basketball.....I don't watch because if I do we lose.

 

[bama alum]

IMO (which means nothing) that win puts Bama into the Regional fields.

I agree with you. Tough draw tomorrow with UF, so I hope we're right.

 

[BAMAneck]

I have taken the same approach with Bama baseball as I do with Basketball.....I don't watch because if I do we lose.

Thank you for your sacrifice...

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I agree with you. Tough draw tomorrow with UF, so I hope we're right.

Kendall Rogers disagrees with us...

 

[UA Press Release]

Diodati’s RBI-Single in Extras Helps Baseball Clinch 3-2 Win over No. 4 Tennessee - University of Alabama Athletics

Alabama took down the higher-seeded team for a second straight day, this time claiming a 3-2 win over the No. 2 seed and fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers ...

rolltide.com

HOOVER, Ala. – Alabama took down the higher-seeded team for a second straight day, this time claiming a 3-2 win over the No. 2 seed and fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers at the Hoover Met. The Crimson Tide came away with a 3-2 win in 11 innings to advance to the winner's bracket on Thursday and improve to 31-22 on the season.

Alabama got out front first once again, scratching across one in the second and another run in the sixth for a 2-0 advantage. Tennessee answered, evening things up in the seventh thanks to a pair of Alabama errors that led to two unearned runs. Both teams would go scoreless in regulation, sending things to extras where the Crimson Tide took the lead for good on an RBI-single from Owen Diodati for the eventual 3-2 win.

The Crimson Tide was able to come away with the win thanks to another impressive effort from the pitching staff. Jacob McNairy got the start for UA, tossing a career-high 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball while allowing just three hits and a walk with two punchouts. William Freeman followed in relief with 1.2 innings, allowing two unearned runs on a hit with one strikeout. Chase Lee (7-0) was last to get the call with the junior closer contributing a season-high 4.2 scoreless frames to earn the eventual win.

Diodati led the offensive effort for UA, finishing 2-for-4 with the go-ahead RBI to pair with a double, and one walk. Matching Diodati was Jackson Tate, with Tate posting a 2-for-4 effort as well that featured a team-high two RBI to go with a walk.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon​

"Tennessee played a great game, and I'm really proud of our kids – we could have easily folded or cracked after those defensive miscues in the sixth, but the kids just kept coming. That's what they do. This group is just resilient and as good at dealing with adversity as any that I've ever had. I'm just really happy for them that they can get some short-term satisfaction today and I'm just real proud of them."

How It Happened​

• T2 | Zane Denton led off the second with a single. He moved to third on a double from Owen Diodati in the next at-bat before coming home on a 6-3 groundout from Jackson Tate. (1-0, Alabama)
• T6 | Tate drew a bases-loaded walk to push across another Tide run. (2-0, Alabama)
• B7 | Tennessee got on the board with a pair of unearned runs in the seventh to even the score up at two apiece. (2-2)
• T11 | Sam Praytor led things off with a ground-rule double to right-center to get the rally started. Diodati followed one-out later with a single back up the chute to bring Praytor home for the game-winning run. (3-2, Alabama)

Postgame Notes​

• Alabama has totaled 18 comeback wins on the season.
• Jacob McNairy worked a career-long 4.2 innings in today's start. His previous high for innings pitched was 4.1 in game one of the doubleheader with Wright State on Feb. 27 of this season. The outing against the Raiders came in relief.
• Chase Lee picked up his team-high tying seventh win. His seven wins matches Tyler Ras with the duo posting the most wins by an Alabama pitcher since Geoffrey Bramblett had eight in 2015.
• The Tide closer tossed a career-high 85 pitches in relief. Lee's previous career-high total for pitches was 76 which came last season against Lipscomb on March 6.
• Lee tossed a season-high 4.2 innings in today's game. Lee's previous season-high total was 4.0 against Stetson on March 13.
• Owen Diodati has helped the Crimson Tide either walk it off or provided UA with the game-winning hit on four occasions this season. Diodati's first walkoff came against South Alabama on March 9 with his game-winning grand slam. He then recorded the game-winning home run on April 11 at Texas A&M and helped UA walk off Auburn on April 15 with the game-winning single at home.

Next up for Alabama is a matchup with Florida on Thursday, May 27. The Crimson Tide and Gators are scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. CT first pitch on SEC Network. A win over UF would give the Tide the day off on Friday while a loss would move UA into the 3 p.m. timeslot on Friday against either Mississippi State or Tennessee.

 

[TerryP]

A day late...been looking for this since the MSU game.

 

[bama alum]

7th inning stretch...Quiet Bama bats today.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Not a fun game.. hate that Dylan Smith battles all season and has little to show for it. Reminds me of the Mets when deGrom pitches. Looks like a rematch with the Vols awaits, this time with a depleted pitching staff...

Also, O'Sullivan (UF coach) looks like an idiot wearing his Bret Hart shades.

 

[UA Press Release]

Late Rally Not Enough in Baseball’s 7-2 Loss to 13th-Ranked Florida on Thursday - University of Alabama Athletics

Alabama mounted a late comeback effort, but it was not enough as the Crimson Tide fell, 7-2, against 13 th -ranked Florida on Thursday afternoon in the 2021...

rolltide.com

HOOVER, Ala. – Alabama mounted a late comeback effort, but it was not enough as the Crimson Tide fell, 7-2, against 13th-ranked Florida on Thursday afternoon in the 2021 SEC Tournament at the Hoover Met. The loss moved UA to 31-23 overall on the season and 2-1 in the Tournament.

The two teams went scoreless until the sixth when the Gators struck for one run. Florida added three runs apiece in the seventh and eighth innings to make it a 7-0 game. Alabama did not go quietly, crossing two runs in the bottom of the ninth before UF was able to get the final out and end things at 7-2.

Dylan Smith (1-8) was solid once again, tossing 5.0 scoreless frames before running into trouble in the sixth. The Gators were able to plate one in the sixth and three in the seventh to end Smith's afternoon with the junior combining for 7.0 innings. Smith allowed four runs on nine hits and no walks with six punchouts across his 105 pitches. Florida starter Franco Aleman (2-4) picked up the win thanks to 7.0 scoreless innings.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon​

"First, congratulations to Florida. That's a heck of a team and we just ran into a buzzsaw today. (Franco) Aleman, that had to be the best game he's pitched this year. He used both sides of the plate with velo and life on his fastball, and he threw his secondary pitches around the zone. He was really good, but I thought Dylan Smith was every bit as good."

How It Happened​

• T6 | Nathan Hickey sent a ball over the wall in center for a solo home run. (1-0, Florida)
• T7 | A leadoff double followed by a bloop double one-out later added a tally for the Gators. After a stolen base, a 6-3 groundout crossed the man from third for a second run to empty the bases before a solo homer from Jacob Young went for a third run in the inning. (4-0, Florida)
• T8 | The Gators added three runs on three hits and a walk in the eighth. (7-0, Florida)
• B9 | Sam Praytor led off the inning with a walk. Zane Denton brought him home in the next at-bat with a single to left that was botched by the Gator fielder to allow Praytor to score and send Denton to second. Then, with two down, Jim Jarvis brought home Denton on another single to center to plate the inning's second run. (7-2, Florida)

Postgame Notes​

• Dylan Smith struck out six batters and has now totaled 106 this season. His 106 strikeouts rank as the fourth-most in a single season in Alabama program history. The Crimson Tide's all-time leader is Wade LeBlanc with 128 in 2006.
• Smith has punched out five or more batters in 14 of his 15 starts this season.

Alabama will now meet with No. 4 Tennessee for a second time in the Tournament when the teams square off on Friday morning at 10 a.m. CT. Both starters are still to be announced for the elimination game. Fans can catch the Friday game live on SEC Network.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Bama/Vols in 45 mins. Landon Green getting the start. Hope the bats at awake and alive for the good guys... not feeling great about this one.

 

[TerryP]

Bama/Vols in 45 mins. Landon Green getting the start. Hope the bats at awake and alive for the good guys... not feeling great about this one.

Baseball America has the Tide as a #3 seed in the Texas regional (one of the last four in this year's tourney.)

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Baseball America has the Tide as a #3 seed in the Texas regional (one of the last four in this year's tourney.)

I'll take that. IMO, they are in... but they had a nice setup with that matchup with UF yesterday. Was really hoping they'd win that one.

 

[TerryP]

I'm still a little surprised to see Drew Williamson in the starting lineup today. I realize he saw a little action against UT after being ruled out Monday. I know he broke his hamate bone but I don't know which hand. Sure seems like it would be painful to bat.

 

[Rolltide24]

I'm still a little surprised to see Drew Williamson in the starting lineup today. I realize he saw a little action against UT after being ruled out Monday. I know he broke his hamate bone but I don't know which hand. Sure seems like it would be painful to bat.

It’s painful to type with that injury too…. I’d be on the disabled list for at least 3-4 weeks with a broken hamate.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

There was no doubt about who was better today for sure.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

There was no doubt about who was better today for sure.

Bama isn't a bad team but is no way near being a really good team. It is always good to keep playing so maybe we get a chance to play in a regional. Coach has his work cutout for him in order for Bama to get into that select group of best teams in the SEC.