⚾ 🥎 ⚾ Home Runs Power Baseball to 5-1 Win at UNLV on Sunday

[UA Press Release]

Las Vegas Trip on Deck for Baseball as the Crimson Tide Travels to UNLV - Alabama Athletics

Alabama baseball will take to the road for the first time this season, traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., to take on UNLV for a three-game series from Friday thro...

rolltide.com

The Crimson Tide and Rebels will square off for the seventh time in series history on Friday night

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball will take to the road for the first time this season, traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., to take on UNLV for a three-game series from Friday through Sunday. The series opener between the Crimson Tide and Rebels is set for an 8:05 p.m. CT start followed by a 4:05 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. The weekend wraps up on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. All three games can be viewed through UNLV's YouTube channel.

Follow the Tide
Fans can follow the weekend series via the below outlets:
Watch: N/A
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: UNLVRebels.com

Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
FRIDAY: UA – Connor Prielipp (Fr., LHP) vs. UNLV – Ryan Hare (R-Sr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Connor Shamblin (So., RHP) vs. UNLV – Chase Maddux (R-Sr., RHP)
SUNDAY: UA – Antoine Jean (Fr., LHP) vs. UNLV – Josh Sharman (Fr., LHP)

Leading Off
• Alabama and UNLV will meet for the seventh time in series history when the two teams square off for their series-opening matchup on Friday night in Las Vegas. UNLV holds the all-time series advantage, 2-4, with the two teams splitting their respective series. The Crimson Tide came away with a 2-1 series win from March 11-13, 1986, before being swept from March 15-17, 1988.
• The Crimson Tide has faced three of the eight member-schools of the Mountain West Conference in program history, going 7-4 in the combined meetings. Alabama has paired with Nevada on three occasions (3-0), New Mexico on two occasions (2-0) and UNLV six times (2-4). UA has never met Air Force, Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State or San José
• Alabama will continue with its starting rotation from last weekend. The series will open on Friday with freshman left-hander Connor Prileipp on the hill. Sophomore Connor Shamblin, a righty, will follow on Saturday before things wrap up for the Tide with southpaw Antoine Jean, a freshman, getting the nod against the Rebels on Sunday.
• UNLV will look to a pair of redshirt senior righties to start the weekend, first with Ryan Hare on Friday followed by Chase Maddux on Saturday. The Rebels will close out the series with a freshman on the hill in Josh Sharman, a left-hander.

About Alabama
• Alabama heads to Las Vegas following a midweek win over Alabama State on Wednesday night. Prior to the in-state pairing, UA finished a perfect 3-0 on Opening Weekend, sweeping the Northeastern Huskies. The Tide outscored NU, 24-3, and totaled 36 hits across the three-game stretch, Alabama's most in a series since Feb. 23-24, 2018.
• A pair of four-run innings helped Alabama secure the 10-3 win over Alabama State on Wednesday.
• The Crimson Tide jumped out to a four-run lead after one inning, added two in the third and then piled on four more in the bottom of the eighth to lock down the midweek victory. The offense combined to score a season-high tying 10 runs on eight hits and six walks, led by the Tide's 5-6-7 hitters in junior Tyler Gentry and freshmen Owen Diodati and Zane Denton. The group combined for five of UA's eight hits in addition to contributing five RBI and three runs scored.
• Reliever Dylan Smith got the win out of the bullpen with 2.0 scoreless frames that included two strikeouts vs. ASU.
• The arms matched the bats for UA, allowing just 13 hits. That total was the fewest in a three-game series since 2015 when Alabama pitchers allowed just 11 hits over the weekend against Maryland Eastern Shore from Feb. 13-15.
• Alabama blanked NU, 10-0, on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium thanks to major contributions from the Crimson Tide's freshmen. UA's offense rallied for 10 runs on 12 hits and nine walks. Diodati shined, as the freshman notched two home runs to go with a team-high three RBI and four runs scored. He also added a pair of walks to his line.
• On the mound, freshman Connor Prielipp, redshirt freshman Landon Green and sophomores Tyler Ras and Dylan Smith combined to blank the Huskies. Prielipp got the win, tossing 4.0 innings of one-hit baseball with seven strikeouts. Ras followed with 3.0 innings while Green and Smith each worked one frame to secure the victory. The group totaled 11 strikeouts while allowing just four hits on the afternoon.
• Another day of impressive pitching, combined with big offensive innings, led UA to an 8-0 shutout of the Huskies on Saturday. Connor Shamblin was solid in his first start of 2020, tossing 5.0 innings and striking out five. The sophomore was followed by Casey Cobb, with the senior contributing 2.0 scoreless frames and three punchouts before turning the ball over to redshirt junior Garret Rukes for one and junior Brock Guffey for a final clean frame.
• The offense struck early for five runs across the first two frames. Alabama added insurance late with two in the seventh and one in the eight to help secure the victory. The Tide bats totaled 12 hits, led by three-hit efforts from Gentry and Sam Praytor. Gentry, a junior, finished 3-for-4 with a team-high tying two RBI and paced UA in runs scored with a pair. Praytor contributed a 3-for-5 effort that included an RBI and one run scored by the redshirt sophomore.
• The Huskies got to Antoine Jean early on Sunday, but the freshman then settled in, retiring nine of the final 11 batters he faced before exiting the game in line for the win in a game that finished in a 6-3 score. Jean recorded 4.0 innings of work, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) with a walk and two strikeouts for the win.
• Sophomores Jacob McNairy and Chase Lee followed to combine for 5.0 shutout frames, allowing one hit between the two with each pitcher striking out four batters apiece. Lee worked the final 2.0 to pick up his first career save.
• Alabama's bats tallied 12 hits for a third straight game. The Crimson Tide offense was led once again by Diodati. He finished a perfect 3-for-3 and a double short of the cycle. Diodati added a team-high three RBI and two runs. Fellow freshman Jim Jarvis, along with senior Brett Auerbach, also contributed multi-hit efforts with two knocks apiece. Auerbach's line included a double and a home run to go with an RBI, two runs scored, a pair of walks and a stolen base.
• Alabama returns 20 letterwinners while losing 13 from the 2019 squad. The 2020 Crimson Tide welcomes back six positional starters and 11 total pitchers while hosting 16 newcomers.

About UNLV
• The Rebels are coming off a 2019 campaign that finished at 29-29 overall and 14-16 in Mountain West play. The Rebels advanced to the Mountain West's postseason tournament, going 2-2 to end the 2019 season.
• Stan Stolte is in his fourth season as head coach for the UNLV Rebels. A 1984 graduate of St. Ambrose University, Stolte is joined by associate head coach Kevin Higgins and assistant coach Cory Vanderhook. He is also assisted by volunteer assistant coach and MLB Hall of Famer Greg Maddux.
• UNLV was selected to finish fourth overall in the Mountain West Conference's preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches.

On Deck
Alabama will return home to start an extended 10-game homestand, first with a pair of midweeks on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Crimson Tide will host UT-Martin on Tuesday, Feb. 25 before Middle Tennessee heads to town the next day on Wednesday. Both contests are slated for a 3 p.m. CT start at Sewell-Thomas Stadium with the games airing live on SEC Network+.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[UA Press Release]

Baseball's Matchup with UNLV Changed to Friday Doubleheader - Alabama Athletics

Alabama baseball will now play a doubleheader with UNLV on Friday afternoon in Las Vegas, Nev. The Saturday matchup between the Crimson Tide and Rebels has b...

rolltide.com

The Crimson Tide and Rebels are scheduled for two games on Friday in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Alabama baseball will now play a doubleheader with UNLV on Friday afternoon in Las Vegas, Nev. The Saturday matchup between the Crimson Tide and Rebels has been moved up due to impending rain.

The Friday schedule will begin at 4:05 p.m. CT with the second game of the day to follow 45 minutes after the final out of game one. Sunday's series finale will remain as scheduled for a 12:05 p.m. CT first pitch. Fans can watch the action live on UNLV's YouTube channel.

 

[UA Press Release]

Baseball Completes the Doubleheader Sweep of UNLV on Friday - Alabama Athletics

Alabama baseball finished Friday's doubleheader with a two-game sweep and clinched the series win over UNLV. The Crimson Tide took game one by a score of 8-0...

rolltide.com

The Crimson Tide shut out the Rebels, 8-0, in game one before completing the comeback in game two for a 5-4 win

LAS VEGAS – Alabama baseball finished Friday's doubleheader with a two-game sweep and clinched the series win over UNLV. The Crimson Tide took game one by a score of 8-0 before a late-game comeback helped UA to a 5-4 victory in the day's second matchup. Following the pair of wins, Alabama is now 6-0 on the season.

Game One
Freshman Connor Prielipp shined once again, posting a dominant performance to help Alabama baseball to an 8-0 win in game one of Friday's doubleheader.

Prielipp (2-0) shined once again on Friday, striking out a season-high eight and walking just one while retiring 14 straight before allowing the free pass. The left-hander worked 5.0 frames and then handed it over to the duo of sophomore Tyler Ras and junior Ryan O'Connell. Ras contributed 3.0 innings with a strikeout while O'Connell finished things off, working the home half of the ninth.

Alabama's bats produced nine hits, including three solo home runs. Two of the solo homers came from redshirt sophomore Sam Praytor. The Tide catcher finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two roundtrippers, two RBI, a pair of runs scored and an intentional walk. The other solo home run came from Brett Auerbach. The senior went 1-for-4 with two RBI, a pair of runs and his team-leading fourth stolen base of the season.

How It Happened

• T2 | Praytor launched his first home run of the season, a solo shot deep to left to give the Tide an early lead. (1-0, Alabama)
• T3 | T.J. Reeves delivered a two-out single to right, scoring Auerbach from second. The ball snuck under the Rebel right fielder's glove, allowing the sophomore Reeves to motor around and cross home. (3-0, Alabama)
• T5 | Kolby Robinson kicked off the inning with a double down the line in left. Following a flyout to move the senior to third, a sac fly from Auerbach brought in another UA tally. (4-0, Alabama)
• T6 | Praytor continued his hot day, sending another solo home run deep to left. (5-0, Alabama)
• T8 | Auerbach put a ball deep over the scoreboard in left for his first homer of the day and the Crimson Tide's third solo shot in game one. Reeves delivered a double in the next at-bat before a fielding error put runners on the corners. An intentional walk of Praytor loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly from freshman Owen Diodati brought in another run. Fellow freshman Zane Denton immediately followed with a sac fly of his own to score one more and cap the scoring. (8-0, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• The Alabama arms pitched their third shutout in five games this season.
• Connor Prielipp struck out eight in his 5.0 innings of work. He has now totaled 15 strikeouts across 9.0 combined innings of work in two starts.
• Prielipp carried a no-hitter during his time on the hill.
• Ryan O'Connell made his first appearance as a member of the Crimson Tide.
• Sam Praytor recorded two home runs on the day. It was his first career two-homer performance and Alabama's second two-home run game this season. Owen Diodati also homered twice on Opening Day.
• Praytor finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two home runs, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk.
• ATTENDANCE: N/A

Game Two
A ninth-inning, game winning home run from junior Jackson Tate completed the comeback as the Tide came away with a 5-4 win in the day's second game.

Alabama took a 1-0 lead after one but was matched in the home half by UNLV. The Tide added single tallies in the second and third but were countered once again by the Rebels, making it a 3-3 contest after three full. In the fourth, UNLV took a one-run lead before both teams went quiet until the eighth. In that eighth inning, Alabama was able to tie things up and then used the Tate homer in the ninth to move ahead for good.

The bullpen kept the Tide in the game. Casey Cobb was first to enter, working 2.0 innings of scoreless baseball with four strikeouts. The senior was followed by junior Brock Guffey (1-0) who picked up his first win of the season with 1.0 scoreless frame, using just 10 pitches to get out of the inning. Chase Lee entered for the save as the sophomore recorded a strikeout and two groundouts to send the Tide home with a Friday sweep.

How It Happened

• T1 | Auerbach led the game off with a double to right-center. One out later, junior Tyler Gentry singled to put runners on the corners. In the next at-bat, Praytor delivered a sacrifice fly to left to give the Crimson Tide the early lead. (1-0, Alabama)
• B1 | A fielding error began the inning for the Rebels. The runner eventually came around to score on a single to even things up after one. (1-1)
• T2 | With Tate on the run from first, Robinson delivered a double to left-center to put UA in front once again. (2-1, Alabama)
• T3 | Auerbach notched a leadoff walk and then put himself in scoring position with a stolen base. A groundout moved the senior to third before an RBI-double by Gentry widened the gap. (3-1, Alabama)
• B3 | Back-to-back one-out singles put two aboard before a groundout moved the runners into scoring position. A Rebel single in the next at-bat crossed two to make it a tie ballgame. (3-3)
• B4 | The UNLV leadoff man walked and came around one out later thanks to an RBI-double, giving the Rebels their first lead of the day. (4-3, UNLV)
• T8 | Reeves drew a one-out walk to give UA a runner. A single moved him to second before a wild pitch put the sophomore at third. An infield groundout cut down Praytor but also allowed Reeves to move home for the tying run. (4-4)
• T9 | Tate led off the inning by sending a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right for the opposite field, go-ahead home run. (5-4, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• Brock Guffey picked up his second career win. His last victory came on Feb. 24, 2018, against Washington State in his second career appearance on the mound.
• Chase Lee recorded his second save of the season in back-to-back games. Lee had previously pitched in 22 games before his last two outings as the closer.
• Kolby Robinson's 2-for-4 day extended his hitting streak to five games, the longest by any member of the Crimson Tide this season. Across those five games, Robinson is batting .389 (7-18) with a team-high tying three doubles to go with three RBI, two runs scored and two hit-by-pitch.
• Jackson Tate has homered in back-to-back games. He is the first member of the Crimson Tide to do so this season.
• ATTENDANCE: 696

The Crimson Tide and Rebels will return to the diamond on Sunday with a 12:05 p.m. CT first pitch. Alabama will look to freshman left-hander Antoine Jean for the start while UNLV counters with fellow freshman Josh Sharman, also a lefty. Fans can watch the series finale live on YouTube.

 

[TerryP]

1st pitch today scheduled for 12:05 CT ... here's your info.

• TuneIn
• WatchBaseball at UNLV on February 23, 2020 at 12:05 P.M.
• Listen

 

[TerryP]

Live feed ...

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[UA Press Release]

Home Runs Power Baseball to 5-1 Win at UNLV on Sunday - Alabama Athletics

A trio of home runs led Alabama baseball to a 5-1 victory over UNLV on Sunday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The three-game sweep of the Rebels moved t...

rolltide.com

The Crimson Tide bats posted three home runs to help UA complete the sweep in Vegas

LAS VEGAS – A trio of home runs led Alabama baseball to a 5-1 victory over UNLV on Sunday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The three-game sweep of the Rebels moved the Crimson Tide to 7-0 on the season.

Junior Tyler Gentry homered twice on Sunday, finishing 2-for-4 with a career-high tying four RBI and two runs scored. Also homering was redshirt sophomore Sam Praytor, who went 1-for-3 with a solo shot. The home run for Praytor was his third of the weekend following a two-homer performance in game one of Friday's doubleheader with the Rebels.

Alabama's arms were good once again. Freshman Antoine Jean (2-0) picked up his second win of the season with 4.0 innings of one-run baseball. He was followed by sophomore Jacob McNairy and redshirt freshman Landon Green. The duo combined for 5.0 scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out three UNLV batters.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"I'm really proud of our kids. To go on the road and sweep anybody is a big accomplishment, especially early in the season in a place with a lot of distractions. I'm really pleased with our guys. There's certainly plenty of things for us to work on, but I'm really excited about the way things are going."

How It Happened

• T1 | Sophomore T.J. Reeves recorded a single to center to give Alabama a baserunner. Reeves would come across in the next at-bat as Gentry went deep for his first home run of the day. (2-0, Alabama)
• B3 | A pair of back-to-back, two-out doubles for the Rebels got UNLV on the board. (2-1, Alabama)
• T5 | With a man on third, Gentry homered for the second time on the day, widening the gap for the Crimson Tide. (4-1, Alabama)
• T8 | Praytor sent a solo shot over the wall in left for his third home run of the weekend and the Tide's third roundtripper of the game. (5-1, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• With today's win, Alabama is 7-2 in its first road series of the season under head coach Brad Bohannon. The Crimson Tide has won seven straight after falling in the first two games at Oklahoma in 2018 but rallying for the Sunday win. Since that victory in Norman, Alabama has swept South Alabama in Mobile and now UNLV in Las Vegas.
• Alabama's bullpen did not allow a run on the weekend. The Tide's relievers combined to throw 13.0 scoreless frames in Las Vegas.
• Jacob McNairy tossed a career-long 4.0 innings. His previous long appearance was 3.0 frames on Feb. 16 of this season against Northeastern.
• The Crimson Tide hitters have now recorded multiple home runs in four games and at least one homer in all but one contest this season.
• Alabama's 1-2-3- hitters in senior Brett Auerbach, T.J. Reeves and Tyler Gentry contributed five of the Tide's seven hits on the day along with four RBI and four runs.
• Gentry recorded a pair of home runs in a game for the second time in his career. He also posted a two-homer performance against Samford last season on April 19.
• Gentry's multi-home run day is the Crimson Tide's third of the season and second of the series in Las Vegas. Sam Praytor homered twice in game one of Friday's doubleheader with the Rebels. The redshirt sophomore joined freshman Owen Diodati, who had two homers against Northeastern on Opening Day.
• The four-RBI outing for Gentry matched his career-high total. He produced four-RBI games on two other occasions heading into today, most recently at Troy on May 8, 2019.
• Praytor recorded his third home run of the weekend and his third of the season. Praytor's three home runs matches his season-high total from his freshman campaign in 2018. His three homers as a freshman came across 46 games (43 starts).
• Kolby Robinson's 1-for-4 day extended his hitting streak to six games, the longest by any member of the Crimson Tide this season. Across those six games, Robinson is batting .364 (8-22) with three doubles, three RBI, two runs scored, two hit-by-pitch and a stolen base.
• ATTENDANCE: 676

Alabama will now return home to begin a 10-game homestand at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. First up is a pair of midweeks as the Crimson Tide hosts UT-Martin on Tuesday, Feb. 25 followed by Middle Tennessee on Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch on SEC Network+.

Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabmaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.