| BSB/SB ⚾ Impressive Pitching, Big Innings Lead Baseball to 8-0 Shutout of Northeastern on Saturday

[UA Press Release]

2020 Baseball Season Set to Begin as Alabama Hosts Northeastern at The Joe - Alabama Athletics

The 2020 campaign will officially get underway for Alabama baseball when the Crimson Tide hosts the Northeastern Huskies at Sewell-Thomas Stadium this Friday...

rolltide.com

The Crimson Tide and Huskies will meet for the first time in series history on Friday night

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 2020 campaign will officially get underway for Alabama baseball when the Crimson Tide hosts the Northeastern Huskies at Sewell-Thomas Stadium this Friday through Sunday. The season opener is set for a 3 p.m. CT start with game two slated for 12 p.m. Things will wrap up on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will air live on SEC Network+ with the duo of Eli Gold and Lance Cormier on the call.


Opening Weekend at The Joe will have numerous promotions for fans of all ages as the Crimson Tide opens the 2020 campaign with a three-game set against Northeastern. Friday's season opener will feature free T-shirts for the first 500 students in addition to free food to the first 300 students through the gates. The opener will also include other giveaways for students throughout the night as part of an in-stadium raffle.


Sunday's giveaway will be a set of Alabama baseball trading cards for all fans. The promotion will be a reoccurring giveaway each weekend at Sewell-Thomas, giving fans an opportunity to collect the full team set by year's end. The series finale will also begin the Tide's "Kids' Day at The Joe" promotion. All kids 12-and-under can purchase a $5 general admission ticket. Children will also have the chance to run the bases and get autographs postgame.


Follow the Tide
Fans can follow the series via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com


Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
FRIDAY: UA – Connor Prielipp (Fr., LHP) vs. NU – Kyle Murphy (Sr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Connor Shamblin (So., RHP) vs. NU – Sam Jacobsak (Jr., RHP)
SUNDAY: UA – Antoine Jean (Fr., LHP) vs. NU – Sebastian Keane (Fr., RHP)


Leading Off
• Alabama and Northeastern will meet for the first time in series history when the two teams square off for the season-opening series on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
• The Crimson Tide has faced three of the 10 member-schools of the Colonial Athletic Association in program history, going 4-1 in the combined meetings. Alabama has paired with College of Charleston on three occasions (2-1) in addition to Elon (1-0) and Towson (1-0) one time apiece. UA has never met with Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, James Madison UNC-Wilmington and College of William & Mary, in addition to the Huskies.
• Alabama will send a trio of underclassmen to the mound this weekend to start the 20202 season off. Friday's series opener will feature Connor Prielipp, a left-handed freshman. Sophomore righty Connor Shamblin will follow in the game two start with southpaw Antoine Jean getting the call on Sunday in the first start of his collegiate career.
• Northeastern will call on three righties this weekend against the Tide. The Huskies open with senior Kyle Murphy on Friday followed by junior Sam Jacobsak on Saturday. Northeastern closes out the series with a freshman in Sebastian Keane on getaway day.


About Alabama
• Alabama begins the 2020 season after finishing at 30-26 a season ago, including a 7-23 mark in Southeastern Conference play to finish 14th overall in the league's regular-season standings. The Crimson Tide went 9-8-2 in its series in 2019, bettering the 2018 mark of 6-9-3 and improving significantly from 2017 record of 5-11-0.
• The Crimson Tide's overall record was highlighted by a 23-3 mark in non-conference action that included a 13-1 tally in midweek matchups.
• Alabama also dominated its in-state opponents, going 14-3 against schools that call Alabama home.
• UA hung around in nearly every loss, suffering 12 losses by three runs or less, including five one-run losses which all came against SEC opposition.
• Sewell-Thomas Stadium continued to be a favorable spot for Alabama. The 2019 team went 20-13 (.601) at The Joe to combine with a 22-13 (.629) stretch in 2018 to move the Tide's record to 42-26 (.618) under head coach Brad Bohannon.
• Alabama's 2019 defense set a new program record for fielding percentage at .978, besting the previous mark of .976 by the 2015 team. The Crimson Tide made just 44 errors all season, the fewest in the last 25-plus years of UA baseball.
• The Crimson Tide pitching staff sported a 4.27 ERA (237 ER/499.0 IP) in 2019, good for eighth in the SEC during the regular season. Alabama arms struck out 469 compared to 183 walks and limited opposing hitters to a .255 average.
• Alabama's strikeout number rose by 99 (370 in 2018) while the walk total dropped by 12 (195 in 2018), and the opposing batting average also took a .12 dive (.267 in 2018).
• On offense, Alabama accumulated a .263 (496-1,888) average to rank 11th in the conference and totaled 143 extra-base hits (87 doubles, nine triples, 47 home runs). The Tide hitters also contributed 300 runs and walked 285 times.
• Perhaps the biggest improvement came on the basepaths, with UA finishing 60-for-81 (74.1 percent success) on stolen bases. That total nearly doubled from 2018's 34-for-51 (66.7 percent) showing. The 60 stolen bases was also the most since 2015 when UA went 61-for-81.
• 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 Northeastern
• Northeastern comes to Tuscaloosa following a 28-29 campaign a season ago. That record included a 12-12 mark in CAA play, advancing to the league's postseason tournament where NU went 2-2 to end the 2019 campaign.

• The Huskies are led by Mike Glavine who is in his sixth year as a collegiate head coach, spending all six seasons at Northeastern. A 1995 graduate of Northeastern University, Glavine is assisted by Kevin Cobb and Nick Puccio along with volunteer assistant coach Chris Bosco.

• Northeastern was selected to finish second overall in the Colonial Athletic Association in the league's preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches.

On Deck
Alabama remains at home for a pair of midweek games at The Joe. The Crimson Tide will first host Troy on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m. followed by a matchup with Alabama State on Wednesday, set for a 2 p.m. start. Both in-state contests can be seen on SEC Network+.

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[TerryP]

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[UA Press Release]

Freshmen Shine in Baseball's 10-0 Shutout of Northeastern on Opening Day - University of Alabama Athletics

Alabama baseball blanked Northeastern, 10-0, on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium thanks to major contributions from the Crimson Tide's freshmen. The win improves

rolltide.com

Owen Diodati led the offense while Connor Prielipp got the win on Friday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball blanked Northeastern, 10-0, on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium thanks to major contributions from the Crimson Tide's freshmen. The win improves UA to 3-0 on Opening Day under head coach Brad Bohannon.

Alabama's offense rallied for 10 runs on 12 hits and nine walks. Owen 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 (1-0) got the win, as the freshman tossed 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.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"The first thing that I would like to say is what an awesome crowd, especially out in right field. I thought the student turnout was outstanding. It was awesome for (Owen) Diodati hitting a couple of souvenirs out there. This was a really good first day for us. We certainly weren't perfect, but a lot of guys contributed. Connor (Prielipp) did a great job with getting us a start on the mound, and we had a lot of hard contact throughout the lineup. I'm just really pleased to get off to the good start."

How It Happened

• B1 | Sophomore T.J. Reeves was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With the runner in scoring position, junior Tyler Gentry doubled down the third base line to bring in Reeves for the Crimson Tide's first run of the year. (1-0, Alabama)
• B2 | Diodati led off the frame with a walk and moved into scoring position one out later on a wild pitch. A pair of walks pushed the freshman to third before a passed ball on strike three allowed Diodati to cross the plate, doubling UA's lead. (2-0, Alabama)
• B3 | Drew Williamson led things off with a triple off the wall in center. The sophomore crossed one batter later when freshman Zane Denton sent a liner through the right side. Following a Northeastern pitching change, Diodati sent a shot deep to right for a two-run home run. (5-0, Alabama)
• B7 | The Crimson Tide added four more. A bases-loaded walk by freshman Jim Jarvis brought in the first run before a NU pitching change. Senior Brett Auerbach followed with a single up the middle cross another tally. One out later, pinch-hitter Jackson Tate singled through the left side to give the junior an RBI and add to the Tide lead. A sacrifice fly from freshman Peyton Wilson in the next at-bat brought in Alabama's final run of the frame to push the lead to nine. (9-0, Alabama)
• B8 | Diodati recorded his second home run of the night, a solo shot to right. (10-0, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• The Crimson Tide shut out Northeastern in today's game. It was the Crimson Tide's first shutout in a season-opener since 2015 when UA blanked Maryland Eastern Shore, 6-0, in Hoover.
• Connor Prielipp made his collegiate debut on Friday. He became the first freshman to start a season opener since Taylor Guilbeau in 2012. Prielipp and Guilbeau are the only two freshmen to start a season-opening game for Alabama since freshmen were allowed to play Division I baseball (1968).
• Prielipp is also the first freshman to win a season-opener in Crimson Tide history.
• Landon Green made his Crimson Tide debut. The redshirt freshman missed all of last season after undergoing season-ending surgery prior to the start of the 2019 campaign.
• All nine Alabama starters recorded at least one hit on the night.
• The Tide drew nine walks, the most since UA recorded 11 against Maine on March 19, 2019.
• Owen Diodati recorded Alabama's first home run of the season. The freshman sent a two-run shot to right in the bottom of the third.
• Diodati homered twice in today's game. The two-homer performance was the first by a Tide hitter since Gentry and Reeves each homered twice at Samford last season on April 9.
• The freshman designated hitter also recorded four runs. Diodati's four runs scored are the most by a single player since Keith Holcombe had four against Valparaiso on Feb. 18, 2018.
• Brett Auerbach recorded a career-high three walks in today's contest. His previous high was two which he accomplished on seven occasions, most recently against Georgia on May 17, 2019.
• ATTENDANCE: 3,409

Alabama and Northeastern return to the field on Saturday for game two of the series. The Crimson Tide will look to sophomore right-hander Connor Shamblin for the series win while the Huskies call on junior righty Sam Jacobsak to even things up. Fans can catch all the action live on SEC Network+.

 

[UA Press Release]

Impressive Pitching, Big Innings Lead Baseball to 8-0 Shutout of Northeastern on Saturday - Alabama Athletics

Another day of impressive pitching, combined with big offensive innings, led Alabama baseball to an 8-0 shutout of Northeastern on Saturday at Sewell-Thomas ...

rolltide.com

The Tide arms allowed four hits while the offense tallied double-digit hits for a second straight day

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Another day of impressive pitching, combined with big offensive innings, led Alabama baseball to an 8-0 shutout of Northeastern on Saturday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the win, the Crimson Tide secured the series victory and improved to 2-0 on the young season.

Connor Shamblin (1-0) was impressive in his first start of 2020, tossing 5.0 innings of three-hit baseball while striking out five and walking just one. 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 Tyler 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.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"There was really good effort today. Connor (Shamblin) had a great outing, got us off to a great start. I'm really proud of the way he managed the first inning and settled in. He did a great job of throwing all of his pitches for a strike. Then, Casey Cobb, Garret Rukes and Brock Guffey all came in after him and were just outstanding. It was also another day where we had some production through the lineup. We were a little inefficient offensively, made a couple of mistakes on the bases, but overall, for game two, I'm really pleased."

How It Happened

• B1 | Senior Brett Auerbach led the game off with a double to right and advanced himself to third on a wild pitch. With one down, Gentry singled up the middle to bring in the Tide catcher. After a single and a lineout, freshman Zane Denton sent a liner to left for a two-RBI double. (3-0, Alabama)
• B2 | With two on, Gentry delivered again, this time with a two-out single to left to bring in two runs for UA. In the next at-bat, Praytor singled to third base but an errant throw went past the first baseman and allowed one more to cross, adding to the Tide lead. (5-0, Alabama).
• B7 | Freshman Owen Diodati doubled into the right field corner with two on and two down to score a pair. (7-0, Alabama)
• B8 | The Crimson Tide had two on and two down for Praytor who delivered an RBI-single to left to give Alabama a final tally on the day. (8-0, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

• The Crimson Tide has shut out Northeastern in consecutive games to the start the 2020 season. It marked the first time Alabama has recorded back-to-back shutouts to start a new campaign since 2015 when UA blanked Maryland Eastern Shore across the entire three-game series.
• Shamblin matched his career-high mark total for innings pitched with 5.0. The sophomore also pitched 5.0 frames against Ball State on Feb. 24 last season.
• The Tennessee native also tied his career-high total for strikeouts with five. Shamblin previously punched out five on two occasions last year, first in game two of the doubleheader against Presbyterian on Feb. 16 and then again the next weekend in that contest against Ball State.
• Eight of the nine Alabama starters reached base safely on the day with seven of the nine collecting at least one hit.
• With his four-pitch walk in the third inning, sophomore T.J. Reeves has now reached base safely in his last 12 straight games dating back to May 4 of last season.
• ATTENDANCE: 2,828

Alabama will go for the sweep of Northeastern on Sunday at The Joe with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. The weekend finale will feature a pair of freshmen with the Crimson Tide calling on left-hander Antoine Jean while the Huskies counter with Sebastian Keane, a righty. Fans can catch all the action live on SEC Network+.

 

[Destiny's Child]

Bama swept northeastern. We have a bunch of young arms and who knows if we have enough good ones but offensively we look good. Several guys that can really swing the bat.

 

[TerryP]

Bama swept northeastern. We have a bunch of young arms and who knows if we have enough good ones but offensively we look good. Several guys that can really swing the bat.

Back in the fall @UAgrad93 and I were talking about the season and the team in terms of roster, new-comers, et. al. One of the things I noticed was Baseball America had the Tide's class ranked #7 but they weren't considering two guys on the roster. It was my opinion that they were missed due to location: smaller schools, one in Wisconsin and the other from Canada.

You're mentioning young arms (damn, "The Viper!") and swinging the bats. Diodati is one of those bats and he had a heck of a weekend.

Like smaller schools in football and the lack of exposure their players/recruits have baseball falls the same way the further north we get. Connor Prielipp out of WI doesn't get a lot of love but scouts have noticed him, especially his curve ball. One guy in particular that's caught my eye that was overlooked by the recruiting gurus. He's out of Canada. Keep your eye out on Owen Diodati ...got a gut feeling he's going to be a guy we're watching.

 

[TerryP]

You're mentioning young arms (damn, "The Viper!")

I saw a few clips on the action he was getting with his pitches yesterday ... I'll have to see if I can find them again. Some really impressive movement.