Tide Softball Drops Series Opener 3-2 To Kentucky
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide softball team dropped its series opener with 11th-ranked Kentucky 3-2 last night at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The Tide had loaded the bases but the Wildcats slammed the door to end the game.
Softball head coach Patrick Murphy said, "I think just another hit or two at any point in the game could have made the difference. We hit the ball hard, they just made every play on defense. We
did a lot of things right but we just didn't win the game. It was a
well-played game. Kentucky is a great team."
It was Reagan Dykes driving the scoring for the Crimson Tide (39-9, 10-6 SEC), blasting a two-run homer in the fourth inning. It was her team-leading 10th home run of the season. Haylie McCleney was 1-3 with a walk on the night, tying Cassie Reilly-Boccia's career record with the Tide at 180 walks.
Sydney Littlejohn (18-4) took the loss for the Tide pitching 5.0 innings of ball, followed by Alexis Osorio with 2.0 perfect innings.
The second game of the series is this afternoon at 5 p.m. CT and airs live on the SEC Network.
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Bama Baseball Falls 4-3 To 3rd-Ranked Texas A&M
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
The Alabama baseball team fell to the Texas A&M Aggies 4-3 in 10 innings last night at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas. Bama falls to 23-16 overall and 8-8 in the SEC.
Alabama head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard said, "Our guys absolutely played their butts off all night long and put us in position to win the game. I thought (Matt) Foster did a great job, and so did Geoffrey
(Bramblett). After his three-spot in the first, he really came through
by posting zeros. Matt did a great job, and Dylan (Duarte) too; he made
them earn it by sticking the ball in the strike zone."
Though he allowed three runs in the first inning, Bramblett managed to settle down for the next five innings. He stranded six runners overall after allowing one runner to reach base every inning. Bramblett tossed 106 pitches on the night with two strikeouts, four walks and a total of six hits.
Concerning Bramblett's play, Gaspard said, "We tell our guys to prepare for everything; you've got to prepare for a
good start, got to prepare for a bad start. That's one of those where you blink and it's 3-0,
but Geoffrey really showed a veteran presence there to settle down, keep
us in the game by posting zeroes for us. He was outstanding, and I've
said this many Fridays - that's what a Friday night guy has to do, he
has to keep you in the game, and that's exactly what he did there."
Foster came in as relief for Bramblett. He pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless ball while allowing three hits, one walk and struck out five batters. Duarte came in from the bullpen to help in saving the game forcing the extra inning.
Game two of the Alabama-Texas A&M series is today at 2 p.m. CT. The Tide will start sophomore right-hander Jake Walters while the Aggies will counter with righty Jace Vines.
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59 Alabama Student-Athletes Honored
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Southeastern Conference Winter Academic Honor Roll
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
A total of 59 student-athletes representing the Athletics Department of the University of Alabama have been named to the Southeastern Conference Winter Academic Honor Roll. The announcement came from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey yesterday. UA was fifth overall on the total number of student-athletes making the list, and first among those schools that do not sponsor equestrian.
Leading the Southeastern Conference in men's swimming and diving was the Crimson Tide with 22 making the Honor Roll. Bama's gymnastics team also led the league with a total of 12 earning the honor.
The Alabama women's swimming and diving team had 18 make the list, women's basketball with four, and men's basketball had three on the list.
A student-athlete must earn a 3.0 or better GPA for either the preceding academic year or their career and be a sophomore or better in academic standing in order to make the honor roll. The winter list honors those student-athletes that participate in men's and women's basketball, gymnastics and men's and women's swimming and diving as well as equestrian and rifle.
To see the complete list go to www.RollTide.com.
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Crimson Tide Looking Strong In War Eagle Invitational
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
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Crimson Tide Looking Strong In War Eagle Invitational
The Alabama men's and women's track and field teams are making a strong showing at this weekend's War Eagle Invitational hosted by Auburn University at the Hutsell-Rosen Track in Auburn, Alabama. Bama captured two events and had the top collegiate finisher in two others in the opening day of competition yesterday.
Alabama track and field head coach Dan Waters said, "I think it was a good start to the meet Any time you have event winners and personal bests on
both sides, you’ve got to be happy with it. Hopefully we’ll carry some
momentum into tomorrow’s events."
It was junior junior Elias Hakansson opening the contest with a win in the men's hammer with a throw of 221' 1" (67.39 m). Second was freshman Daniel Haugh with a person-best throw of 219' 3" (66.84m). Ending the night with a win was Antibahs Kosgei in the men's invitational 5,000 meters with a time of 14:38:68. The top collegiate finisher in the men's triple jump was junior Jeremiah Green with a season-best 53' 3/4" (16.17m). Sophomore Danielle McConnelle was first in the women's hammer with her season-best throw of 197' 5" (60.17).
Today is the final day of competition in the War Eagle Invitational. A 10:30 a.m. CT start is scheduled beginning with the women's pole vault. The running events will begin at noon with the women's 4x100-meter relay.
A complete look at finish times and distances can be seen at RollTide.com
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Corban Collins Puts Bama In His Top 3
Morehead State Grad Transfer Corban Collins
Photo Credit: 247Sports
ESPN's Jeff Borzello is reporting that Morehead State grad transfer Corban Collins has made Alabama, Mississippi State and UCF as his top-three schools to which to transfer and continue his college basketball career. The 6' 3", 190-pound guard is supposed to visit all three campuses very soon.
Collins originally attended LSU where he averaged 2.6 points per game and was 46 percent from three-point range.
He stepped it up a bit at Morehead State this past season. Collins averaged 11 points, 2.5 rebounds and three assists per game and was then named Second Team All-OVC.
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3-Star Tight End Lists Alabama In His Top 5
Tight End Prospect Alexander Marshall
Photo Credit: 247Sports
Three-star tight end Alexander Marshall tweeted out that Alabama is in his top five choices to continue his football career after a visit from Crimson Tide tight ends and tackles coach Mario Cristobal.
The 6' 7", 240-pounder out of Andover, Massachusetts lists, in no particular order, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, USC and UCLA as his top five after completing high school. Marhall currently boasts 28 college offers.
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5-Star Ohio St Commit Again Looking At Bama
5-Star Cornerback Prospect Shaun Wade
Photo Credit: 247Sports
Montgomery, Alabama native Shaun Wade seems to be taking another look at the Crimson Tide. The five-star cornerback and Ohio State commit is currently playing for Jacksonville (Florida) Trinity Christian Academy. The 6' 1", 177-pounder has been committed to the Buckeyes for over a year now, but is taking a second look at the Tide according to BamaOnLine publisher Tim Watts.
Wade is rated as the No. 3 cornerback in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports composite. They also have him listed as the No. 11 overall player in the 2017 class.
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Pelphrey Took Bama Basketball Job Because Of Johnson
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Says Johnson Connects With People
John Pelphrey
New Crimson Tide basketball assistant John Pelphrey spoke briefly following the Crimson Tide Men's Basketball banquet on Thursday night. He spoke of head coach Avery Johnson and what convinced him to come to the University of Alabama.
Pelphrey said he took the Bama job "first and foremost" because of Avery Johnson. He liked what he saw, and what he knew both personally and the scuttlebut from others. He said, "I (had) a lot of respect for the way he approached us, me and my family. I didn’t know him, and the SEC Network gave me an opportunity to do that. I was at Alabama, I think, five times this year, a great year here in Tuscaloosa. … I had a chance to talk with him about different things.
"I never got one of those phone calls from one of the people in my circle saying that ‘Hey, I got a phone call the other day. Somebody was asking about you.’ I really appreciate the fact that he took the time to get to know me."
Pelphrey spent the 2015-16 season as a color analyst for the SEC Network, giving him the opportunity to both watch and, at times, talk with Johnson. Eventually, after a "feeling out" period, it was revealed that he (Pelphrey) was interested in heading to Tuscaloosa.
Pelphrey added, "Certainly from having a chance to do five of their games, from a coaching perspective, it was very clear this guy has this basketball team organized. (He was) putting the ball in the right guys’ hands, being disruptive with the defense. After a couple of nights on the road with this guy in recruiting, the way people gravitate to him in the home, it’s very exciting."
