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Bama Baseball Wins Pair Of Games Over LSU
Alabama Crimson Tide Celebrates
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team was in fine form yesterday, and the weather cooperated after a Friday rainout, as Bama earned a pair of victories over the seventh-ranked LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. Saturday afternoon the Tide shut out the Tigers 6-0, then went on to win the nightcap in a close one, 4-3. The two wins earns Bama the series victory, the first such in Baton Rouge since 1996.
Alabama baseball head coach MITCH GASPARD was elated with the team's victories out of state, saying, "Offensively, we're showing a little spark right now and starting to
look like the offense we thought we'd be. With that, we're getting some big two-out hits and critical hits at
the right moment; that's what you have to do to LSU. This is a tough
place to win, so obviously when you can win two in one day here it's
awfully special. The series win means a lot and gets us off to a good
start in SEC play."
WILL HAYNIE stepped up big for the Tide yesterday. The junior was 4-for-8 on the day with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Another key cog in the Bama wheel was CHANDLER, going 3-for-9 with a double, home run, two RBIs and one run scored.
The winning pitcher's for the Crimson Tide yesterday were GEOFFREY BRAMBLETT and JAKE WALTERS. They combined for 11.2 innings of pitching, allowing only one earned run and two total walks in the two contests.
Concerning his pitching staff, Gaspard commented, "The pitching staff as a whole did a good job today, and they made some
key pitches at the right moment," said Gaspard of his pitching staff.
"LSU got their hits, but they didn't have much to show for it. Our
freshmen came in, their nerves were really good and they threw strikes.
That was the key today: We pounded the zone and made key pitches in key
moments to help us get these two wins."
Alabama looks to sweep the series with LSU with a 1 p.m. CT contest today. The Tide will start junior right-hander NICK EICHOLTZ while the Tigers pitch senior left-hander John Valek III.
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Gymnastics Takes Second At SEC Championships
Alabama Gymnast Kelly McNeer
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
The three-peat just wasn't in the cards for the two-time defending SEC champion Alabama gymnastics team. The Crimson Tide posted a season-best 197.750 to claim second place yesterday at the 2016 Southeastern Conference Championships in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Bama's mark was only .025 behind the winner, the Florida Gators. This is the ninth consecutive year that Alabama has finished either first or second in the conference championships.
Alabama gymnastics head coach DANA DUCKWORTH said, "This team made a commitment to be all in. They found their own fire within each one of them and used that to build a team flame that was so hot. We are so proud of this performance tonight. The way we started and then kept building momentum throughout the night was tremendous. And then to finish the way we did on the uneven bars was amazing."
Duckworth continued, "This should give us a lot of confidence going into regionals. We know exactly where we can improve."
Alabama was the number three seed entering the championships, behind No. 1 seed Florida and No. 2 seed LSU. Nationally, the Gators are ranked second, LSU third, Alabama fourth and Auburn sixth.
The Tide will host one of the six 2016 NCAA Regionals this year. The NCAA brackets will be set and announced tomorrow.
Alabama gymnast Mary Lillian Sanders
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
Tide Head Coach Dana Duckworth
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
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Track & Field Claims Five Event Titles Saturday
It was a good day for the Alabama men's and women's track & field teams on Saturday, as the Crimson Tide won five event titles in the 2016 John Mitchell Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa. The men took titles in the high jump and shot put as the women claimed three in the invitational race of the 100 meters, 100-meter hurdles and 800 meters.
Track & Field head coach DAN WATERS commented, "First, I’m just glad we were able to see this meet be completed after the
weather made that a challenge this weekend. We had to cancel some events altogether, which you never want to do,
but overall I think it was another successful John Mitchell Alabama
Relays. Our throwers continue to perform consistently at a high level,
really displaying the depth we have in those events. We had solid
efforts across the board today, which in the opening week of the outdoor
season is very encouraging and promising moving forward."
Tide winners yesterday were senior JUSTIN FONDREN taking the victory in the high jump, junior KYLE FELPEL won the shot put, junior DIAMOND GAUSE won the 100-meters for the women, junior VANESSA CLERVEAUX won the 100-meter hurdles and senior KIMBERLEY FICENEC was victorious in the 800 meters.
Both teams will travel to Tallahassee, Florida next for the FSU Relays, hosted by Florida State University. The two-day event is scheduled for March25-26.
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Swimming And Diving Finishes 28th In NCAAs
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama swimming & diving team finished 28th yesterday at the 2016 Women's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships which were held at the McCauley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech this week. Bama had a record-setting day and two individual scorers to drive them.
Seven swimmers made the trip from Tuscaloosa for the Tide to participate in the year's national championships. These seven combined for a total of 20 team points in the title chase.
This was the Crimson Tide's best finish in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships since 2005.
Junior BRIDGET BLOOD just miss the finals of the 200 breaststroke on the final day of competition, taking 19th place with a time of 2:09.90. Freshman MARIAN YURCHISHIN finished yesterday in 52nd with a time of 2:14.01 in the same event.
In the 200 backstroke senior EMMA SAUNDERS finished with a time of 1:55.88, good enough for 39th in the event. Sophomore MIA NONNENBERG finished 40th in the 200 butterfly, turning in a time of 1:59.06.
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