Bama Baseball Falls To 10th-Ranked South Carolina
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Falling behind early and running out of gas before able to make a comeback, the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team dropped the first game of a three-game series 6-4 to the 10th ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. The game was played last night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa and is the first of three of the final series of the regular season for the Tide. Alabama is now 31-22 overall and 15-13 in Southeastern Conference competition.
Alabama head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard said, "(Last night), just overall, I thought we played too poorly in the front part of the game. Geoff (Bramblett) wasn't as sharp as he's been, and then we certainly didn't help him much on the defensive end. We basically kind of gave them three runs there where they didn't have to do a whole lot to get them. The guys responded well on the offensive end, as they came back and scored four. We had an opportunity a couple more times to add to that."
Bama's four-run fifth inning allowed the Crimson Tide to knot the game at 4-4 after having fallen behind 4-0 early. However, a two-run sixth inning gave the Gamecocks the 6-4 lead and eventual win.
The series continues this evening at 7 p.m. CT at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Alabama will start sophomore right-hander Jake Walters while the Gamecocks counter with freshman right-hander Braden Webb. The game will air live on SECN+.
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Alabama Softball Begins Regional This Afternoon
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide softball team begins the 2016 NCAA Regional Tournament this afternoon with a contest with the Samford Bulldogs at 4 p.m. CT. Alabama will host the 'Dogs in a contest to be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
The Crimson Tide is making its 18th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, having qualified every year since 1999. This is the 12th consecutive year that the Crimson Tide has been a top-16 national seed, and has hosted a regional every year since 2005 with this season being no exception. Alabama has the longest active streak in Division I softball, 11 years, having won every regional over that span. Since the introduction of the Super Regional round in 2005, the Tide has earned a top-eight national seed nine of those 12 years.
The Crimson Tide is 23-12 against teams that made the 2016 NCAA Tournament, having played 35 games against 19 opponents. Nine of those 19 are from the Southeastern Conference, with the Tide holding a 14-9 record in competition with them. Alabama played nine of the 16 national seeds this season, posting an 11-8 record against them. National seeds faced by the Crimson Tide this season include #1 Florida
(2-1), #3 Oklahoma (0-1), #4 Auburn (0-1), #7 James Madison (1-0), #9
Kentucky (2-1), #10 LSU (1-2), #13 Tennessee (1-0), #15 Missouri (2-1)
and #16 Georgia (2-1).
During yesterday's press conference, Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy said, "Well, I just want to say welcome to you guys. We appreciate you being
here. Welcome to Cal, Texas State and Samford. You guys know Samford's
been here for the regular season before. Cal was here I think maybe 2006
or 2007. This is the first time for Texas State. It's really exciting
for us to host another regional. Believe me when I say this, it never
gets old."
Tide junior pitcher Sydney Littlejohn commented, "I just want to say welcome to everyone. I'm excited all of these teams
are here. Texas State is a new one coming into Tuscaloosa. It'll be a
fun regional, especially for me. I have some friends coming here, so I'm
excited for that. Welcome and Roll Tide!"
Bama senior infielder Leona Lafaele had this to say, "Same thing, just welcome to all of the teams. It's going to be a really
exciting regional, especially because we have some new faces coming
into Tuscaloosa. It's exciting for me, because it's going to be a PAC-12
team coming in. It's really nice to have those California girls and the
West Coast come and experience Tuscaloosa."
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE
- Friday, May 20
- 1:30 p.m. - Cal vs. Texas State
- 4 p.m. - Alabama vs. Samford
- Saturday, May 21
- 1:30 p.m. - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
- 4 p.m. - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
- 6:30 p.m. - Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
- Sunday, May 22
- 1:30 p.m. - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
- 4 p.m. - Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
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Tide Softball Places 5 On NFCA All-South Region Team
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
For three consecutive seasons five Alabama Crimson Tide softball players have been voted to the
National Fastpitch
Coaches Association (NFCA) All-South Region team. Representing the Tide are Haylie McCleney, Sydney Littlejohn, Leona Lafaele and Chandler Dare on the first team. Tider Andrea Hawkins earned third-team honors.
Five from Bama were a part of the All-Region team in 2014 and again in 2015. The Crimson Tide has been represented by five players on the list in nine of the last 11 season. Alabama has the most first-team honorees of any South Region team and the second-most overall South Region representatives.
2016 marks McCleney's fourth All-Region award, earning first-team distinction all four seasons at Alabama. This year's award is the first for Littlejohn, Lafaele, Dare and Hawkins.
McCleney leads the Tide in batting average (.443), stolen bases (20) and walks (51) while Dare leads the team in hits (61) and Lafaele leads the team in home runs (14) and RBIs (57). Hawkins holds a .382 batting average with 50 hits and 33 runs scored. Littlejohn leads the Alabama pitching staff with 22 wins and has a 2.28 ERA over 156.1 innings pitched.
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Arraignment Set For Cam Robinson, Hootie Jones
Robinson & Jones
Photo via Sporting News
The arraignment hearing for two Alabama football players has been set, according to the Ouachita Parish (Louisiana) District Attorney's office. Crimson Tide left tackle Cam Robinson and safety Hootie Jones were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. However, Robinson was also charged with felony possession of a stolen firearm. The arraignment has been set for June 16th at 1:30 p.m. in Monroe, Louisiana.
It is then that the pair will be informed of the charges against them. They will also inform the court as to whether or not they have hired attorneys or whether one should be appointed, as well as giving them the opportunity to enter an initial pleas of either guilty or not guilty.
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Bama Birthday Calendar
Birthdays for May 20, 2016
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