Bama Softball Falls To Auburn On Saturday
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
The Crimson Tide (39-15, 11-11 SEC) and the Tigers (45-8, 17-6 SEC) combined for eight hits in the contest, but Auburn eventually picked up the victory on a three-run double by Alyssa Rivera, capping a four-run fifth inning.
Sydney Booker picked up the only run of the day for UA, scoring after a sixth-inning triple. Gabby Callaway went two-for-three with one RBI in her sixth Southeastern Conference start of the season. Both Elissa Brown and Peyton Grantham went one-for-three in the contest, while Reagan Dykes was one-for-four in the game. Sydney Littlejohn (14-7) was credited with the loss for the Tide, tossing 6.2 innings, while Makayla Martin (18-5) picked up the win for the Tigers pitching 6.0 innings. Game-one winner Kaylee Carlson entered the contest in the seventh inning to pick up her fourth save of the season.
The final game of the series is scheduled for today at noon CT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
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Alabama Snaps 13-Game SEC Losing Streak
In Game 1 Of Doubleheader On Saturday
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
AUBURN, Alabama – The University of Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team finally did it. With a victory in game one of the Saturday doubleheader with the Auburn Tigers, UA snapped a 13-game Southeastern Conference losing streak. The Tide secured the series
win and the Saturday sweep over fourth-ranked Aubie with a couple of
one-run wins at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Alabama. Bama picked up a 4-3 SEC victory. then followed it up with a 7-6 win in the second contest of the day by holding off a late Tiger rally. The Tide is now
17-29 on the season and 4-19 in SEC play.
Alabama head baseball coach Greg Goff said, "Our guys were really ready to play in a very important series, a big rivalry weekend. Our team woke up this morning and I could tell from the moment I saw
them that they were ready to compete. When they got off the bus today, I
knew they were going to be ready for this challenge against one of the
top teams in the country."
Chandler Taylor finished three-for-eight on the day with two home runs, two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. It was Davis Vainer leading the Crimson Tide pitchers with a save in both contests as well as five combined strikeouts. Game one starter Jake Walters picked up the win in that contest while reliever Zac Rogers earned the victory in the second game.
GAME ONE
Alabama claimed a 4-3 win in the series opener with the Tigers. Three Tide pitchers were used in the contest, conisisting of Walters, Garrett Suchey and then Vainer for the win.
Goff said, "(Jake Walters)
has thrown well for us lately, and he did it again today. He fought to give us a chance and get it to our bullpen.
It was great to see our offense give him some support and to see our
relievers hold off such a good team like Auburn on the back-end."
Walters (5-4) pitched 5.0 innings of baseball for the win, allowing only one run, five hits, walking four and striking out one batter. Suchey then followed him by pitching 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits before leaving the game with two down in the
ninth. Vainer then picked up his fourth save of the season when he stuck out the last batter of the contest, stranding the tying run at first.
Taylor went three-for-four in the game, including two solo home runs, two RBIs,
two runs scored as well as one walk. This was Taylor's second multi-home run game of his career. Also with multiple hits in the contest was Alex Webb, finishing two-for-three to extend his hitting streak to six games. Chandler Avant was one-for-five with one RBI. Cobie Vance was one-for-four in the game.
GAME TWO
Though the Tigers put on a late rally to try to steal the game from the Crimson Tide, Bama was able to hold on for the 7-5 win in the day's second contest.
Seven of Bama's nine starters recorded at least one hit in game two with seven also recording at least one run scored. Kyle Kaufman was two-for-four in the game with two RBIs and one run scored. Avant was one-for-five with one run and one RBI, Vance was one-for-four with one run and one RBI and Hunter Alexander went one-for-four in the second game.
Goff commented, "(Davis Vainer)
was tremendous. He had great presence for a
redshirt freshman, and he continues to grow each outing. It's been
awesome to see him continue to mature in our program, and tonight he
showed a lot of heart to get us both of those saves in such tough
situations. I'm really proud of him and the way he helped us come away
with two wins tonight."
Alabama will be looking to sweep fourth-ranked Auburn this afternoon in the third and final game of the series at Plainsman Park. Senior
right-hander Nick Eicholtz will start for the Tide, while the Tigers counter with freshman right-hander Davis Daniel. Today's game will be broadcast on the SEC Network at 4 p.m. CT.
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Alabama Football 2/3 Favorite To Win SEC
According to Covers.com
Spring Practice and the Alabama Spring A-Day Game at least gave University of Alabama Crimson Tide fans a little shot in the arm to help alleviate the pain of the end of the 2016 college football season and the start of the 2017 season. But, now...the blahs have already set in for many.
From time to time one of the sports sites comes out with their predictions, or the odds-makers in Las Vegas come out with a "new line" that has the flavor of college football. And that flavor, if one might call it that, comes out crimson more times than not.
CG Technologies has released some odds on conference championships. Of course, we're only concerned with the Southeastern Conference, so here is what Covers.com has to say about the odds for each of the 14 member institutions of winning the SEC:
ODDS TO WIN SEC IN 2017
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE 2/3
LSU 7/2
Auburn 5/1
Florida 9/1
Georgia 9/1
Tennessee 11/1
Texas A&M 18/1
Arkansas 40/1
Mississippi State 45/1
Missouri 45/1
Kentucky 50/1
South Carolina 50/1
Vanderbilt 100/1
Ole Miss 0
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Alabama Men's Golf Is Sixth Seed
In 2017 NCAA Sammamish Regional
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
This will be the 13th consecutive appearance for the Crimson Tide in NCAA postseason competition, and the 21st overall appearance in the tournament. UA men's golf has captured a total of four NCAA Regionals, three of which been won in the last five years Bama has won the 2009 NCAA Galloway (New Jersey) Regional, the 2012 NCAA Athens (Georgia) Regional, the 2013 NCAA Baton Rouge (Louisiana) Regional and the 2014 NCAA Auburn (Alabama) Regional.
The field of the Sammamish Regional will consist of 14 teams, namely No. 1 seed USC, who enters the event as the top-ranked team in the country. Kent State (2 seed), Texas A&M (3 seed), Florida State (4 seed) Washington (5 seed) Alabama (6 seed) San Diego State (7 seed), UTEP (No. 8), Penn State (No. 9), Michigan (No. 10), Michigan State (No. 11), Seattle (No. 12), Marquette (No. 13) and Bryant (No. 14).
The top five teams from each of the six regional sites and the top individual finisher not on an advancing team will move on to the NCAA Men's Golf National Championship, which will be played at Rich Harvest Farms course in Sugar Grove, Illinois, May 26-31. The national championship itself will feature 30 teams and six individuals.
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Track & Field
It's Victory For the Alabama Men's 4 x 400-Meter Relay
At The Ole Miss Classic On Saturday
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
Saturday's race was the final competition for Bama prior to the start of the 2017 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 11-13 at the University of South Carolina.
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Celebrity Birthdays
May 7th
Alexander Ludwig, Actor, 24
Tahani Anderson, Dancer, 13
Kevin Steen, Wrestler, 32
Chiara Ferragni, Fashion Designer, 29
Alex Smith, Football, 32
Owen Hart, Wrestler (1965-1999)
Earl Thomas, Football, 27
Scheana Marie, Model, 31
Gary Cooper, Actor (1901-1961)
Gabby Hayes, Actor (1885-1969)
Natalie Ganzhorn, Actress, 19
Breckin Meyer, Actor, 42
Brandon Jones, Actor, 28
Traci Lords, Actress, 48
Aliyah O'Brien, Actress, 35
