2/21/21 MBA vs McNeese State
Alabama's Drew Williamson (18)
Photo by Evan Pilat
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A nine-game homestand for Alabama baseball begins on Tuesday, March 23, as the 23rd-ranked Crimson Tide plays host to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. First pitch of the midweek matchup is set for 3 p.m. CT, moved up from an original 6 p.m. start. Fans can catch all the action on SEC Network+.
Follow the Tide
Fans can follow Tuesday’s game via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com
Probable Starting Pitching Matchup
TUESDAY: UA – William Freeman (R-Sr., RHP) vs. USM – Drew Boyd (So., LHP)
Leading Off
- Alabama and Southern Miss will meet for the 106th time in series history when the two teams square off at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The Crimson Tide is 74-31 overall against the Golden Eagles and holds a 47-13 advantage in games played in Tuscaloosa.
- The two teams last met on March 7, 2018, with UA claiming a 3-0 win over the then-15th-ranked Golden Eagles in Tuscaloosa. Five Alabama arms combined to blank USM for the Tide’s second shutout of that season.
- Alabama hands William Freeman the ball on Tuesday afternoon. The right-hander has made four appearances this season, including two starts, and holds a 2.13 ERA (3 ER/12.2 IP) with nine strikeouts and no walks.
- Southern Miss counters with lefty Drew Boyd for the start. Boyd will be making his fourth start of the season and enters Tuesday with a 1-2 record and a 4.97 ERA (7 ER/12.2 IP).
About Alabama
- After a midweek postponement due to rain, Alabama went 1-2 on the weekend against top-ranked Arkansas. The Crimson Tide dominated the Razorbacks in game one of the series before falling in the final two matchups in Fayetteville.
- The 22nd-ranked Crimson Tide used a 10-run second inning to come away with a dominant 16-1 win over No. 1 Arkansas on Friday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
- Alabama used eight hits, three walks and a hit-by-pitch to post 10 runs in the second inning – that 10-spot would prove to be all the Tide needed. Arkansas came back with one run in the home half of the second, but the Crimson Tide answered with one in the seventh, four in the eighth and one in the ninth to cruise to the 16-1 win.
- The Crimson Tide saw seven of the nine starters record a hit to combine for 15 by night’s end, including a season-high four home runs.
- The homers came from Owen Diodati, Andrew Pinckney, Caden Rose and Jackson Tate. Diodati led the UA offense with four RBI while tying for the team-high mark in runs with three. Pinckney matched Diodati’s run total while pacing Alabama in hits with a 3-for-5 evening that also included two RBI.
- On the mound, Tyler Ras picked up his first career SEC win and third win of the 2021 season. The Tide starter tossed 6.0 frames, allowing one run on six hits and two walks with a career-high tying six strikeouts. Ras was followed by fellow junior Connor Shamblin. Shamblin worked 3.0 innings of scoreless baseball, striking out four on his way to his first career save.
- Alabama suffered a 9-1 loss to the Razorbacks on Saturday. Arkansas began the night’s scoring with one run in the third and proceeded to add one more in both the fourth and fifth. The Hogs followed with three apiece in the sixth and eighth innings to put the game out of reach. Alabama got its lone run in the sixth but was unable to add any more.
- Dylan Smith suffered the loss in his first career SEC start. The Crimson Tide junior allowed three runs on five hits and a walk with nine strikeouts across his 99 pitches.
- The Crimson Tide’s late rally came up short as Alabama fell, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon in Fayetteville. Arkansas recorded a solo home run in the fourth and used a two-out, bases-loaded single in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead.
- Alabama entered the ninth down three, but a solo home run from Sam Praytor to start the inning gave the Tide life. Rose then drew a one-out walk before a pair of strikeouts ended the game in favor of the Hogs.
- Antoine Jean was handed the loss despite a strong outing. The left-hander worked 5.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts.
- Alabama returned 20 letterwinners while losing 12 from the 2020 squad. The 2021 Crimson Tide welcomed back six positional starters and 10 total pitchers while hosting 14 redshirts or newcomers.
About Southern Miss
- Southern Miss finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign at 12-4 overall. The Golden Eagles were set to host FIU to open Conference USA play before the season was shut down. The 2021 roster returns 23 lettermen from that squad, including eight starting position players and 15 total pitchers. Southern Miss also welcomes 13 newcomers to the 2021 group.
- Scott Berry is in his 12th year as head coach at Southern Miss and entered the 2021 campaign with a 395-216-1 overall record. A 1986 graduate of Southwest Missouri State, Berry is joined by assistant coaches Travis Creel and Christian Ostrander along with volunteer assistant Ladd Rhodes.
- The Golden Eagles were selected to win the West Division and finish as a co-league champion with FAU in Conference USA’s preseason poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
On Deck
Alabama welcomes the third-ranked Ole Miss Rebels to town for a Thursday-Friday-Saturday series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The three-game set opens with a pair of 6 p.m. starts on both Thursday and Friday followed by a 1 p.m. first pitch on getaway day. Thursday’s opener will air nationally on ESPNU with Sunday’s game also receiving national attention on SEC Network. Friday’s matchup will air on SEC Network+.
