2/21/21 Alabama baseball vs McNeese State
Alabama's Owen Diodati (16)
Photo by Evan Pilat
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball welcomes third-ranked Ole Miss to Sewell-Thomas Stadium for a three-game set. The 23rd-ranked Crimson Tide will host the Rebels for a series that is currently scheduled to run from Thursday through Sunday. Games one (ESPNU) and three (SEC Network) will be broadcast nationally while the middle game of the series is set to air on SEC Network+.
Follow the Tide
Fans can follow the three-game series via the below outlets:
Watch: ESPNU (Game 1) | SEC Network+ (Game 2) | SEC Network (Game 3)
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / TuneIn App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com
Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
GAME 1: UA – Tyler Ras (Jr., RHP) vs. OM – Gunnar Hoglund (Jr., RHP)
GAME 2: UA – Dylan Smith (Jr., RHP) vs. OM – Doug Nikhazy (Jr., LHP)
GAME 3: UA – Antoine Jean (So., LHP) vs. OM – Derek Diamond (So., RHP)
Leading Off
- Alabama and Ole Miss will meet for the 365th time in series history when the two teams begin the three-game series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide holds the all-time advantage, 211-151-2, including a 129-77-1 mark in Tuscaloosa.
- The two teams last met from March 15-17, 2019, in Oxford to open the conference slate, with the then-eighth ranked Rebels claiming the 2-1 series win. The Rebels came away with a 1-0 win in a pitchers’ duel onFridaynight with the Tide answering the next day, 8-6. Ole Miss dominated the rubber match, earning a 12-2 win and the series.
- Ole Miss secured a 2-1 series win when the two teams last met in Tuscaloosa from May 17-19, 2018. The Rebels won, 3-2, to open the series with UA countering for the 3-0 win onFriday. The series finale finished 10-8 in favor of Ole Miss.
- Alabama opens the series with right-hander Tyler Ras on the hill. The junior, who has filled in nicely in the absence of Connor Prielipp, is followed by fellow righty Dylan Smith for game two. Things wrap up in the series with left-hander Antoine Jean getting the nod for the Crimson Tide.
- Ole Miss calls on right-hander Gunnar Hoglund to begin the series. Game two will feature junior left-hander Doug Nikhazy in the start for the Rebels while right-hander Derek Diamond closes out the series with a start on getaway day.
About Alabama
- Alabama enters the series with third-ranked Ole Miss on a 1-3 stretch across the last four games. The Crimson Tide fell to Southern Miss onTuesday. The loss came two days removed from a 1-2 weekend in Fayetteville against top-ranked Arkansas. The Tide dominated the Razorbacks in game one of the series before falling in the final two matchups.
- Tuesday’s matchup saw Alabama and Southern Miss trade leads multiple times, with the Golden Eagles eventually coming out on top by a score of 5-4.
- William Freeman was solid in his start against the Golden Eagles. The redshirt senior tossed a season-high 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with a pair of strikeouts before handing it over to his bullpen.
- The 22nd-ranked Crimson Tide used a 10-run second inning to come away with a dominant 16-1 win over No. 1 Arkansas onFridaynight 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.
- UA saw seven of the nine starters tally 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 Connor Shamblin. The junior worked 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out four to pick up 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 Ole Miss
- The Rebels finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign at 16-1 overall to tie with UA for the best record in the league. Ole Miss was set to welcome LSU for SEC Opening Weekend when the season was officially canceled.
- Mike Bianco is in his 21st season at Ole Miss and his 23rd season as a collegiate head coach. Bianco entered the 2021 campaign with a 767-440-1 mark in Oxford and an 867-511-1 overall record. A 1989 graduate of LSU, Bianco’s staff is made up of assistant coaches Carl Lafferty and Mike Clement along with volunteer assistant Chris Cleary.
- The Rebels were selected to win the West and finish third overall in the SEC in the league’s preseason poll, as voted on by the conference’s head coaches.
On Deck
Alabama will take a break from midweek action before hosting the Tennessee Volunteers for a three-game series at The Joe from April 2-4. Things will start at 6 p.m. CT in the Friday and Saturday matchups with the series finale on Easter Sunday scheduled for an 11 a.m. start. Game one of the weekend will air on SEC Network+ with the final two pairings set for a national audience on SEC Network.
