TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball will welcome the ULM Warhawks to Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Wednesday, March 7. The midweek matchup is set for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch with the game airing on SEC Network+.
Follow the Tide
Fans can follow Wednesday’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
WEDNESDAY: UA – William Freeman (R-Sr., RHP) vs. ULM – Cole Cressend (Fr., RHP)
Leading Off
- Alabama and ULM will meet for the 12th time in series history when the two teams square off on Wednesday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide holds the all-time advantage, 9-2, including a 7-1 mark at The Joe.
- The two teams last met from March 3-5, 2017, in Tuscaloosa with the Crimson Tide sweeping the Warhawks. Alabama earned a 4-3 victory to open the weekend and clinched the series the next day with a 6-2 win. UA then completed the sweep with a dominant 10-3 win on getaway day
- Alabama sends redshirt senior William Freeman to the mound on Wednesday. The right-hander has made eight appearances this season, including three midweek starts, and owns a 2.18 ERA (5 ER/20.2 IP).
- ULM calls on righty Cole Cressend for the start. The freshman has appeared in three games with one start and is 0-1 on the season. He has maintained a 5.68 ERA (4 ER/6.1 IP).
About Alabama
- Alabama returned to the diamond after a week off to host sixth-ranked Tennessee. The Crimson Tide fished 1-2 against the Vols, earning the win on opening night before falling in two close games onSaturdayand Sunday.
- In the absence of at least one weekend starter, the Crimson Tide bullpen was tasked with throwing 18.0 of the 27.0 innings in the series.
- The only Alabama starter to take the hill against the Vols and make it to the halfway point was Tyler Ras, who contributed 5.0 frames on his way to earning the win in Friday’s matchup. The next two days saw UA’s starter exit early, forcing Alabama to lean on nine total relief arms by weekend’s end, four of which made two separate appearances.
- Alabama was able to keep things close offensively thanks to six home runs over the three-day stretch. Sam Praytor led the way with two as part of his .500 (6-12) weekend. William Hamiter returned from a five-game hiatus to pace UA in average at .538 (7-13) while also contributing his first career homer. Owen Diodati, Drew Williamson and Peyton Wilson each added a homer of their own with Williamson’s roundtripper adding an insurance run in Friday’s win.
- The Crimson Tide scored seven unearned runs in a 7-4 comeback win over Tennessee on Friday.
- Alabama fell behind, 4-0, after two innings. The Tide rallied for three in the fourth before adding another three runs an inning later in the fifth to take the lead for good. One more run in the bottom of the eighth provided all the security UA would need on the way to the Friday night win.
- Ras grinded through 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts for his fourth win of the season. William Freeman followed with 1.0 inning before Landon Green took the hill to contribute 2.0 frames. Chase Lee then entered for the final inning to pick up his second save of the season. The trio combined for 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out eight Volunteer hitters.
- Alabama’s effort at the plate was highlighted by Praytor and Williamson. Praytor led the Tide in hits, finishing 3-for-4 with the go-ahead home run and adding two RBI to go with a pair of runs scored. Williamson was UA’s leader in RBI with three as part of his 1-for-2 effort that included one run, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice fly.
- A wild, extra-innings game between Alabama and Tennessee finished in favor of the Vols, 8-4, on Saturday evening.
- UA used a solo home run from Hamiter to get on the board in the fourth. The Tide then held the lead until the top of the seventh when Tennessee posted a four-spot to gain the advantage. Alabama answered with one in the home half of the seventh before tying things up in the bottom of the eighth with two runs.
- Both teams were unable to score in the ninth, sending it to extras. The two squads went scoreless in the 10th before the Vols used two hits and three walks to bring in four runs in the 11th.
- Alabama battled all game in the series finale but came up short, 9-8, on Sunday afternoon.
- Tennessee put pressure on the Tide from the start, scoring three in the top of the first. Alabama answered right back with three of their own in the home half before UT put up two in the top of the second. Once again, UA answered, this time with one run. Tennessee proceeded to add one in the fourth with Alabama matching in the home half.
- The Vols posted single tallies in the sixth, seventh and eighth, but the Tide would not sit idly by, scoring two in the eighth and one in the ninth. Alabama was able to reach the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth but a groundout to second ended the game in favor of UT.
- Seven of the nine Alabama starters recorded at least one hit on Sunday, led by Hamiter. The sophomore finished 3-for-5 with a double and one run scored.
- Also notching multi-hit efforts were Praytor and Williamson. Praytor went 2-for-3 with a home run, two walks, two RBI and a pair of runs scored, while Williamson recorded two hits as part of his 2-for-5 day that included a double, one run and a stolen base.
About ULM
- The Warhawks finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign at 12-5 overall. ULM was set to host Arkansas State to begin Sun Belt action before the season was officially canceled.
- Mike Federico is in his fourth season at ULM. Federico entered the 2021 campaign with a career record of 62-67, all coming while in Monroe. A 1998 and 1999 graduate of Southern Miss, Federico is assisted by Brandon Belanger, Jake Carlson and Matt Collins.
- The Warhawks were selected to finish fifth in the West Division and ninth overall in the Sun Belt in the league’s preseason poll, as voted on by the conference’s head coaches.
On Deck
Alabama takes to the road this weekend, heading west to Bryan-College Station for a three-game series with Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide and Aggies open on Friday with a 6:30 p.m. start at Blue Bell Park. Game two of the weekend is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start with things wrapping up on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will air live on SEC Network+.
