Salem Earns SEC Baseball Citation

Alabama freshman center fielder Georgie Salem heads to his hometown tonight with a new baseball honor. Salem, who is from Birmingham, was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for his performance last week.

The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team will be in Birmingham tonight (Tuesday) to take on the Samford Bulldogs at 6 p.m. CDT at Joe Lee Griffin Field.

Last week, Georgie Salem helped the Tide to a series win over Tennessee with a 6-13 batting performance -- .462 batting average – against the Vols. For the week, Salem batted .364.

Salem had hits in all five games last week, which included two multiple hit games and his fourth three-hit game of the season. He finished the week with a team-high seven runs batted in (RBI) from the leadoff spot in the order, which included a career-high four RBI in Alabama’s 15-1 victory over the Tennessee on March 17.

After going 1-for-4 in both games against Memphis, Salem collected six of his eight hits on the weekend versus Tennessee. He was 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the opener against the Vols, was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in game two, then exploded with a 3-for-5, four-RBI game on Sunday. The four RBI marked the most by an Alabama player in a single game this season.

For the season, Salem is third on the team with a .293 batting average, three doubles and 13 RBI. He is second the squad with 12 walks and six stolen bases, while starting all 20 games in center field and as the team’s leadoff hitter.

Salem is the second player from the Alabama squad to earn SEC Player of the Week honors this season. Shortstop Mike White was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Feb. 18.

Alabama is 11-9 on the season, including a 2-1 mark in SEC games.

The Crimson Tide will be home to Jacksonville State Wednesday. First pitch at Sewell-Thomas Stadium is at 6 p.m. CDT.

This weekend the Tide will be back in SEC play at Georgia (0-3 in SEC games, 8-12 overall).