Bama Baseball Gets Sweep And Record

The No. 24 ranked Alabama baseball team completed its three-game sweep of Alabama A&M on Wednesday, winning both ends of a double header, 6-1 and 12-0, at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Alabama hit two home runs in the opener to set the all-time school record with a home run in 18 straight games. In the nightcap, the Tide took advantage of 10 walks and four errors to post another lopsided win.

“It was three wins and that is a good thing,” Alabama Coach Jim Wells said after the game. “We played everybody and Jake Smith got to pitch. It was a good two days.”

Alabama (14-5) scored 43 runs in the three-game set, which are the most runs in a three-game series since scoring 45 runs against Vanderbilt in 1999. The Crimson Tide held the Bulldogs to one run in the series, marking the third time under Wells that UA has held an opponent to just one run. The Tide also held Auburn (1996) and SE Missouri State (2004) to one run in three games.

Alabama A&M (5-7) has lost its last five games, including four shutouts, since a five-game winning streak.

Alabama will play its first SEC road series of the 2009 season this weekend, when the Crimson Tide meets the Mississippi Rebels in Oxford, Miss. The series opener is Friday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m. and continues on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, at 1:30 pm (CST) each day.

Game 2 – Alabama 12, Alabama A&M 0

The Crimson Tide completed the series sweep with a 12-0 win over the Bulldogs. Alabama scored in each of the first four innings and sealed the win with a five-run fourth inning.

The Crimson Tide took advantage of 10 walks and four Alabama A&M errors to post a lopsided win in game two. Alabama did not homer in the nightcap to end its home run streak at 18 consecutive games.

Kent Matthes had two doubles in the second game to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. He did not play in the opener.

Alabama scored three runs in the first inning, aided by two walks and two hit batters. Tyler Odle added an RBI single in the inning. The Crimson Tide took advantage of an error in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead.

UA scored three more runs in the third inning on Cal Tinsley’s RBI double and Taylor Dugas’ RBI single. Alabama scored five runs in the fourth inning to make it a 12-0 game. Clay Jones had a two-run single and Jon Kelton and Tinsley drew bases-loaded walks.

Senior Casey Kebodeaux (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings for the win as the Tide used four pitchers in the nightcap. Junior third baseman Jake Smith pitched the final two innings and retired all six batters he faced with two strikeouts.

Jarvis Jordan (0-1) gave up four runs in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss.

Alabama A&M had three hits in the second game, including a double by LaDale Hayes.

Game 1 – Alabama 6, Alabama A&M 1

Alabama extended its home run streak, but could not keep its scoreless innings streak intact with a 6-1 win over Alabama A&M in the first game of a double header Wednesday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Junior Brandon May and senior Vin Difazio hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning to give the Tide a home run in a school-record 18 straight games. Alabama A&M did push a run across the plate in the ninth inning when J.T. Thomas singled off Tyler White to snap the Tide’s streak of 16 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Jake Smith and a sacrifice fly by Tyler Odle.

The Crimson Tide scored three runs in the third inning on home runs by May and DiFazio to take a 5-0 lead. Ross Wilson drew a leadoff walk and scored on May’s second home run of the year. DiFazio followed with a solo blast to give UA a five-run lead.

May went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI to lead the Tide offense.

Miers Quigley (2-0) allowed three hits in five shutout innings for the win. He also struck out seven batters. A.J. Campbell (0-1) was the losing pitcher for A&M. He allowed five runs and five hits in three innings.

The Crimson Tide added a run in the sixth inning when Wilson drew a leadoff walk and scored on May’s double into the left field corner.

Alabama A&M avoided its second straight shutout when J.T. Thomas delivered an RBI single to center to snap the Tide’s 16 2/3 inning scoreless streak.