The NCAA Division Baseball Committee revealed Monday on ESPNU that the Crimson Tide earned a No. 2 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tallahassee Regional.
Alabama will take on Troy University in Tallahassee, Fla., Friday. This will be the first regional pairing for the Crimson Tide, which will then take on either Florida State or Savannah State in the second game Saturday.
Alabama (34-26) previously defeated Troy 11-2 in early May, and it holds a 19-8 overall record against the Trojans. The previous victory leaves the Crimson Tide confident it can win again.
“[Troy] is a really good offensive team, but we’re going to look at some things we did against them … and how to be successful,” head coach Mitch Gaspard said. “We have to get good quality starting pitching. Right now we’re in a really good place both offensively and defensively. A lot of it comes down to sharpening things up and continuing to be crisp because it’s now or never right now.”
This will be Alabama’s fifth appearance in the NCAA Regionals in the past six years. It will also be the second time the Tide has played at Mike Martin Field in Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. Senior catcher Brett Booth said returning to Mike Martin Field gives the team a more comfortable feeling than going into an unknown stadium.
“I think when you go back to places you have been there is a sense of comfort,” Booth said. “You’ve been there before and it’s kind of the same situation as before. But at the same time, we have so many new guys going into the postseason that it’s good to play their best baseball right now.”
Previously, the Tide lost to LSU during the SEC Championships 3-2. Though the loss is still fresh, competing against an in-state school on a familiar field should give Alabama an advantage.
Whether Alabama wins or loses Friday, it will still go on to play the loser of the opposite contest. If the Tide wins both games this weekend, it will move onto Super Regionals and will face the winner of the Bloomington Regional.
“We have to play like we have been playing the past couple of weeks [to get to Super Regionals],” Booth said. “We have been swinging the bats really well and pitches have been coming along a lot better. The biggest thing this week will be the bullpen but we have to do what we have to do. We have to play well, play error free, and look for some good opportunities.”
Last season, Alabama was not selected to compete in the postseason, which was a let down for the team. But after turning this season around, freshman shortstop Mickey White said it is exciting to help turn the program in the right direction.
“Coming into this year, you really want to turn the program back around and to get back to the postseason,” White said. “It’s a lot of fun and it feels like you are part of something special.”
Alabama is slated to meet Troy at 11 a.m. Friday in Tallahassee, Fla.
