After Tuesday’s 12-1 victory over Samford, in which the Alabama baseball team tied its season-high with 18 hits, the Crimson Tide is hoping to carry that momentum over into this weekend’s series with the Georgia Bulldogs.
“I thought it was real important for us to not only win the game [Tuesday], but win it in dominating fashion,” Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard said. “We pitched extremely well and we were good throughout the lineup.”
Junior Georgie Salem hit two home runs in Tuesday’s game and now has eight hits in his last four games. Freshmen Chandler Avant and Cody Henry registered three hits apiece while sophomore Casey Hughston also registered three hits and is now hitting .395.
“Georgie is a key guy. Even though he is in the two-hole, he can provide power for you but he is also a good runner,” Gaspard said. “His on-base percentage has to get better and it was good to see him leave the yard twice. At the same time, he has to get on base. Mikey [White] and Casey [Hughston] have been pretty consistent behind him.”
Alabama, which has lost its last five SEC matchups, is currently tied with Auburn for last in the West. The Crimson Tide (16-15) was swept by LSU in its most recent series and is 2-6 in its last eight SEC games, all of which came against top-10 teams.
The Bulldogs are currently fifth in the SEC East and have an overall record of 19-15. They are lead offensively by outfielder Stephen Wrenn, who is hitting .326 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.
“They’ve been very competitive every series,” Gaspard said. “I think they have had some of the same issues that we have had across the board but they are like a lot of teams in the SEC.”
Alabama’s pitching rotation will remain the same with left-hander Taylor Guilbeau starting Friday, followed by right-handers Will Carter and Geoffrey Bramblett.
