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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball will head to Columbia for a three-game series with Missouri this weekend. The Crimson Tide and Tigers are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch in the opener followed by a 5 p.m. start in game two. Things wrap up on Sunday at 1 p.m. The bookend games of the series will air on SEC Network+ with Saturday’s matchup receiving a national audience on SEC Network.
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Fans can follow the series via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+ (Friday and Sunday) / SEC Network (Saturday)
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / The Varsity App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: MUTigers.com
Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
FRIDAY: UA – Luke Holman (So., RHP) vs. MU – Chandler Murphy (Sr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Garrett McMillan (Sr., RHP) vs. MU – TBA
SUNDAY: UA – Jacob McNairy (Gr., RHP) vs. MU – TBA
Leading Off
- Alabama and Missouri will meet for the 17th time in history when the teams open the weekend set on Friday night at Taylor Stadium. The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series, 9-7, but the teams are split at 3-3 in Columbia.
- The most recent series between the Tide and Tigers came in Tuscaloosa from April 30-May 2, 2021. Alabama finished 3-0 against Mizzou that weekend, earning an 11-8 win in the opener followed by a 5-2 victory and a 3-2 win to secure the sweep.
- Alabama’s last trip to Columbia came from April 6-7, 2018. The Tide limited the Tigers to one run in all three games and came away with a 2-1 series win. Alabama claimed a 2-1 victory in the opener before the teams were forced to play a doubleheader the next day. Missouri earned a 1-0 shutout in game one of the twinbill with UA rallying for a 5-1 victory in game two, securing the series win in the process.
- UA will be squaring off with Missouri in Columbia for just the seventh time when the series opens on Friday.
- The six previous meetings have been low-scoring affairs, with neither team topping six runs scored in a game.
- A total of four of the games have been decided by two runs or less, including three one-run affairs. Alabama has limited Mizzou to one or no runs in four of the matchups with the Tigers’ series-high total for runs being just five.
About Alabama
- Alabama heads to Columbia after going 2-2 over the last week. The Crimson Tide earned a 2-1 series win at home against Auburn last weekend before falling on Tuesday at UAB.
- The Tide’s pitching staff was solid during the latest four-game stretch, finishing with a 2.65 ERA (11 ER/37.1 IP) while limiting the opposition to a .205 average against.
- Alton Davis II picked up two saves to help UA clinch the series with Auburn while Garrett McMillan and Jacob McNairy shined in their starting roles against the Tigers. McMillan helped even the series up on Saturday, earning his first win of the year with 5.0 scoreless frames that included four strikeouts. McNairy then returned on short rest to toss 3.2 innings of one-run baseball on Sunday on the way to an eventual 6-1 Alabama win.
- The Tide suffered a 4-3 loss at UAB on Tuesday evening in Birmingham.
- Alabama gained a 2-0 advantage thanks to a two-run home run from Andrew Pinckney. The Tide maintained that lead until the fifth when an error helped UAB even things up with a pair of runs, only one of which was earned.
- The Blazers pulled ahead when a three-base miscue led to an eventual sacrifice fly. Alabama was able to tie things up in the top of the ninth on a Tommy Seidl solo home run to send the game to extras. Both teams would go scoreless until the 11th when a third Tide error led to the game-winning run for UAB.
- Kade Woods posted a scoreless, hitless outing in his first career start. The redshirt freshman tossed 3.0 inning with a walk and a strikeout before turning it over to the bullpen. Hunter Furtado highlighted the relief effort against the Blazers, contributing 3.2 innings with four strikeouts and one unearned run.
- Alabama’s offense rallied late but fell short in an 8-4 loss to Auburn last Friday night.
- The Tigers used a home run in the second to take an early 2-0 lead and added two more with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh. AU then plated one in the eighth and added three in the ninth for an 8-0 advantage.
- Alabama was able to load the bases with two down in the seventh and reached a pair with two outs in the eighth but was held off the scoreboard until the ninth. The Crimson Tide rallied for four in the final frame and had the tying run at the plate but a flyout to left ended the ballgame.
- Luke Holman was tagged with the loss in the opener with Auburn despite another solid start. He allowed four runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts across 6.2 innings and a career-high 89 pitches.
- Alabama evened the rivalry series up thanks to a 4-2 win over the Tigers on Saturday.
- UA jumped out front early with a three-run second. The Tide then added one more in the fourth before the Tigers cut into the lead with one run apiece in the seventh and ninth. Auburn was able to reach the tying run in the top of the ninth, but a 4-6-3 double play ended things in favor of the Crimson Tide.
- McMillan was masterful in his extended outing despite being on a pitch count. The senior tossed 5.0-plus scoreless frames, allowing just one hit while striking out four for the win. The Tide then went to the bullpen with Davis II highlighting the relief effort, working a scoreless ninth with one strikeout for his second save of the year.
- While only recording five hits on Saturday night, Alabama’s offense was aided by 11 free passes made up of eight walks and three hit-by-pitch.
- The Crimson Tide clinched the series on Sunday afternoon with a 6-1 win over the Tigers.
- Auburn was first to strike with one run in the fourth but would not add any more. Alabama proceeded to score six unanswered runs over the final 4.0 frames with a three-run fifth, one tally in the seventh and two in the eighth.
- McNairy gave the Tide a solid start on short rest, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in his 3.2 innings of work. He turned the ball over to a pair of freshmen in Riley Quick and Davis II, who blanked the Tigers the rest of the way.
- Quick earned the win thanks to 3.2 innings that included two hits, two walks and a pair of strikeouts. Davis II followed, tossing the final 1.2 frames with two strikeouts for his third save of the season and second in as many days.
- The Tide’s offense was led by Jim Jarvis, Mac Guscette and Pinckney, who all contributed two-hit games. Jarvis finished 2-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and two runs, one of which came on a steal of home. Guscette went 2-for-4 with a run, while Pinckney posted a 2-for-3 performance that included a walk and two runs scored.
About Missouri
- Steve Bieser is in his 11th season as a collegiate head coach and his seventh at Missouri. Bieser entered the 2023 campaign with a 296-228-1 career mark, inclduing a 158-131-1 record in Columbia. A 1989 graduate of Southeast Missouri, Bieser is joined on staff by assistants Jason Hagerty and Ricky Meinhold along with volunteer assistant Tyler Packanik.
- Missouri finished the 2022 season at 28-23 overall, including a 10-20 mark in Southeastern Conference play.
- The Tigers were selected to finish seventh in the Eastern Division and 14th overall in the SEC in the league’s preseason poll, as voted on by the conference’s head coaches.
On Deck
Alabama will make a quick pit stop at home on Tuesday, April 25 as the Tide hosts Samford at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. First pitch between the in-state foes is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the game airing on SEC Network+.
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