March 19, 2003

Samford hosts Alabama in a midweek nonconference game against its second Southeastern Conference opponent at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Fans can follow game action via gametacker at samfordsports.com.

The Bulldogs (5-15) are 0-2 against the SEC this season falling to Auburn, 10-1 and 11-2. Samford dropped three games over the weekend at Belmont. Michael Collins led Samford going 3-for-8 during the series. Freshman catcher Hunter Tubbs hit his first career home run in the bottom of the seventh inning against Belmont. Samford hosts Alabama for the first time in two seasons. Alabama (16-3) enters the midweek game ranked in all four polls (14th USA Today Sports Weekly, 15th NCBWA, 18th Collegiate Baseball and 21st NCBWA). The Crimson Tide swept Georgia at home last weekend to pick up their first three wins in the SEC. As a team, Alabama hits .319 with 158 RBI and 25 home runs. The Crimson Tide pitching staff has been stingy this season only allowing a 2.38 ERA. Offensively, senior Beau Hearod leads the team hitting .409 with eight doubles, seven home runs and 35 RBI. Shortstop Adam Pavkovich is on Hearod's heels having belted six home runs and knocked in 23 RBI.

Last Time at Alabama, No. 2 Alabama took an early 5-0 lead in the first and with-stood every Samford rally the rest of the way as the Crimson Tide cruised to a 14-7 win over the Bulldogs.Samford fell to 19-19 on the season while Alabama improved to 33-5 overall. The Crimson Tide only out-hit the Bulldogs, 16-15, but Samford stranded 11 base runners to Alabama's six. The Crimson Tide took an early 5-0 lead on five hits, chasing Samford starter Major Allred from the game in the first. Jeremy Brown's two-RBI double and Peter Stonard's RBI-double highlighted the inning. Samford answered with two runs of its own in the second. Sumner, Robert Evans, Owen and Snowden each had two hits for Samford while Caldwell, Eric Hollis, Allred, Sae Evans, Mario White, Denson and Iorg each had one hit.

Samford is 0-6 against Alabama under Tim Parenton. Alabama won last season's meeting, 14-7, in Tuscaloosa. Samford last defeated Alabama in 1992 when the Bulldogs swept the Crimson Tide, 5-4 in 10 innings, and, 9-5.

Freshman right-hander Stephen Artz (0-2, 4.22 ERA) will start for Samford while junior left-hander Ryan Beagle (0-0, 3.00 ERA)will get the start for Alabama.

The Bulldogs return to Atlantic Sun Conference play this weekend when they host defending A-Sun champions UCF. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.. Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.