Daily Archives: February 26, 2013

Alabama point guard Trevor Releford continued his hot streak with 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Crimson Tide exacted revenge on Auburn 61-43. Auburn beat Alabama in Auburn Arena 49-37 on Feb. 6.

Releford’s 21 led the team, ahead of Trevor Lacey with 12. Also in double-digits for the Tide in points was Retin Obasohan with 10 and Nick Jacobs with 10.

Alabama’s defense contained Auburn’s leading scorer Frankie Sullivan effectively, holding him to six points on 1-for-9 shooting, 1-for-7 from behind the three-point line. Rob Chubb, however, stepped up for 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks.

Alabama improves to 19-9, 11-4 SEC, with the win and will prepare to travel to Gainesville to take on No. 8 Florida on March 2nd.

In his weekly appearance on Crimson Connection with TideTV’s Christopher England, Alabama baseball coach Mitch Gaspard reviews Alabama’s series win over Florida Atlantic and previews the week ahead, four home games in six days.

Each week for the duration of the Alabama baseball and softball seasons, Daily Bama Blog contributor Brett Hudson will track outstanding individual performances with the Star Series. Three players from each team will get 1-star, 2-stars and 3-stars with a running season tally.

Baseball

Click here to read about Alabama’s series win over FAU this weekend.

3-star Player: Freshman center fielder Georgie Salem. Salem had two multi-hit games in four outings this week, one 3-5 outing on Friday and one 3-4 outing on Saturday. Salem had four RBI in the four games, also scoring two runs and stealing a base.

2-Star Player: Senior catcher Brett Booth. Booth started the week off with a 3-3, two-RBI performance against Southern Miss, in which he also scored two runs. Booth added two hits and two RBI in the weekend series against FAU.

1-Star Player: Sophomore relief pitcher Jake Hubbard. Hubbard appeared twice out of the bullpen for the Tide, pitching 2.1 innings and not giving up a hit or a run. Hubbard’s 0.2 innings of perfect pitching on Friday night got his second save of the season.

Season Tally

Jake Hubbard: 1

Softball

Click here to read more about Alabama’s clean sweep of the Easton Bama Bash presented by DRASH this weekend.

3-Star Player: Freshman center fielder Haylie McCleney. McCleney was named the Easton Bama Bash Tournament MVP and the SEC Freshman of the Week for her performance last week. McCleney batted .611 (11-18) last week with three extra-base hits, four stolen bases and nine runs scored. McCleney started the Easton Bama Bash with a 3-3, four-run, six-RBI performance in a 21-0 win over Western Illinois.

2-Star Player: Junior pitcher Jackie Traina. Traina pitched twice in the Easton Bama Bash once throwing a complete game four-hitter allowing only one run and striking out 10 batters, and one throwing a complete game shutout allowing five hits and striking out six batters. Both outings came against Iowa. At the plate, Traina was 4-5 with two RBI.

1-Star Player: Senior left fielder Kayla Braud. Braud went 7-18 at the plate on the week, 6-15 in the Easton Bama Bash. In the Tide’s 21-0 win over Western Illinois, Braud was 2-3 from the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.

Season Tally

Danae Hays: 1 star

New nickname for @hayliemac8:”Haylie Softball” Watch her and #BAMASB this Wed Thurs Fri and Sat at The Rhoads House! #packthepark

— Patrick Murphy (@UACoachMurphy) February 25, 2013

It was Florida Atlantic that, a little over one year ago, swept Alabama in the opening series, sending the Crimson Tide to its first 0-3 record since 1960. Now, Alabama won two of three against the Owls in a return trip to Boca Raton. Alabama won the first two games 5-2 and 4-2 before having its sweep bid ended by a 3-0 loss.

In the series opening game, Alabama lead-off hitter and center fielder Georgie Salem was 3-5 from the plate with one RBI and one run scored. Salem also stole a base, as did left fielder Ryan Blanchard and third baseman Kenny Roberts. Tucker Hawley got the win for the Tide, pitching two innings of no-hit relief with only one walk in place of starting pitcher Charley Sullivan.

In the second game, it was again Salem who led the pack, hitting 3-4. Designated hitter Austen Smith also added two hits for the Tide. Alabama starting pitcher Jon Keller pitched six innings, giving up four hits and no earned runs. Keller struck out five batters and walked three.

In the series-ending defeat, Florida Atlantic starting pitcher Jeremy Strawn pitched eight innings of shutout baseball, allowing only four hits while striking out eight batters and not walking a single batter.

The Crimson Tide will host Samford on Tuesday night before hosting Tulane for a three-game weekend series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.