Friday, April 9
Bryan-College Station
6:30 PM
Texas A&M
vs
Alabama
Photo by: Russell James/Texas A&M Athletics
SERIES PREVIEW: Alabama
Apr 08, 2021 | Baseball
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M and Alabama meet on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in a three-game series between teams looking to gain traction in the SEC standings. The series starts Friday with a 6:32 p.m. followed by afternoon contests on Saturday (2:02 p.m.) and Sunday (1:02 p.m.).
All three games are available for viewing on SEC Network +. SEC Network + provides digital-only events to SEC Network subscribers through WatchESPN and the ESPN app on smartphones, computers, tablets and connected devices (Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One). Will Johnson (play-by-play) and Boomer White (color analyst) call the action on Friday and Sunday while the SportsRadio 1150 feed will be overlaid on Saturday. The games air on SportsRadio 1150 and/or 93.7 The Zone with Andrew Monaco and Scott Clendenin on the call.
The Aggies check in at 3-6 in SEC play while the Crimson Tide own a 2-7 league ledger.
Texas A&M ranks high on the NCAA pitching charts, including No. 6 in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (11.7), No. 9 in K-to-BB Ratio (3.55), No. 27 in ERA (3.47) and No. 30 in Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (3.31). Dustin Saenz (No. 8 - 60) and Chandler Jozwiak (No. 15 - 56) rank in the top 50 in the nation in strikeouts. Jozwiak also ranks sixth in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (15.75) and 19th in K-to-BB Ratio (9.33). Saenz checks in at No. 50 in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (12.86) and No. 100 in K-to-BB Ratio (5.45).
The Aggies are outscoring opponents 56-14 in the first two innings, including 26-6 in the first frame. The Maroon & White have scored first in 21 of the 31 games this season. The Aggie pitchers have yielded just six first-inning runs, five earned, in 31 games, for a 1.45 earned run average. Texas A&M is holding opponents to a .154 batting average in the opening frame, striking out 47 of 119 batters. Jonathan Childress has surrendered four of the six first-inning runs. Taking him out of the equation, Aggie pitchers own a 0.75 ERA and .128 batting average.
Saenz has retired 21 of 25 batters he has faced in the first inning, including 14 strikeouts. Chris Weber has faced the minimum in just 17 batters in his five first innings, allowing one hit, one walk and hitting two batters, but he also turned a double play and caught a runner stealing.
Sophomore Alex Magers leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the nation with his 13 pitching appearances. Magers is 1-1 on the season with a 1.65 ERA. He has yielded three runs on 14 hits and six walks while striking out 12 in 16.1 innings.
Graduate Ray Alejo has logged three-hit games three times in the last four contests, including back-to-back outings with three extra-base hits. In the series, opener at Missouri he batted 3-for-5 with three doubles, three runs and three RBI. He hit 3-for-5 with two doubles and one triple in the finale against the Tigers. He batted 3-for-4 with three stolen bases in Tuesday's action at Sam Houston. Alejo enters the weekend with 11 stolen bases on the season. His career steals tally of 68 leads the NCAA and ranks ninth among all active NCAA Division I players.
The Aggies own a 17-7 edge in the all-time series, including 14-7 since Texas A&M joined the SEC.
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (19-12, 3-6 SEC) vs. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (16-12, 2-7 SEC)
Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park (6,100) • Bryan-College Station, Texas
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
• FRIDAY: #37 Dustin Saenz (Sr., LHP, 5-2, 2.79) vs. #5 Tyler Ras (Jr., RHP, 4-1, 3.41)
• SATURDAY: #32 Bryce Miller (Sr., RHP, 2-0, 2.49) vs. #25 Dylan Smith (Jr., RHP, 0-3, 2.20)
• SUNDAY: #35 Nathan Dettmer (Fr., RHP, 3-1, 1.77) vs. TBA
All three games are available for viewing on SEC Network +. SEC Network + provides digital-only events to SEC Network subscribers through WatchESPN and the ESPN app on smartphones, computers, tablets and connected devices (Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One). Will Johnson (play-by-play) and Boomer White (color analyst) call the action on Friday and Sunday while the SportsRadio 1150 feed will be overlaid on Saturday. The games air on SportsRadio 1150 and/or 93.7 The Zone with Andrew Monaco and Scott Clendenin on the call.
The Aggies check in at 3-6 in SEC play while the Crimson Tide own a 2-7 league ledger.
Texas A&M ranks high on the NCAA pitching charts, including No. 6 in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (11.7), No. 9 in K-to-BB Ratio (3.55), No. 27 in ERA (3.47) and No. 30 in Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (3.31). Dustin Saenz (No. 8 - 60) and Chandler Jozwiak (No. 15 - 56) rank in the top 50 in the nation in strikeouts. Jozwiak also ranks sixth in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (15.75) and 19th in K-to-BB Ratio (9.33). Saenz checks in at No. 50 in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (12.86) and No. 100 in K-to-BB Ratio (5.45).
The Aggies are outscoring opponents 56-14 in the first two innings, including 26-6 in the first frame. The Maroon & White have scored first in 21 of the 31 games this season. The Aggie pitchers have yielded just six first-inning runs, five earned, in 31 games, for a 1.45 earned run average. Texas A&M is holding opponents to a .154 batting average in the opening frame, striking out 47 of 119 batters. Jonathan Childress has surrendered four of the six first-inning runs. Taking him out of the equation, Aggie pitchers own a 0.75 ERA and .128 batting average.
Saenz has retired 21 of 25 batters he has faced in the first inning, including 14 strikeouts. Chris Weber has faced the minimum in just 17 batters in his five first innings, allowing one hit, one walk and hitting two batters, but he also turned a double play and caught a runner stealing.
Sophomore Alex Magers leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the nation with his 13 pitching appearances. Magers is 1-1 on the season with a 1.65 ERA. He has yielded three runs on 14 hits and six walks while striking out 12 in 16.1 innings.
Graduate Ray Alejo has logged three-hit games three times in the last four contests, including back-to-back outings with three extra-base hits. In the series, opener at Missouri he batted 3-for-5 with three doubles, three runs and three RBI. He hit 3-for-5 with two doubles and one triple in the finale against the Tigers. He batted 3-for-4 with three stolen bases in Tuesday's action at Sam Houston. Alejo enters the weekend with 11 stolen bases on the season. His career steals tally of 68 leads the NCAA and ranks ninth among all active NCAA Division I players.
The Aggies own a 17-7 edge in the all-time series, including 14-7 since Texas A&M joined the SEC.
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (19-12, 3-6 SEC) vs. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (16-12, 2-7 SEC)
Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park (6,100) • Bryan-College Station, Texas
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
• FRIDAY: #37 Dustin Saenz (Sr., LHP, 5-2, 2.79) vs. #5 Tyler Ras (Jr., RHP, 4-1, 3.41)
• SATURDAY: #32 Bryce Miller (Sr., RHP, 2-0, 2.49) vs. #25 Dylan Smith (Jr., RHP, 0-3, 2.20)
• SUNDAY: #35 Nathan Dettmer (Fr., RHP, 3-1, 1.77) vs. TBA
| SCHEDULE | Friday, 6:32 p.m. • Saturday, 2:02 p.m. • Sunday, 1:02 p.m. |
| RADIO | SportsRadio 1150/93.7 The Zone • Andrew Monaco & Scott Clendenin |
| LIVE VIDEO | SEC Network + (WatchESPN credentials required through cable provider) Friday & Sunday • Will Johnson & Boomer White; Saturday • radio feed |
| LIVE AUDIO | RadioAggieland.com |
| LIVE STATS | tamu.statbroadcast.com (PCs); tamustats.com (mobile devices) |
| SERIES HISTORY | Texas A&M lead series vs. Alabama, 17-7 |
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
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