Auburn Baseball vs Alabama Preview

ALABAMA (35-18, 15-12) at AUBURN (31-22, 12-15)
MAY 20-22, 2005 * 7:15 P.M., 4 P.M., 1 P.M. CT
PLAINSMAN PARK (4,096) * AUBURN, AL

Live Audio | Live Stats

QUICK FACTS

TELEVISION  
Sunday Only - CSS

RADIO Auburn Network
Locally in Auburn  WMXA 96.7 FM
Announcers Rod Bramblett, Andy Burcham

INTERNET
live stats and audio at www.auburntigers.com

SERIES 
Alabama leads the series, 113-96

COACHES
Tom Slater (VMI, 1990)
Auburn Record: 31-22 (1st year)
Overall Record: 81-122 (4th year)
Jim Wells (Northwestern State, 1980)
Alabama Record: 473-220 (11th year) 
Overall Record: 665-309 (16th year)
 
RANKINGS
Auburn not ranked
Alabama 14 by NCBWA, 16th by BA and CB, 25th by SW

PITCHING MATCH-UP
Statistics  
Friday, May 6
Sr. LHP, Arnold Hughey, AU 
So. LHP, Wade LeBlanc, UA 

Saturday, May 7
Jr. RHP, Josh Sullivan, AU 
So. LHP, Brandon Belcher, UA 

Sunday, May 8
TBA, AU
TBA, UA

NOTABLES
Auburn is playing its final series of the season and sits 1.0 games out of eighth-place for the SEC tournament heading into the weekend ... The series with Alabama is Auburn's 10th series against a top 25 team ... AU is 13-16 in games against top 25 opponents this season, having won series against #3 LSU, #7 Arkansas, #18 Ole Miss and #24 Clemson and splitting a home-and-home series with #3 Georgia Tech ... Auburn is ranked 16th in the latest BoydsWorld.com psuedo RPI ... The Tigers have the highest RPI of any team not currently ranked in the top 25 of any of the four major polls ... Auburn has played 20 one-run games on the season and is 14-6 in those contests * The series marks the first time that Auburn and Alabama have played in the final SEC series of the season since 1998 and the first in Auburn since 1995 ... 1B Karl Amonite's 22 2B in 53 G for a 0.42 2B/G ranks in a tie for 19th in the national stats (5/15) ... RHP Michael Nix' 13 saves on the season stands third on the single-season saves list behind Finley Woodward (1995 - 19) and Steven Register (2003 - 16) ... On the season, the Tigers' top three out of the bullpen: RH Jared Shore, RH John Madden and RH Nix are a combined 11-3 with 20 saves in 96 appearances in relief with just 27 BB and 129 SO in 171.2.0 IP ... Both Madden and Nix appear in the NCAA leaders (5/15) with Madden leading the nation in ERA (1.02) and Nix in a tie for second in saves (13) and 33rd in ERA (2.20) ... Both Madden and Nix have figured into all but two Tiger victories this season (Samford - 4/26, VMI - 3/12) with Madden sporting a 6-1 record with 6 saves while Nix is 5-2 with 13 saves ... The series with Alabama is the final SEC series and home games for seniors 1B Karl Amonite, P Arnold Hughey, C Mike Hyntka, P John Madden, OF Ben Sprague and C Lee White.

ALABAMA SERIES NOTES
*Auburn has won four of the last six series played
*The series marks the first time that Auburn and Alabama have played in the final SEC series of the season since 1998 and the first in Auburn since 1995.
*Auburn won the series in Tuscaloosa, 2-1, last year, as Mike Felix (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 78 P) won on Friday night and Arnold Hughey (9.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 11 K, 112 P) on Saturday. Felix' win is the lone SEC victory in his career.
*Arnold Hughey's second complete game came against Alabama last season when he allowed 1 R on 7 H in a 7-1 AU victory on Saturday.
*This weekend's probable starting catcher, Josh Bell, was the starting pitcher in last season's Sunday game, while probable Saturday starter this year, Josh Sullivan, was the starting catcher in all three games last season.