Alcorn State baseball opens 2011 season against Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama baseball team (0-0, 0-0 SEC) opens the 2011 season with the Tide playing host to the Alcorn State Braves (0-0, 0-0 SWAC) in a three-game weekend series. The two teams will break in a new year at The Joe on Friday at 6:05 p.m. Game two is slated to begin at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday with Sunday's first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

SATURDAY IS DOUBLE DAY AT ALABAMA
On Saturday, Alabama fans can enjoy two Crimson Tide games for the price of one. The baseball team will host Alcorn State at 2 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. game between Alabama and Arkansas in men's basketball. Fans can use their men's basketball ticket to gain admittance into both the baseball and basketball games.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Alcorn State is coming off a season that saw the Braves post a 27-28 overall record and finish fifth in the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) with a 15-8 record. ASU returns 20 letter winners, including 14 position players (six starters) and six pitchers (two starters). Alcorn State's season came to an end when they lost 15-2 to Grambling in the championship game of the SWAC Tournament.

Rodney Warren returns for his senior season after leading the Braves with a .392 average a year ago. As a junior, Warren had 69 hits in 176 at-bats, with 15 doubles, six home runs and 47 runs batted in. The Braves return the heart of their lineup, as Eduardo Gonzalez and Kilby Perdomo also return. Gonzalez led the 2010 team with 78 hits and tied Perdomo for the team lead with 54 RBI. Gonzalez posted a .353 average, 16 doubles, a team-best four triples and six dingers. Perdomo was the team's leader in home runs with 10 and runs scored with 61 and finished third on the team with a .348 average.

Other returners, Cole Vicars and Kenneth Rowan hit .317 and .313, respectively, last season. The top returning pitcher for ASU is Steve Easter. The junior posted a 7-4 overall record as a sophomore, which included six complete game performances. He led the team with 81 strikeouts, while his 99.2 innings pitched ranked second most and his 4.96 ERA was third best on the team. Cederic Pomerlee made 15 appearances with 13 starts as a junior and finished the season with a 5-7 record and a 5.45 ERA. Pomerlee had 79 strikeouts in 76.0 innings pitched.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.