Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Florida Atlantic Owls humming around the Joe this weekend bore a striking resemblance to a flock of Chicken Littles, predicting the downfall of Alabama baseball.

But take a deep breath. It isn’t that bad.

Florida Atlantic sweeping the Crimson Tide in a three-game series to start the year isn’t totally unheard of. It’s just been a while.

It’s been 60 years since something like that has happened at Alabama. In 1952, the Tide started out 0-3, finishing the season two games above .500. (That last bit is what you’d call the “bright side” of things.)

But losing a three-game series at home to start the year? That has never occurred in Alabama history.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama lost to Florida Atlantic 9-2 in a rain-soaked game on Saturday, dropping the Tide in a 2-0 hole to start the year.

Charley Sullivan (0-1) started the game for the Tide, throwing four innings of four-run baseball. The junior, who appeared in 16 games with two starts last season, allowed six hits and struck out two. Freshman right-hander Spencer Turnbull pitched three innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs. Jon Keller and Brandt Hendricks threw the final 2 innings.

Alabama scored in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from freshman Cameron Carlisle. It was the first career hit of for the Tuscaloosa native who started at designated hitter. Kenny Roberts added another run, singling in Taylor Dugas who led off the bottom of the eighth with a stand-up triple. The one through five batters in the lineup combined for eight hits against Owls starting pitcher Jake Meiers. Batters six through nine were a combined 0 for 16.

Meiers (1-0) scattered seven hits over six innings, surrendering just one earned run.

Sunday's series finale set for noon CT. Freshman left-hander Justin Kamplain will start for Alabama.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Crimson Tide fans at Sewell-Thomas Stadium a caught glimpse of the future of Alabama baseball on Friday night in the season opener against Florida Atlantic. For coach Mitch Gaspard’s sake, he better hope it’s not the entire picture of what’s to come.

Alabama muscled just four hits and allowed three unearned runs in a 5-2 loss to FAU. UA committed two errors, squandering two strong outings from Tide pitchers.

Freshman starting pitcher Taylor Guilbeau took the loss despite throwing 5 strong innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run. The tall lefty showed off a good fastball and a deceptive changeup on his way to 4 strikeouts. In two bases loaded situations, he surrendered just one run.

Gaspard said he was pleased with his outing and how he was capable of working out of jams.

“That’s one reason why he got the ball tonight,” Gaspard said. “He’s a really good competitor and he’s got a very good mentality on the mound. He showed some of that tonight.”

The wheels came off in the top of the sixth inning for Alabama. Guilbeau was lifted after reaching his pitch count limit, and Trey Pilkington came on in relief. Pilkington struck out the first batter he faced but then gave up starting with back-to-back singles. Pilkington took care of the next batter but a throwing error by third baseman A.J. Cole allowed two runs to cross the plate. Another run scored when Mike Spano hit a single off the right field wall.

Alabama was able to come back in the following inning and load the bases with no outs. But a 6-4-3 double play and a strikeout killed the rally with just two runs plated -- one by way of a pass ball.

FAU starting pitcher Ryan Garton finished with 1 earned run in 6 innings pitched. He gave up just 3 hits.

Gaspard said after the game that he wasn’t worried about his offense, holding to the belief that the batting order will be his team’s strength in 2012.

“Offensively, we’ll find that rhythm,” Gaspard said. “I know this will be a good offensive team. Tonight was one of those tough nights. ... We never got into the flow.”

Jake Hubbard, Jason Zylstra and Ian Gardeck pitched the final three innings, allowing only one hit in the process. Hubbard, a freshman, pitched well, but it was the junior college transfer that stole the show.

Gardeck, who spent last year at Angelina College in Illinois, showed off his mid- to upper-90s fastball against FAU. He struck out the side in the ninth inning, using primarily the heater.

“He was pretty good tonight,” Gaspard said of Gardeck, flashing an ear-to-ear grin. “If we can get that out of Gardeck, we’re going to be fine in the back of the game. I don’t know what his velocity was but it was hard.”

Brett Booth said catching Gardeck is a blast, describing his fastball as “exploding out of his hand.” While the crowd stood in a shocked appreciation of Gardeck’s 3-strikeout performance, Booth said he was anything but surprised.

“We’re probably going to see a lot of that this year,” Booth said.

Alabama will host the middle game of the three-game series on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT. Junior Charley Sullivan will start for the Tide.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama pitcher Taylor Wolfe will miss the entire 2012 season after having season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on Thursday morning.

The Columbus, Ga., navite finished 2011 with a 4-4 record and a 5.01 ERA, and entered this season with a chance at cracking the starting rotation. The loss of Wolfe further depletes the Tide's pitching experience. Alabama lost its entire starting rotation to graduation and the amateur draft. Two freshmen will start in the opening series against Florida Atlantic and a third could emerge by the time conference play begins.

Wolfe had 95 strikeouts in 91.2 career innings pitched. He started 17 games in 2011.