Seniors trying to keep season alive

TUSCALOOSA | There are plenty of possible diversions for the University of Alabama baseball team's four seniors this weekend, ranging from the family demands that accompany graduation to the sentimental memories associated with a final appearance at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

All those considerations, though, are likely to take a back seat during three games that could well determine Alabama's postseason fate for 2008.

The Crimson Tide (28-22, 12-12 SEC) hosts Florida (29-18, 13-11) in a three-game series that begins tonight at 6:30. With six regular-season Southeastern Conference games remaining, both teams are fighting for a berth in the SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide, a half-game behind LSU in the West, is also bidding for a division crown.

'I've already said to a couple of the younger guys that we have to do everything we can so the seniors' season doesn't end [next weekend] in Athens,' said left-handed pitcher Will Stroup, one of the four Tide seniors who will play their last home games this weekend. The others are first baseman Matt Bentley, relief pitcher Josh Copeland and reserve catcher Brian Clark, who is listed as a junior on the roster but has completed his degree.

'The race itself is more than enough to keep you focused,' Bentley said. 'We do know that it is our last weekend, but for me, that just means I am going to leave it all out there at the Joe.'

Bentley is a big part of Alabama's late-season offensive surge. In the Crimson Tide's last five games, all against SEC opposition, UA is averaging 10.6 runs per game and hitting a lofty .372 with 14 home runs.

'The confidence is spreading all through the lineup,' Bentley said. 'We are hitting in every spot, one through nine. It's going to carry over into this weekend, I really believe it.'

Tide coach Jim Wells said that enthusiasm is typical of Bentley, who is one of three Tide players with at least 10 home runs this season.

'Matt is one of those guys that you don't see much any more,' Wells said. 'If he is 0-for-4 and strikes out three times, but we win the game, he's the happiest guy in the dugout. He is really all about the team. You'd love to have a roster full of Matt Bentleys.'

Bentley, Stroup and Copeland are all likely to play a role in the three-game series. Clark has played less frequently, but will be prepared — as soon as he picks up his diploma. The reserve catcher from Hammond, Ind., will receive a biology degree on Saturday afternoon and, after he completes his UA career, will go to graduate school in pharmacology at Emory University in Atlanta.

'Saturday will be a pretty full day for me, but I can usually change gears pretty easily,' Clark said.

Copeland, a native of Palmetto, Ga., said it would be important to shut out the emotions of the weekend — and not to look too far ahead.

'All I care about is winning the next game,' Copeland said. 'It doesn't matter if we are five games behind [LSU] or 20 games ahead. We just need to win and take care of ourselves.'

Alabama's tentative pitching rotation includes junior left-hander Miers Quigley (4-4, 4.96 ERA) and junior right-handers Austin Hyatt (3-3, 4.84 ERA) and Robert Phares (2-3, 5.91 ERA) – but not necessarily in that order.

'We're still thinking that over,' Wells said on Thursday. 'We could move Hyatt back to Friday night, but that's just a possibility.'

Florida is expected to start right-hander Billy Bullock (4-3, 4.13 ERA), left-hander Stephen Locke (3-2, 3.28 ERA) and junior Patrick Keating (8-0, 3.22 ERA) in the series.

Junior outfielder Avery Barnes leads the Gator offense. He is second in the SEC on stolen bases (22), fourth in runs scored (56), fifth in hitting (.389), sixth in on-base percentage (.468) and ninth in hits (68).

Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil.hurt@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0225.