Alabama baseball breaks into the poll at No. 21

TUSCALOOSA | It's a big week for University of Alabama baseball, and not just because the Crimson Tide checks in at No. 21 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll with the nation's seventh-best RPI rating.

No, it's an important week for the Crimson Tide because these next five games, particularly the three with Southeastern Conference foe Vanderbilt, will gauge how Alabama holds up when it steps up in competition.

A 12-1 record in hand, coach Mitch Gaspard has led his team to a start that could easily see the Tide unbeaten at this point.

Offensively, Alabama has been as advertised, scoring runs in abundance, mixing aggression and timely hitting with occasional power. When it comes to hitting, you generally know what you're going to get.

The next five games will not make or break Alabama's season. There are far too many games left to play to attach that kind of importance to one week's worth of play. By the time Sunday night rolls around, however, a more accurate assessment can be made about the pitching staff.

“We feel good with where we're at right now. We've been able to get some young guys in the game, and our starters have been good for the most part,” Gaspard said. “As a staff, we just need to keep building on each start and each appearance and continue to work to get better at each opportunity.”

Adam Morgan and Jimmy Nelson, the front-end guys, have been good through four starts. Nelson (3-0) has the second-lowest ERA of any starting pitcher in the conference at .082, allowing just two runs all season and currently riding a 13 1⁄3-inning scoreless streak. He has struck out 26 in 22 innings.

Morgan (2-0, 3.27) has also pitched 22 innings and struck out 25.

The No. 3 spot in the rotation isn't settled, with freshman left-hander Taylor Wolfe and juniors Jason Townsend and Jonathan Smart as options available for Gaspard.

Wolfe (2-0) is likely to get the Sunday start against Vanderbilt, while Smart will throw on Wednesday against Minnesota. Smart threw 51 pitches in five innings in his win against Stony Brook on Sunday. He could have thrown one or two more innings, but Gaspard wanted to use him against Minnesota.

Freshman Tucker Hawley makes his first career start tonight.

“Middle of the week, we need to be good offensively. You're forced to pitch young guys that may or may not be ready,” Gaspard said. “The only way we're going to develop them is to get them out on the mound.

“For the pitching staff it's no different from what we've been preaching all year: Stick the ball in the strike zone.”

Fifteen different pitchers have already seen action for the Tide, and that number will increase by at least one this week when you count Hawley's start.

With a team ERA of 3.30, Alabama ranks fourth in the SEC behind Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Ole Miss.

On the injury front, Gaspard said first baseman Clay Jones is fine after being kicked in his left ankle late in Sunday's 4-3 win.

“He'll practice today, and he'll be ready to go for (Tuesday),” he said.

Ross Wilson was named SEC Player of the Week on Monday after going 7-for-15 during the Tide's four-game sweep against Stony Brook, batting in 10 runs and swatting three home runs. He had two game-winning RBIs in the series and compiled an 1.133 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base mark.

Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron.suttles@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0229.