Alabama baseball announced on Monday that senior righty Sam Finnerty would be the starter for Friday’s season opener against Presbyterian.
Finnerty started 14 games for Alabama as the Crimson Tide’s top starter in 2014, going 4-4 for the team lead in wins. He posted a 4.45 earned run average across 87 innings of work, striking out 29 and allowing 14 walks.
True freshman right-hander Tyler Ras was announced as the starter for the second game. He’s the first true freshman to start the opening series of a season for Alabama since Taylor Guilbeau started against FAU in 2012.
Ras was the top-ranked freshman in Alabama’s 2018 class, ranked as the No. 74 high school prospect in the nation and the No. 27 right-handed pitcher. He was drafted in the 33rd round but chose to attend Alabama instead.
Sunday’s starter remains unannounced. Alabama does return redshirt sophomore Garret Rukes, a lefty who started all 10 SEC series in 2018 as the Sunday starter. He threw 30 innings with a 3.60 ERA, striking out 24 while allowing 14 walks and 26 hits.
There should be ample opportunity for other pitchers to throw during the first week of the season. Starters will need time to be stretched out closer to their midseason work load. Alabama will play five games in Tuscaloosa in six days, facing Jacksonville State and Alabama State on Feb. 19th and 20th, respectively.
