MADISON- Alabama baseball first-year head coach Rob Vaughn is expecting his team to be hungry for success and will certainly play an exciting brand of baseball in 2024. All of North Alabama will get the chance to see the Crimson Tide and their hungry eyes when the Southeastern Conference Team host Belmont College at Toyota Field Tuesday, March 26. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with first-pitch set for 6:05 p.m.

The visiting Bruins, predicted to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference after finishing seventh last season, hail from Nashville and possess a grand style of baseball that will provide a challenge to the SEC powerhouse Alabama.

“We’re trilled to have the Tide returning to North Alabama,“ said Rocket City Trash Pandas General Manager Garrett Fahrmann as the Double-A team acts as hosts for the intercollegiate game. “The fans brought tremendous energy and packed the ballpark last year, so we’re looking forward to seeing plenty of the crimson color again. We’re just as excited to have Belmont supporters making the short trip down from Nashville, too.”

Last year, Alabama defeated Middle Tennessee 10-4 at Toyota Field on the way to hosting a NCAA Regional in Tuscaloosa and advancing to the Super Regionals. The Tide finished 43-21 overall including 16-14 in SEC play.

The strength of the team should come on the mound as the Tide’s pitching staff is loaded with big, strong, hard throwing athletes. One of whom is Madison’s own Sam Mitchell (RHP, 6-7, 230, Fr.). The freshman is a former Bob Jones pitcher who was rated the No. 12 overall recruit in Alabama and No. 2 right-hander. He was the Bob Jones Most Valuable Player in both his junior and senior seasons and holds the school’s career strikeout record. He was a First-Team All-State selection in 2022 and played in the AHSAA All-Star Game that same year. Mitchell will celebrate his 19^th birthday in mid-April.

Alabama’s Vaughn came to Tuscaloosa last summer after spending six years at Maryland with an overall record of 183-117 winning the Big 10 Championship the last two seasons. He was named the Big 10 Coach of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. He’s now the 33^rd all-time head coach in Alabama history.

Belmont finished the 2023 season 27-33 and 10-7 in conference play.

Tickets start at $8 for general admission and $16 for reserved box seats. In the event of inclement weather, the game would be made up at the same time on Wednesday, March 27.

“The atmosphere was phenomenal last year when the Tide came to town,” said Fahrmann. “We’re looking forward to more of the same from both Alabama and Belmont.”