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Who: Alabama A&M (4-9) vs. University of Alabama-Birmingham (6-5), doubleheader
Where: Regions Field, Birmingham
When:Â 4 p.m. Wednesday
Video: www.uabsports.com/collegesportslive/?media=545649
Live Stats: www.uabsports.com/gametracker
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BIRMINGHAM – The Bulldogs are on their fourth road trip of the young season, returning from a tough series at in-state and conference rival Alabama State over the weekend.
Alabama A&M lost the series 2-1 but Saturday's 5-2 win over ASU was the first Southwestern Athletic Conference loss for the Hornets in 26 games.
The two teams went into extra innings in Sunday's rubber game before Alabama State escaped with a 5-4 win – after leading 3-0 after the first inning.
Today's doubleheader with UAB is rescheduled from Tuesday. The Bulldogs and Blazers were slated to play at Bulldog Field but the game was rained out. They are playing a doubleheader of two seven-inning games. First pitch is 4 p.m.
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BULLDOG BITES
ACE RELIEF: Senior lefthander Brandon Marsonek leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in saves (2), appearances (8), games in relief (7), games finished (5), innings pitched (23.1), batters struck out looking (9) and losses (3); and is second with 25 strikeouts. Marsonek of Pittsburgh, Pa., was named to the All-SWAC preseason first team as a reliever.
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TOTAL (BASES) PACKAGE: Zeth Malcom, a freshman catcher from Hartselle, is the SWAC leader with 22 total bases and two home runs. He's second with a .537 slugging percentage.
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GLOVE OF GOLD: Junior Carson McGregory is picking up where he left off at Marion Military Institute. A first baseman from Deshler, he leads the SWAC with a 1.000 fielding percentage and 90 putouts. At MMI, he was named to the 2016 Alabama Community College Conference Gold Glove Team.
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WE'LL BE BACK: After today's doubleheader, the Bulldogs will return to Regions Field for the Magic City Diamond Classic on April 7. They will play Alabama State in the special event.
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SEASON PREVIEW
Bulldogs feature a blend of veterans and youth
To rebuild a baseball team, you need a blend of veterans and youth at key positions.
A solid nucleus of pitching, fielding and hitting are also essential.
For A&M Head Coach Mitch Hill, the Bulldogs have the elements to help make the upcoming season a successful one.
For his fourth season as head coach, Hill has 11 players back from last year to join 23 new players on The Hill.
Anchoring the team is a trio of players with nationally recognized credentials.
Senior Brandon Marsonek is a preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference first-team pitcher after being named second team All-SWAC last year.
The lefty was tied with former Bulldog Caleb Roberts for most appearances in the league last season with 27 (19th-most nationally).
He was second in the league and 25th in the nation in 2016 with 88 strikeouts - 33 of which were looking which was second in the SWAC. His three saves were fourth in the league and he was second in games finished with 14.
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Among the nearly two dozen new players is freshman pitcher Caleb Gay. He was named by Black College Nines as a "HBCU Top Impact Freshman."
A 6-3, 200-pound righthander, Gay throws about 88-89 mph. He was named Florida Athletic Coaches Association District 5 Player of the Year for class 2A schools last year.
Another newcomer is junior first baseman Carson McGregory from Marion Military Institute.
McGregory played high school baseball at Deshler and, at MMI, was named to the 2016 Alabama Community College Conference Gold Glove Team. The Tuscumbia native had 352 total chances with 334 putouts, 17 assists and only one error.
At the plate, McGregory hit .399 with a .494 on-base percentage and .517 slugging percentage. He had 57 hits in 47 games, including 12 doubles, one triple and one home run. He also drove in 27 runs.
Among the returning starters, Carlton Peppers is back to anchor the Bulldogs' outfield. In 35 games last season, the redshirt junior had 68 putouts and five assists. He batted .265 and drove in 18 runs and had seven doubles. Third baseman Cornelious Woods is the lone returning starting infielder. The senior has a strong arm and is expected to produce at the plate this season.
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 HEAD COACH MITCH HILL
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Coach Mitch Hill enters his fourth year as the head baseball coach at Alabama A&M University. He was the 2014 – 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference's Baseball Coach of the Year.
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Last season the Bulldogs were 13-44, on off year for the team after a pair of 20-plus win seasons.
In 2015, he led the Bulldogs to a school-record 26 wins, the program's second straight 20-plus-win season. It was the most wins since A&M moved up to NCAA Division I in 1999. Also, that season, the Bulldogs had their first major college victories over UAB and Jacksonville State in program history.
In 2016, a trio of Bulldogs - pitchers Brandon Marsonek and Josh Burchell and designated hitter Ty Russell - was named All-SWAC. It was the third-straight year A&M had multiple players honored. There have been 12 Bulldogs named All-SWAC in the last three years and two Hitters of the Year.
Coach Hill began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of North Alabama, his alma mater, under Head Coach Mike Keehn for three seasons. Hill helped guide three Academic All-Americans, three players who went on to sign professional contracts and 12 All-Conference players.
Coach Hill continued his coaching career as an assistant coach at Motlow State Community College and Bevill State Community College.Â
He spent one year at Bevill State Community College as the pitching coach, recruiting coordinator, and infield coach before the athletic program was cut from the college. During that year he had a top three recruiting class in the state of Alabama. He also had three Academic All-Americans and two players who signed letters of intent to continue playing college baseball at the four-year level.
After Bevill, he spent one year at Motlow State Community College in Lynchburg, TN, as the assistant baseball coach under Head Coach Dan McShea. Coach Hill had one JUCO All-American and 16 players go on to sign letters of intent at the four-year level.
Coach Hill lettered and pitched for the UNA Lions from 2002-07 where he earned his bachelor's in physical education and minor in business administration. He also earned his master's in health promotion and human performance.
Coach Hill is a native of Florence and is married to Erin Lynn Hill. They have two sons - Griffin and Bennett. Erin is also a native of Florence and a registered nurse at Huntsville Hospital.
