Baseball preview: Alabama at Troy

• PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS: UA RHP Nathan Kilcrease (0-1, 4.75 ERA) vs. Troy LHP Travis Burge (1-0, 3.00)

• TOP HITTERS: Alabama — RF Kent Matthes (.481, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 11 runs, 4 SB), LF Taylor Dugas (.360, 0-4, 7 runs), 2B Ross Wilson (.355, 1-6); Troy — 3B Brett Henry (.476, 3-10), 1B Ryan Ditthardt (.467, 3-11), LF Miles Hoyle (.429, 1-7)

• COACH JIM WELLS SAYS: “We are playing better. We played much better (last week), obviously than we did in our first three games. We scored a lot of runs in the second game (against Illinois-Chicago), which hopefully gives us some confidence. As a whole, we played better. We hope to get better each and every time out.”

• NOTABLE: Matthes was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week and Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week after hitting .563 with four homers and 11 RBI in four games last week. The senior has homered in five straight games, tying a school record set by Roberto Vaz in 1997 and tied by Aaron Clark in 2001. ... Alabama has won five straight games, though two games in last weekend's series with Illinois-Chicago were called off due to weather. The Crimson Tide swept the Flames in a doubleheader on Saturday, 4-2 and 20-4. ... Senior first baseman Wes Henderson got in his first game action in the latter game, going 3-for-3 with a home run and five RBI after entering the game in the fifth inning. ... Sophomore Jimmy Nelson has emerged as the Crimson Tide's closer of late, and has not allowed a run in five appearances this season. He has stranded seven of eight inherited baserunners this season, and has two saves and one victory. ... Troy has won three of its last four meetings with Alabama, including a pair of extra-inning victories. Troy posted a 7-5, 11-inning win in Tuscaloosa in 2007 and a 5-4, 10-inning win last year in Montgomery. Alabama won 8-2 in Tuscaloosa last season. ... Alabama's visit to Troy will be its first since 1998. The two teams will play on April 7 in Tuscaloosa. ... Today's game will be the first of five straight on the road for Alabama, which will play in the Whataburger Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas, this weekend and at Auburn next Tuesday. The Crimson Tide's next home game will be next Wednesday against Samford.