College Baseball Countdown: 57 Days to Go- Sewell-Thomas Stadium

The 2015 season was tough on the Alabama Crimson Tide, both in terms of their results on the field and in terms of the physical toll it undoubtedly took on the team.

Coming into the campaign, hopes were high. The Tide had just come off of a successful 2014 season, finishing 37-24 and advancing to the final of the Tallahassee Regional. Much of that team returned, so expectations were even higher heading into the 2015 season, and the team’s place in the preseason top 25 backed up those expectations.

But, alas, it was not to be, and although they’re unlikely to use it as an excuse for finishing 32-28 overall and 12-18 in the SEC, the logistics associated with the construction being done at their home park, Sewell-Thomas Stadium, might have something to do with it.

Because construction crews were knee-deep in the project during the season, the Crimson Tide were forced to play all of their “home” games away from home. For the most part, they played their home schedule at the Hoover Met, about an hour away, but they also hosted games in Mobile at Hank Aaron Stadium (about three and a half hours away) and at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville (about two and a half hours away).

That amount of travel, just to play home games, had to be taxing.

That won’t be an issue in 2016, however, as the Tide will officially open the new Sewell-Thomas Stadium. “The Joe,” as the stadium is affectionately nicknamed, has undergone quite the face lift and the results are nothing short of stunning. For those so inclined, Alabama has launched a new website, Sewell-Thomas.com, to showcase the new digs.

The college baseball arms race when it comes to facilities, particularly in the SEC, is a very real phenomenon, and with these upgrades, Alabama is fighting fire with fire with a facility that stacks up with any other in the entire nation.

When Alabama takes the field on February 19th, opposite Mike Shawaryn and the Maryland Terrapins, all those in attendance will need to do is look around them to realize that the season on the road was well worth the reward.

If you’re not 100% caught up on our college baseball countdown, do so by working your way over to our index page here.