After recording four straight shutouts last weekend, Alabama gets back in front of fans at Rhoads Stadium for four games in the annual Easton Bama Bash. Although it will not be the rowdy packed houses Bama fans have grown accustomed to, they will be allowing approximately 30 percent seating capacity.
ACCOLADES
#SECSB Pitcher of the Week: @MontanaFouts
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) February 15, 2021
Full release » https://t.co/ja8M3FXl2R. pic.twitter.com/DQOhJF9WgD
Montana Fouts was named SEC Pitcher of the Week. She is currently 2-0 with an 0.00 ERA. In 11 innings over two games, she had 20 strikeouts, allowed one hit, and one walk with no opposing player reaching second base.
Alabama is now up to #5 in two polls and #6 in the other two.
SNARK MUCH?
Was that Tweet directed at me? We don’t ask for much. If our nationally ranked top ten softball team is playing a game and we aren’t allowed in the stadium, all we ask is that we get to see it live on some platform. Thank you for listening!
UPDATED SCHEDULE
- Friday, Feb. 19 vs. Liberty - 3 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Feb. 20 vs. Liberty - 1:30 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Feb. 20 vs. LSU - 4 p.m. CT (non-conference)
- Sunday, Feb. 21 vs. LSU - 1 p.m. CT (non-conference)
- Gardner Webb wussed out.
*** All Games available on SEC NETWORK+. ***
LIBERTY (6-0)
The Flames did it the right way, spending the first week of the season in Florida and racking up five wins against Pitt, MTSU (2), and NMSU (2) before heading north. On Wednesday, they made it six wins with a 3-1 victory at Troy before landing in Tuscaloosa.
Amber Bishop (.444 BA, 2 HR, 6 BB) and Emily Sweat (.333, HR, 8 RBI) have bats to be leery about. Four different pitchers have made starts so far.
Liberty is coached by softball legend Dot Richardson who won Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 1996 and 2000. She was inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame in 2006 and is considered one of the best softball players of all-time.
LSU (3-1)
The Tigers were the preseason favorite to win the SEC before running into a steamroller of #25 (now #18) Duke, losing 8-4. The Tigers’ wins came against McNeese, Kansas and North Dakota.
LSU 3B Amanda Doyle has hit home runs in all four games of the season for a total of five. Her average sits at a blazing .571 and slugging 1.643. Shelbi Sunseri (no immediate relation to the Alabama Sunseri clan) has two round-trippers and a .455 BA. When not batting as the Designated Player (DP), she is also a pitcher (2-0, 0.00 ERA). CF Aliyah Andrews is a potential All-American but has struggled at the plate thus far (3 singles in 12 at bats, 3 Ks, 0 RBI). As a team, the Bayou Bengals have 12 round-trippers, while the Crimson Tide have two.
The Tigers pitching staff is led by Ali Kilponen and Shelby Wickersham though both were roughed up by the Blue Devils.
Beth Torina is back at the helm in her 10th season in Baton Rouge.
* The outcomes of these “friendlies” will not count in the SEC standings.
GARDNER-WEBB (0-0)
The Runnin’ Bulldogs appear to be runnin’ from competition. They have cancelled all games due to the sicky-sick and will not be a part of this weekend’s festivities.