Alabama Softball Hopes To Keep Big Mo Going

Even with limited capacity, Rhoads Stadium was rocking last weekend. Alabama capped a successful tournament with a rousing walk-off mercy rule win over LSU. The Tide hopes to carry on the momentum through the season.

ACCOLADES

Kaylee Tow was named SEC Player of the Week and NATIONAL Player of the Week after hitting .786 over the course of the four games. She totaled 11 hits on 14 at bats with nine RBI and 7 runs scored.

Also, today is her birthday!

Alabama is now up to #3/#4 in national rankings. UCLA is consensus #1 followed by Oklahoma. Arizona shares the #3/#4 spot with the Tide.

AROUND THE SEC

After two weeks, only three SEC teams remain unbeaten: Alabama (9-0), Florida (9-0), and Kentucky (9-0). The Gators have recorded five shutouts to date. UK has five run-rule wins. However, neither have faced a Power team thus far this season.

The #8 LSU Tigers weren’t the only ranked SEC team to lose this past weekend.

• #16 Georgia inexcusably fell to Longwood.
• #19 South Carolina was upset by unranked Auburn.
• #20 Arkansas took a loss to McNeese.
• #21 Missouri was handed a 9-8 heartbreaker by Iowa State.
• #22 Mississippi State lost to Southern Illinois in 8 innings.
• Unranked Tennessee went down to Miami-OH.

FREE LESSON

Don’t let your pitchers unnecessarily bat or run bases.

Yesterday, the Bruins played a doubleheader against Cal State Fullerton. It was a bit of a rough start for UCLA in the first game yesterday. In the top of the first, starting pitcher Rachel Garcia left the game in the top of the first after she appeared to have gotten hurt running out an infield single. She never actually threw a pitch in the game. themightybruin.com

MIDWEEK GAME

The Crimson Tide slogged their way to a 7-1 win over UAB (4-5) on Wednesday. With KB Sides out, Patrick Murphy tinkered with the lineup utilizing Jenna Johnson at the leadoff (1 for 2: RBI single, HBP - run). Claire Jenkins and Bailey Dowling again shifted over one spot on defense for Maddie Morgan to start at third. Abby Doerr and Sarah Cornell made up the battery. Murphy reported that Sides is day-to-day with a “tweaked muscle”.

The Tide once again jumped on their opponent early. Super-frosh Dowling fouled off a few pitches before she got one she liked and sent the ball deep over the centerfield wall for a first inning three-run shot. Bama had only five hits for the game but had some productive outs.

Cornell was not dominant in her five innings (3 hits, 1 ER, 1 K, 0 BB, 2 HBP) but got the outs and the win. Oddly, Lexi Kilfoyl was called on to relieve in the sixth over Krystal Goodman who has pitched just one inning this season. But of course, Kilfoyl knocked the Blazers down with no problems, striking out four.

EASTON CRIMSON CLASSIC

This weekend will represent the first five game set for Bama (fingers crossed). It’s probably safe to say that Montana Fouts (4-0) gets the first start. Fouts and Kilfoyl (4-0) should split the starts against UNC. The other two games are less clear but should give fans an idea of what Murphy thinks of his pitching staff.

• Feb 26, Friday DH vs. Memphis 4 p.m. and 6-6:30 p.m. CT
• Feb 27, Saturday DH vs. UNC 11 a.m. and 1-1:30 p.m. CT
• Feb 28, Sunday vs. Troy 1 p.m. CT

MEMPHIS (0-4)

After being trounced by #12 Florida State and #21 Missouri in the opening weekend by the combined score of 5-32, Memphis did not play any games last weekend due to weather concerns in Looziana.

Only four Tigers have recorded hits so far in this campaign. Gracie Morton leads the team in RBI with... two. Memphis has utilized five different pitcher who have a collective ERA of 13.29. They have 29 walks to 15 Ks. Ugh.

NORTH CAROLINA (4-1)

The Tar Heels have had some difficulties getting their season going. Like Louisville, they were supposed to be part of South Carolina’s Carolina Classic. However, that tournament was cancelled due to big scary weather forecasts. UNC did not play their first games until this past weekend which were carried out in front of an empty stadium - a ridiculous policy the University has enacted for the entire season. The Crimson Classic will be their first games in front of fans.

UNC took two from Boston College and two of three versus Syracuse. The Heels have four starters batting .400 or higher and have a team average of .324. North Carolina is much like Bama in that they score a lot runs but do not hit too many home runs. UNC has used only two pitchers this season. In Game 1, Bama will likely meet bonus-year senior Brittany Pickett who is 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA and has compiled 30 strikeouts in three starts. Hannah George (1-1) has an ERA of 3.60 in 15.0 innings and has surrendered a pair of round-trippers.

TROY (10-1)

The Trojans have started out strong including a season-opening win over Ole Miss. Their one loss was to Liberty who we saw firsthand is a scrappy little team. Kelly Horne is hitting .424 and has two homers and 14 RBI. Jade Sinness is at .405 with three round-trippers, 8 RBI and 15 runs scored. Logan Calhoun is batting .483 with 10 runs and has a nine-game hitting streak going. The Trojans team batting average is a healthy .320. They average 6.3 runs per game.

Depending how the weekend unfolds, Bama could face Libby Baker (2-0, ERA 0.30) and/or Leanna Johnson (5-1, 1.27). Troy has a team ERA of 0.80.

TEEVEE

All games will be streamed live on SEC Network Plus. If you have Xfinity TV, do a search for “Alabama Softball”. On desktop and devices, click the link on rolltide.com at or around game time.

#Team25 #RollTide