Alabama Softball Faces A Must Sweep Situation

After a painful weekend in Lexington, Patrick Murphy needs to rally his Alabama troops as a much-improved Texas A&M (25-5) team comes to Tuscaloosa for a three game set. With the brutal schedule that lies ahead (Ark, Fla, ULL, UGA), the Crimson Tide cannot afford anymore flat performances or meltdowns.

Jo Evans is in her 25^th season at the helm of the Aggies and has been in coaching softball at the collegiate level since 1986. She has her team on the right path.

TAMU PITCHING

The Aggies have a strong staff highlighted by Makinzy Herzog who is 9-1 with a 0.73 ERA. She is pretty stingy with the hits, yielding 3.74 per seven innings. However, she also gives up as many hits (36) as walks (33). For perspective, Alabama has allowed 34 bases on balls as a team. Kayla Poynter (7-1, 1.44), Grace Uribe (6-1, 2.49) and Kelsey Broadus (3-2, 1.34) are also capable in the circle. TAMU has a team ERA of 1.44, good for 11th best in the nation.

TAMU BATTING

Catcher Lee Haley is the big bopper on this team. She is hitting .434 with 12 home runs and 27 RBI. Makinzy Herzog is second to Haley in round-trippers (7) and runners knocked in (24). Herzog also leads the team in runs scored (27) and stolen bases (10 of 11). Dani Elder and Shaylee Ackerman have 6 homers each. The Aggies have 41 four-baggers as a team. I am sensing a theme here in Tide opponents...

Bre Warren was named the SEC Player of the Week after a series sweep over No. 23 South Carolina. Warren recorded a .714 batting average with five hits, four runs scored and two RBI. In game one, she went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the first inning to give her squad a 2-0 lead. In the last game of the weekend, Warren went 2-for-2 with her first career home run and then an RBI single in the fifth inning to score the go-ahead run to secure the win.

TAMU FIELDING

Of the 61 runs allowed by the Aggs, 21 are unearned. That is not good. 3B Trinity Cannon has 7 errors. SS Rylen Wiggins has five.

ALABAMA

I hope the Alabama staff is looking at the same stats I am. As long as Autumn Humes’s dad is not behind home plate, it might be a good strategy for the Crimson Tide to be patient at the plate and wreak havoc on the base paths.

SCHEDULE

With no midweek game, the Tide has got to be chomping at the bit to get back on the field. Fortunately, this series starts Thursday.

• Thu (5 p.m.) vs. TAMU - SEC Network
• Fri (5 p.m.) vs. TAMU - SEC Network+
• Sat (11 a.m.) vs. TAMU - SEC Network

#Team25 #RollTide