In a highly-anticipated series, Game 1 on Friday night was rained out forcing a double-header on Saturday.
GAME 1: ALABAMA 6, Aurbun 1
What it's all about ❤️ @MontanaFouts pic.twitter.com/IabluVD0Z6
— Kool TV (@KoolHitsSports) April 22, 2023
It was a wonderful celebration for one of the best to ever take to the circle in Tuscaloosa. On Montana Fouts Day, the Tide came primed and ready to play their hated rival. Fouts BFF and battery-mate Ally Shipman went 3-for-3 with a double, home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Her first RBI came when she knocked in Jenna Johnson who doubled before her.
Ship's second hit of the day doubles the Tide's lead!@ally_shipman
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) April 22, 2023
SECN+ | https://t.co/4OD3bjhctr#Team27 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/wokYGAss67
The next RBI came when the Tide catcher hit a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning. In the fifth, the Tide scored three runs on four hits. The most significant hit of that frame was an RBI double by Ashley Prange. But it was not significant for a good reason. The Bama senior had to come out of the game after sliding into second.
After the big inning for the home team, the Tigers finally got on the board when Fouts gave up a solo shot to the first batter of the top of the sixth, Denver Bryant (remember that name). It was only the second War Beagle hit of the day and first multi-base hit. For Bryant, it was her fourth home run and 11th RBI of the season.
Montana Fouts deserves her own day @MontanaFouts | @AlabamaSB pic.twitter.com/GRowiJXBVE
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 22, 2023
Fouts gave up three hits and struck out seven. Following the final out, there was a big lovest for the Tide ace. So now we can all hold hands and skip off into the sunset together, right?
GAME 2: Aubren 5, ALABAMA 1
Nope. There is another game to be played. Stop celebrating and focus... is what Murphy should have said. So, stop me if you have heard this one before: Bama is on a high from a big emotional win and then comes back in the next game and play like crap.
With Prange sidelined and wearing a walking boot, Murphy again had to cobble together a lineup. He had to put Emma Broadfoot at third base and stick his ol’ back-up pitcher project, Lauren Esman, at first base.
Auburn went with ace Maddie Penta in the circle while the Tide gave Alex Salter the start.
In the first inning, Alabama had a double play erased upon video review. The next batter reached on a Kenleigh Cahalan error to put two on. This was followed up by a three-run bomb by ... wait for it ... Denver Bryant. The dinger was her fifth to go with RBIs 12, 13, and 14. In the bottom of the frame, Cahalan singled in run, but that was it for Tide scoring on Saturday.
In the top of 5th, Jaala Torrence entered for Salter. She had a 1-2-3 inning but yielded a solo four-bagger in the next inning. Other than that mistake, Torrence pitched 3.0 innings and one more hit. Bama had three hits in the game and whiffed seven times.
GAME 3: Awburnn 3, ALABAMA 1
Sunday’s game was a showdown of aces between Fouts and Penta. Everything was going fine for Fouts - striking out four of the first eight batters she faced. Unfortunately, the ninth Auburn batter homered for a 0-1 Tide deficit.
In the 4th inning, a groundout scored the only run of the day for the Tide. Meanwhile, strikeouts were piling up on both sides. With two on and two out in the sixth, a single by an Aubie and a double by ... wait for it ... Denver Bryant pushed two more runs across the plate.
Alabama left two runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings. Penta (21-5) struck out eight. Fouts (18-8) took down 11 via the K.
NOTES
*** Lollipop unicorn rainbow chasers, stop reading here lest ye get your feelings hurt! ***
The RBR softball coverage will call them as we see them and will not change because some reader(s) got upset because someone declared Patrick to not be a Saint. We are not going to blow sunshine up your backsides and pretend everything is all unicorns frolicking in a field of gumdrops and lollipops when it is not. If that is the sort of thing you want, there are plenty of sunshine-pumpers out there willing to fill your pretty little head with that sort of malarkey.
- The way this Team27 has looked lately, it might have been too demanding to expect a sweep. However, the Crimson Tide REALLY needed to end the weekend with two wins. Auburn is now 35-14 overall and 11-7 in the SEC with South Carolina up next. Bama is at 34-15 and 10-8 with LSU on deck and their Tide’s best batter on the shelf for the unforeseeable future.
- Once again, Murphy fails to get his team to reboot after a big win and get up for the next game. It feels like an epidemic that has gone on for awhile.
- AU’s Denver Bryant went 0-for-9 last weekend versus LSU.
- The free-swinging Tide struck out 19 times over the weekend and walked only twice,
- In the seventh inning of Game 3, Broadfoot was called out on batter’s interference on a steal by Cahalan.
- Bailey Dowling again played all three games in the field at second base.
- Larissa Preuitt went 0-for-3 in all three games. Emma Broadfoot was 1-for-8. No runs or RBI were recorded for either.
- After her 3-for-3, 3 RBI Game 1, Shipman was hitless in her next six at bats but she had some noisy outs.
- With a won-loss record of 18-8, Fouts equals her loss total from last season (24-8). She has never lost more than eight games in a season ... ... ...
- With 18 strikeouts over the two games, Fouts now has 1,120 in Alabama career whiffs. She passes up Stephanie VanBrakle for 2nd in UA history.
- 1,219 Kelsi Dunne 2008-11
- 1,120 Montana Fouts 2019-pres.
- 1,113 Stephanie VanBrakle 2003-06
- 1,063 Alexis Osorio 2015-18
- There is no word on when Prange may return. When questioned after the doubleheader, Murphy would only share “ankle injury, I don’t know what else.”
- All three games were sellouts.
MVPs
- N/A
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
- Friday, April 28 vs LSU 6 p.m. CT Tuscaloosa, AL - Taco vs. Hot Sauce Night
- Saturday, April 29 vs LSU 1 p.m. CT Tuscaloosa, AL - ESPN2 - Senior Day
- Sunday, April 30 vs LSU 11:30 a.m. CT Tuscaloosa, AL - ESPN2
Poll
How are you feeling about Patrick Murphy?
This poll is closed
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11%
It’s just a down year. He is still an elite coach.
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30%
It’s been a rough year, but he better pick up the slack.
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55%
SO done with him.
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2%
Other (see comments)
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