| BSB/SB đźĄŽ Alabama opens the 2022 season ranked #2 by D1 Softball.



Alabama softball is ranked No. 2 in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball top 25 rankings going into the 2022 season.

In other rankings, the Crimson Tide is ranked No. 3 by Softball America while D1Softball.com places Alabama at No. 2.

Alabama has multiple key returning starters, including reigning NFCA pitcher of the year Montana Fouts, who pitched a 14-strikeout perfect game in the Women’s College World Series against UCLA. The Crimson Tide also returns three-time NFCA All-America infielder Kaylee Tow and 2021 All-SEC Newcomer Team member Lexi Kilfoyl, a junior pitcher.

All three of these key returners have been named to the 2022 USA Softball Player of the Year watchlist. Alabama is one of only six schools to have three players on this year’s watchlist.

Defending national champion Oklahoma sits atop the ESPN.com/USA Softball rankings at No. 1. Other SEC teams in the first poll of the season include No. 5 Florida, No. 9 Arkansas, No.12 Missouri, No. 15 LSU, No. 16 Tennessee, No. 19 Georgia and No. 20 Kentucky.

Alabama is scheduled to play 10 teams ranked in the preseason poll in 2022, with a total of 23 games against such teams: No. 5 Florida (three), No. 6 Florida State (one), No. 8 Texas (two), No. 10 Virginia Tech (two), No. 11 Arizona (one), No. 12 Missouri (three), No. 15 LSU (three), No. 19 Georgia (three), No. 20 Kentucky (three) and No. 23 Louisiana (two). The Crimson Tide finished last season 52-9. Alabama was eliminated by Florida State in the semifinal round of the WCWS.

Alabama will open its 2022 campaign on Feb. 11, vs. Southern Utah in the first round of the Mike Candrea Invitational in Tucson, Arizona.
 
Does anyone have an idea on the starting lineup? I can't keep track of all of them.

OU is consensus #1. It'll be interesting to see how their strength of record runs this season even though it won't matter in the end.
 
Does anyone have an idea on the starting lineup? I can't keep track of all of them.
"...is futile." ($1 to the Borg.)

I believe the first few weeks of this season will be like following the first few weeks of practice with an offensive line in spring camp: we're going to see several different lineups. The two in the infield that can be "penned in" are Tow (1st) and Dowling (SS.) After that?

I like Doerr (Jr.) batting and behind the plate. But, we're also looking at Ally Shipman (SR) who has started right at 100 games when she was in Knoxville.

Prange is like Shipman with the starts (over 100 @ OSU) at 3rd. Who takes 2nd base? 🤷‍♂️ It feels like we'll see at least one freshman in the infield: is it at 2nd?
 
Doerr and Dowling were hitting with my daughter’s hitting coach in Norcross, GA two weeks ago. Those girls can smash! Bloodworth and Goodnight also hit with him. I’ve never seen a girl as fast as Goodnight. She is under 10 seconds home to home. Should be a special season for the ladies!
 
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