| NEWS Alabama Softball Makes 2019 Home Debut at Easton Bama Bash

[UA Press Release]

Alabama Softball Makes 2019 Home Debut at Easton Bama Bash - University of Alabama Athletics

Sixth-ranked Alabama (10-0) makes its 2019 home debut this weekend, playing five games over three days at the Easton Bama Bash. Action at Rhoads Stadium begins Friday,

rolltide.com

THIS WEEKEND: EASTON BAMA BASH
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium

• Friday, Feb. 22 vs. Missouri State – 3:30 p.m. CT
• Friday, Feb. 22 vs. #24/RV Minnesota – 6 p.m. CT
• Saturday, Feb. 23 vs. Missouri State – 12:30 p.m. CT
• Saturday, Feb. 23 vs. #24/RV Minnesota – 3 p.m. CT
• Sunday, Feb. 24 vs. ULM – 1:30 p.m. CT

SCOUTING ALABAMA

• Alabama is undefeated at 10-0 to start the 2019 season, winning its five games at last weekend's Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., including one against then-No. 9 Arizona
• The 10-0 start is the Crimson Tide's best since 2015. The last time Alabama started better than 10-0 was in 2013, winning 22 before its first loss
• The Tide moved up in this week's national rankings, coming in at No. 6 in the USA Today/NFCA poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll
• Freshman Montana Fouts was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after going 2-0 in the circle with wins over USF and Arizona, allowing just one unearned run over 14.0 innings with 20 strikeouts and no walks
• Seven of the Tide's nine regular starters are hitting above .300, led by sophomore Kaylee Tow at .480 (12-for-25)
• The Alabama offense is second in the SEC in stolen bases (23) and walks (47) and is third in runs scored (82) and runs batted in (75)
• The Tide pitching staff is one of six in the SEC with an ERA under 2.00 and ranks second in opposing batting average (.187) and wins (10)

ALL-TIME VS. THE OPPONENTS
Overall vs. Missouri State: 3rd Meeting (Alabama leads 2-0)

• In Tuscaloosa: 0-0 | In Springfield: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 2-0
• Current Streak: Alabama +2
• Last Meeting: Feb. 19, 2006 - Boca Raton, Fla. - W, 6-0

Overall vs. Minnesota: 4th Meeting (Alabama leads 3-0)

• In Tuscaloosa: 2-0 | In Minneapolis: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 1-0
• Current Streak: Alabama +3
• Last Meeting: May 21, 2017 NCAA Regionals - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 1-0

Overall vs. ULM: 3rd Meeting (Alabama leads 2-0)

• In Tuscaloosa: 2-0 | In Monroe: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 0-0
• Current Streak: Alabama +2
• Last Meeting: March 6, 2016 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 5-0

LAST TIME OUT: HILLENBRAND INVITATIONAL

• Alabama went 5-0 at last weekend's Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., defeating USF, New Mexico, Cal State Fullerton, UIC and host Arizona
• The Tide's win over then-No. 9 Arizona marked its first true road win against a non-conference top-10 opponent during the regular season since defeating then-No. 7 Texas in Austin on Feb. 19, 1999
• The victories over USF and New Mexico were shutouts, giving the Tide five so far this season. Opponents have scored three or more runs only twice in 10 games against Alabama
• The 13-4 win over UIC was the fourth run-rule victory for Alabama this season and its fourth game with 10 or more runs scored

MONTANA FOUTS NAMED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

• Montana Fouts went 2-0 in the circle at the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., pitching a pair of complete-game victories against USF and ninth-ranked Arizona
• The Grayson, Ky., native threw 14.0 innings with just one unearned run allowed on nine hits with 20 strikeouts and no walks
• This is the first weekly conference honor of Fouts' career and is the 20th SEC Freshman of the Week award in program history, with Kaylee Tow as the most-recent recipient on April 9, 2018
• It is the second SEC weekly award in as many weeks for Alabama after Tow was named SEC Player of the Week following opening weekend

BAMA BASH HISTORY

• Alabama holds a 79-11 all-time record at the Easton Bama Bash, hosting the tournament every year but once since 1998
• Minnesota, Missouri State and ULM are all first-time participants in the Easton Bama Bash. ULM previously traveled to Tuscaloosa for the Easton Crimson Classic in 2016, while Minnesota's lone trip to Rhoads Stadium came during the 2017 NCAA Regional round
• Including this year's opponents, the Tide has welcomed 52 different teams to Rhoads Stadium for the Easton Bama Bash

NO FREE PASSES
Freshman Montana Fouts has yet to allow a walk in 27.0 innings pitched to start her career. This is the longest walkless streak to start a career for any Crimson Tide pitcher, more than twice as long as the next-best mark. Only seven other pitchers in UA history did not allow a walk in their first career appearance, but Fouts is the first to go past her second appearance without giving up a free pass.

Most Innings Before Allowing First Career Walk

• Montana Fouts (2019) - 27.0
• Chrissy Owens (2005) - 11.2
• Jackie Traina (2011) - 8.1
• Erin Wright (2001) - 8.1
• Kelsi Dunne (2008) - 8.0??????????????

BAMA ALUM MOLLY FICHTNER RETURNS TO TUSCALOOSA

• Former Crimson Tide standout Molly Fichtner returns to Tuscaloosa this weekend as the first-year head coach at ULM
• Fichtner played two seasons at Alabama (2013-14) following a two-year stint at UTSA
• During her senior season with the Tide, she earned Second Team All-SEC honors and helped lead the team to an SEC regular season championship and an appearance in the WCWS national championship series
• She served as the Tide's volunteer assistant in 2015 before coaching stops at Dartmouth, East Carolina and ULM

ALABAMA RANKED NO. 6 IN BOTH NATIONAL POLLS

• Another 5-0 weekend, including a top-10 road win, helped propel Alabama softball to No. 6 in this week's national polls
• The Crimson Tide moved up to No. 6 in both the USA Today/NFCA poll and ESPN.com/USA Softball poll after defeating its five opponents at last weekend's Hillenbrand Invitational, including then-No. 9 Arizona
• Alabama is one of five undefeated teams in the top 10 and is the second-highest ranked SEC team, only trailing Florida (3/3). Other top-10 SEC teams include Tennessee (7/8), Georgia (8/9) and LSU (9/7)

RACING TO 100
Junior Bailey Hemphill drove in her 100th career RBI in the Feb. 10 win over Troy, a fourth-inning double that sparked a big seven-run inning for the Tide. It was Hemphill's 117th career game, making her the fourth-fastest to reach 100 RBIs in program history

Fewest Games to Reach 100 RBIs

• Charlotte Morgan (2007-10) - 99 games
• Marisa Runyon (2014-17) - 99 games???????
• Kaila Hunt (2011-14) - 114 games
• Bailey Hemphill (2017-pres.) - 117 games
• Jackie McClain (2001-04) - 125 games

UP NEXT
Alabama makes the short trip to Birmingham, Ala., for a midweek matchup against UAB Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. CT before returning home to host the Easton Crimson Classic. Five games over three days are slated to begin Friday, March 1, with the Tide facing off against Michigan State, Southern Miss and Saint Francis.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

How about that march 15 &16 schedule....@ Hawaii....great trip

 

[252BAMA]

Why the ??????????????????

• Kelsi Dunne (2008) - 8.0??????????????
• Marisa Runyon (2014-17) - 99 games???????

 

[TerryP]

Why the ??????????????????

I saw that and could only guess the person who wrote it was making a note to themselves to double check their numbers. I looked over RT.com to see what I could find on Kelsi and all I could see was she made it through five innings in her frosh debut (no runs or walks) and then four innings the next night when she gave up a hit and a walk.