⚾ 🥎 🥎 Opening Weekend leaves the Tide at 4-0 following DH sweep of Louisville.

[RTB.com]

Here's the slate for this weekend:

~ Friday, Feb. 12 at Alabama State - 5 p.m. CT - Montgomery, Ala.
~ Saturday, Feb. 13 vs. Notre Dame - 4:30 p.m. CT - Montgomery, Ala.
~ Sunday, Feb. 14 vs. Louisville (DH) - 12 p.m. CT - Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Friday and Saturday's games will be streamed. You'll want to follow @alabamasb on Twitter or check back here for the link(s) to the live stream. Sunday's game will not be available other than radio. (The radio crew? Fun listen.)

Praise 93.3 – WTSK The Truth – Tuscaloosa Gospel Radio

Praise 93.3 Radio, a Townsquare Media station, plays the best Gospel music in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

praise933.com

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[TerryP]

So you miss softball?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes!

Let me tell you what I'll be watching this weekend, short stop and second base. If you didn't know Claire Jenkins is back (grad student) and I expect her to start the season off playing short. Beside her at second, freshman Bailey Dowling, is one I'm really intrigued with this season. I've entertained the thought of her playing short this season—I'm confident that's her position in the future—and we'll likely see shuffling there as Murph tries different combinations.

Bailey's bat? That's where it's going to be fun. Where does Murph start her in the lineup?

Now, if you're not familiar with Bailey, here's a look at her prep highlights.

• Ranked 2nd in the Extra Inning Elite 100 for the class of 2020
• Two-time Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year
• Three-time FloSoftball, Extra Inning and MaxPreps All-American
• Three-time WCIA Player of the Year
• Three-time First Team All-State
• Illinois career home run record holder

@Brandon Van de Graaff mentioned depth a few days ago in another thread about AlabamaSB. If this was another year—without the eligibility extensions—instead of talking about Jenkins and Dowling we'd be talking about Savannah Woodward in the infield with Bailey. Alexis Mack and Elissa Brown are both grad students in the outfield. And again, we'd be talking about Jenna Johnson. Hell, she started over 20 games last year as a true freshman and she's likely coming off the bench. Literally, two girls here that would be starting in any other year.

Solid lineup. I won't take a stab at batting order but I'm thinking we'll see:

Morgan, Jenkins, Hemphill, and Dowling for the infield to start the season. Outfield looks to be Brown, Mack, with Sides in right field. And with this pitching rotation I really like Abby Doerr behind the plate. I can see her having a breakout year.

 

[TerryP]

Alabama State Sports YouTube channel or live coverage.

https://www.youtube.com/user/AlabamaStAthletics

 

[TerryP]

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I really like Abby Doerr behind the plate. I can see her having a breakout year.

Agree. I've heard Murphy mention at least 3 times in the last 10 days or so in different interviews, that she is night and day a better player from last year. No knock on her last year, as she was thrown into the fire... but will be good to see the strides. Do hope she can stay healthy, that is the one position I'm a little wary of in terms of depth.

 

[TerryP]

Do hope she can stay healthy, that is the one position I'm a little wary of in terms of depth.

He's going to drop Hemphill in for rest. I haven't thought about who goes to first then.

 

[TerryP]

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

He's going to drop Hemphill in for rest. I haven't thought about who goes to first then.

Murphy said the other day, one of her last scrimmages was the best she's ever looked behind the plate. Would think she will get a lot of midweek starts and starts at C against lefties in SEC play. Not sure how healthy KJ Haney is right now. If she gets some PT behind the dish early on, that would be a very good sign.

 

[bama alum]

 

[tider79]

10 - 0 Bama in the 5th

 

[TerryP]

Not sure how healthy KJ Haney is right now.

I think her shoulder surgery last fall is going to lead to a redshirt season for '21.

 

[UA Press Release]

Montana Fouts and Sarah Cornell Combine for Perfect Game to Open Alabama Softball Season - University of Alabama Athletics

Alabama softball got its 2021 season off with a bang Friday night, as Montana Fouts and Sarah Cornell combined to throw a perfect game in a 10-0 five inning shutout over Alabama State.

rolltide.com

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama softball got its 2021 season off with a bang Friday night, as Montana Fouts and Sarah Cornell combined to throw a perfect game in a 10-0 five inning shutout over Alabama State.

The perfect game is the fifth in program history, the first since Alexis Osorio on Feb. 10, 2017 against Coastal Carolina. It is the first no-hitter or perfect game for Fouts and Cornell and the 36th overall no-hitter in Crimson Tide history. Fouts threw 4.0 innings with nine strikeouts while Cornell entered in the bottom of the fifth, retiring the side in order with a pair of Ks and a lineout to right.

Elissa Brown and Jenna Johnson each had two hits, with Brown tying her own single-game school record with four stolen bases. Alexis Mack scored three of Alabama's 10 runs, swiping a pair of stolen bags. Bailey Hemphill and Kaylee Tow each drove in two runs, with one of Tow's coming off a solo home run in the fourth inning.

FROM HEAD COACH PATRICK MURPHY
"It was a great way to start things off. I was really pleased with our pitching staff. Montana gave us an awesome start and Sarah came in and did her job and went right at them. A perfect game and we didn't have any errors obviously. One, two and nine in the lineup were awesome, they got on base all day long and that was what propelled us. I was happy to see Tow get that big home run as well."

HIGHLIGHTS

• Friday's perfect game is the fifth in program history, the first since Alexis Osorio on Feb. 10, 2017 against Coastal Carolina
• Elissa Brown's four stolen bases ties her own single-game school record, which she previously hit on Feb. 23, 2019 against Missouri State
• Alabama has won its season opener in nine of the last 10 seasons
• The Tide improves to 3-0 all-time against Alabama State, with today's game as the first played away from Tuscaloosa

SCORING SUMMARY

• T1st | Bases-loaded walk to Kaylee Tow (1-0, 1 Out)
• T1st | Jenna Johnson hit by a pitch with the bases loaded (2-0, 1 Out)
• T2nd | Bailey Hemphill drove in two on a single through the left side and a third run came home on a throwing error (5-0, 0 Out)
• T3rd | Elissa Brown scored on a KB Sides sacrifice fly to center (6-0, 1 Out)
• T4th | Kaylee Tow pulled a leadoff solo home run down the right field line (7-0, 0 Out)
• T4th | Jenna Johnson scored from third with nobody out on a double play (8-0, 0 Out)
• T5th | A double play attempt came up short as Kyra Lockhart earned the RBI fielder's choice scoring Alexis Mack from third (9-0, 0 Out)
• T5th | A Kayla Davis single through the left side drove in Bailey Dowling from second (10-0, 2 Out)

UP NEXT – ALABAMA VS. NOTRE DAME

• Saturday, Feb. 13 – 4:30 p.m. CT – Montgomery, Ala.

 

[bama alum]

Live stream:

 

[BAMAneck]

Thanks for posting

 

[bama alum]

The last three runs...Abysmal Notre Lame defense. Brian Kelly's influence grows!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Things escalated a tad there in the top of the 5th....

 

[rick4bama]

What these Ladies doing? Going be called the 10 scores Team?

 

[bama alum]

Things escalated a tad there in the top of the 5th....

Yeah! From up 2 - 0 to run-ruling Notre Lame. 2 - 0...In two games, they've only played ten innings and have scored twenty runs. RTR!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]