Softball Travels to Birmingham Wednesday to Face UAB - University of Alabama Athletics
Eighth-ranked Alabama (9-5) makes a quick trip to Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 26 to face UAB (8-7) at 6 p.m. CT
The Crimson Tide and the Blazers will face of at 6 p.m. at Mary Bowers Field
THIS WEEK: #8/12 ALABAMA (9-5) AT UAB (8-7)
- Wednesday, Feb. 26
- 6 p.m. CT
- Birmingham, Ala.
- Alabama heads into week four with a 9-5 record after winning all five games at last weekend's Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa
- The Crimson Tide outscored its opponents 51-8 last weekend, including four run-rule victories and three shutouts
- Wednesday's contest at UAB is the lone road game amidst a stretch of 19 home games for Alabama
- Alabama is ranked No. 8 in this week's NFCA poll, No. 10 in this week's D1Softball poll and No. 12 in the USA Softball and Softball America rankings
- This year's roster consists of 13 returnees from last year's SEC Championship squad along with seven newcomers, including six freshmen and graduate transfer Alexis Mack from Oregon
- Head Coach Patrick Murphy, last year's SEC Coach of the Year, returns for his 22nd season at the helm of the Crimson Tide
- Alabama went undefeated last weekend at the Easton Bama Bash, defeating its five opponents by a combined score of 51-8
- Four of the Tide's five wins were in run-rule fashion and three were shutouts
- Alabama scored 10 or more runs three times, defeating Wichita State 13-2, Penn State 14-6 and Louisville 10-0
- The Tide is now 615-112 all-time at home, 560-92 at Rhoads Stadium and 89-11 at the Easton Bama Bash
- Sophomore Skylar Wallace was named the tournament MVP, leading the team with nine runs scored and 12 RBIs. Four of her six hits went for extra bases, including three doubles and a home run. In addition to her six hits, her eight walks pushed her to a team-leading .750 on base percentage over the weekend.
- Junior KB Sides led the team with a .667 average, batting 6-for-9 with six runs scored and eight RBIs. Five of those eight RBIs came in the Feb. 22 win over Louisville, which was the highest total for an Alabama player to that point in the season until junior Maddie Morgan tallied six the next game against Penn State and Wallace drove in five in the weekend finale against Louisville.
- Morgan's six-RBI performance against the Nittany Lions highlighted a great week at the plate, driving in at least one run in four of the five games
- In the circle, sophomore Montana Fouts posted a pair of complete-game shutouts, holding Penn State and Louisville scoreless over 12.0 innings pitched wtih a combined seven runs allowed and two walks with 18 strikeouts
- Senior Bailey Hemphill's 49 career home runs ranks fourth all-time and sits 12 behind Kelly Kretschman's (1998-2001) career record of 60
- Hemphill hit nine home runs her freshman season, improved to 13 as a sophomore and tied the UA single season record last season with 26
- Her power potential also leads to a lot of teams pitching carefully to the slugger, as she has drawn 173 career walks, which ranks third all-time and is 16 away from Haylie McCleney's (2013-16) record total of 199
- Hemphill also owns 180 career RBIs, putting her within striking distance of becoming the third Alabama player with 200 RBIs
- Charlotte Morgan (2007-10) owns the UA record with 264 career RBIs and Kaila Hunt (2011-14) is the only other player to surpass 200, finishing with 215
- After five home games last weekend, 14 of Alabama's next 15 games will also come at Rhoads Stadium
- After Wednesday's game against the Blazers, the Crimson Tide's next road contest is March 20 at Tennessee
- Alabama sports a 615-112 (.846) all-time record at home, including a 579-96 (.858) mark under head coach Patrick Murphy and a 560-92 (.859) record at Rhoads Stadium, the Tide's home field since 2000
- Since Rhoads Stadium opened in 2000, Alabama has won at least 25 home games in 17 of its 20 years there
- Friday, Feb. 28 vs. UT Arlington - 4 p.m. CT
- Friday, Feb. 28 vs. Arizona - 6 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Feb. 29 vs. UT Arlington - 1:30 p.m. CT
- Saturday, Feb. 29 vs. Arizona - 4 p.m. CT
- Sunday, March 1 vs. McNeese - 1:30 p.m. CT
