Alabama Softball 2003 Season Preview
1/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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The old sports clich? "They don't rebuild, they reload," goes hand-in-hand with the 2003 version of the Alabama softball program. While the Tide lost two All-Americans off last year's squad, they added three top recruits, including a member of the USA Junior National team, while two of the freshmen off last year's team received postseason honors including All-American and All-SEC.
Once again Alabama Head Coach Patrick Murphy will need his group of veterans to step up in order to fill the void left by All-American second baseman Suzanne Olcott and two-time All-American pitcher Shelley Laird.
However, this year's team is the strongest in an area than any other team Murphy has had in the past, depth. The 2003 team returns 13 letterwinners off last year's team that was the No. 2 seed in the 2002 NCAA Region VIII Tournament including All-Americans Ashley Courtney and Jackie McClain and All-SEC performers Lacy Prejean and Jaclyn Wilkins.
"The thing that sets this team apart from teams in the past is the depth," said Murphy. "I believe this year's team is the deepest one ever."
If this is the deepest Murphy's bench has ever been, it could serve as a warning for the rest of the conference and the country as he has already directed his teams to an SEC Tournament championship, four NCAA Tournament appearances and a Women's College World Series appearance.
Offensively, Alabama will be loaded as has been the case since the program was born six years ago. Bama returns a .400 hitter and three .300 hitters out of a group that led the SEC in hitting last year and ranked 20th nationally. And all indications point towards the Tide being just as strong offensively this season if not stronger.
"We found what we were lacking last year and that was one or two hitters throughout the lineup," said Murphy. "I definitely think with the three freshmen, all three could be in the lineup at the same time giving us the offensive threat we were missing at times."
The pitching staff, while missing the strong right arm of Laird, has the "Wright Stuff" returning in the circle and has added USA Junior National team pitcher Stephanie VanBrakle.
Junior Erin Wright, who ranked 30th in the country last year in strikeouts per seven innings (8.1), will be the leader on the staff followed by sophomore Jennifer Wright and VanBrakle. However, VanBrakle's abilities will not keep her solely in the circle as she is an accomplished hitter as well.
"We'll see her hitting when she pitches and when she doesn't pitch then we can use her at DP, first or third," said Murphy. "She's somebody that needs to be in the lineup because at anytime she can hit one out. She's too valuable of a weapon to be sitting on the bench."
Defensively, the Alabama outfield could be the strongest in the conference while the infield will see two veterans returning at first base and shortstop while two new faces could take over at third and second.
"Our outfield is going to be better, they're all a lot faster and all four really improved their arms this fall," said Murphy.
The 2003 schedule will be nothing new to the Alabama team as last year's strength of schedule ranked fifth in the country and this year will be no different. Among the Crimson Tide's opponents are perennial powerhouse UCLA, defending National Champion California, and 13 NCAA Tournament participants.
For Alabama fans, the Tide will again be hosting the Bama Bash! and the Crimson Classic while hosting Chattanooga and NCAA Region VIII runner-up Georgia Tech, in addition to its rigorous SEC schedule which includes Auburn and Mississippi State.
The Tide will kick off the 2003 season on January 31 in Los Angeles, CA at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament against UCLA, CS-Fullerton, Loyola and CS-Northridge.
