Alabama Softball Hosts Hampton Inn Bama Bash!
2/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
 |
|
» Alabama Softball Team Notes
Crimson Tide fans will get their first look at the No. 6 ranked University of Alabama softball team (3-1) this weekend as the Tide opens the home portion of its schedule with the Hampton Inn Bama Bash!
Alabama face off against the likes of Albany, Eastern Kentucky and Lipscomb in the annual tournament with action beginning on Friday at the University of Alabama Softball Complex.
The Crimson Tide is coming off a 3-1 performance in last weekend's Stanford Spring Classic where they split with then No. 12 ranked Stanford and swept San Jose State.
While Bama has faced two of the three teams in the Bash field, all three teams are relatively fresh faces for the Crimson Tide. Bama faced the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in the 2000 season at the UNC Classic and came away with a 14-1 (5) decision in their only meeting. In the 2001 season, the Crimson Tide and the Albany Great Danes met for a doubleheader in WestPoint, New York on the campus of the United States Military Academy. Alabama swept the doubleheader 10-0 (6) and 8-1. Bama and Lipscomb have never played each other in softball.
Alabama has won three consecutive Bama Bash! championships including winning 14 of its last 15 games in the Bash! and 17 of its last 20 in the tournament.
An individual's success the tournament usually spells success for them for the rest of the season as the last four tournament MVPs have gone on to receive All-American honors for the season. Jennie Finch (Arizona) in '00 became a 2000 First Team All-American, Suzanne Olcott (Alabama) in '01 became a 2001 Third Team All-American, Ashley Courtney (Alabama) in '02 became a 2002 First Team All-American and Jackie McClain (Alabama) in '03 became a 2003 Second Team All-American.
In addition to the tournament, on Saturday, former Crimson Tide All-American and current USA Olympic Team member Kelly Kretschman will be signing autographs at the stadium on Saturday beginning at 12:00 p.m.
Due to the weather conditions, all start times are approximate based on the end time of the games preceding it.
Fans can follow all the action live at www.rolltide.com. Live stats will be available for all games and live audio will be available for Alabama games only. Tide fans can also tune into NewRock 90.7 FM WVUA and listen to national award winner Jarrod Shadrick call the action.
