Crimson Tide Softball Opens Season Out West
2/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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For the third straight season, The University of Alabama softball team will head west to open its season against a Pac-10 power as the Tide travels to Palo Alto, California this weekend to participate in the Stanford Spring Classic.
The sixth ranked Crimson Tide will open the tournament on Friday afternoon against No. 12 ranked Stanford, in a match-up of two NCAA Region VIII teams from last season. However, the two teams never faced each other in the Tuscaloosa based regional.
Bama will also take on the San Jose State Spartans, whom the Tide has never faced in softball.
The trip marks the third straight year and the fifth in program's eight years that Alabama has traveled west to open its season. Last season Alabama opened in the UCLA-hosted Stacy Winsberg Memorial. In 2002 the Crimson Tide opened with a three-game series at Arizona and in 1998 and 1999 Alabama made its season debut in tournaments hosted by Arizona State University.
The Tide's 2004 opener also marks the first time Bama will be without former four-year starters Jennifer Reach (SS) and Lacy Prejean (C). The two former players helped lead Alabama to the Women's College World Series in 2000 and 2003.
Alabama will open play on Friday at 5:00 p.m. against host Stanford. The Tide will then play back-to-back games on Saturday beginning at 10:00 a.m. against San Jose State followed by a 12:00 p.m. rematch against Stanford. Bama will close out on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. against San Jose State. All times are Pacific.
Fans can follow all the games live on NewRock 90.7 FM, WVUA as national award winner Jarrod Shadrick will be calling the play-by-play. Live stats will also be available at www.rolltide.com.
The Crimson Tide will then return to Tuscaloosa to open the home portion of its schedule as it hosts the Bama Bash! beginning Friday, February 13.
