Perennial Softball Powers Meet as Tide Hosts No. 5 LSU
3/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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There will be a lot at stake this weekend when the seventh-ranked University of Alabama softball team (28-6, 9-3) hosts the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers (28-7, 7-4) in a crucial three-game series in SEC play.
Alabama comes into the series with a 1 ˝ game lead over the Tigers for second place while the Auburn Tigers (23-4, 5-1) currently lead the SEC. However, conference records aren't the only thing at stake as the Alabama-LSU series has yearly been the most anticipated series in the SEC and many times has had national implications.
Both the Tide and the Tigers are currently coming off disappointing SEC series performances. Alabama dropped two of three games to the Florida Gators in a mid-week series earlier in the week while the Tigers dropped two of three games in Baton Rouge last weekend to the Georgia Bulldogs.
LSU leads the all-time series with the Crimson Tide, holding a 20-15 edge over Alabama. The Tide has won three of the last four meetings, including two wins in last seasons SEC Tournament, but the teams have split the last 10 meetings, each posting five wins. Bama does hold a 6-5 advantage over LSU in Tuscaloosa.
The two teams currently rank as the top two power teams in the conference, LSU leading the SEC with 41 home runs while Bama ranks second with 33.
Jackie McClain and Dominique Accetturo will lead the Alabama offensive attack, ranking sixth (McClain, .404) and ninth (Accetturo, .376) in the conference in hitting while Bama's pitching staff resembles that of a three-headed monster. Sophomore Stephanie VanBrakle leads the team and ranks seventh in the SEC with 133 strikeouts. Junior Jennifer Wright leads the team and ranks 11th in the SEC in ERA with a 1.06 mark. Senior Erin Wright leads the team and ranks fifth in the conference with 11 wins.
The two teams will square-off with a doubleheader on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1:07 p.m. It will be televised live on SEC-TV.
Fans can follow all the action at www.rolltide.com where national-award winner Jarrod Shadrick will call all the balls and strikes along with broadcast partner Chad Anderson. The broadcast will also air in Tuscaloosa on New Rock 90.7 FM, WVUA. Live stats will also be available at www.rolltide.com.
