Softball Prepares to Kickoff Fall Play
10/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oct. 16, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama softball team will hit the field this weekend to begin its brief fall exhibition schedule, with the first of three "Fall Brawls". The Crimson Tide will welcome Georgia Perimeter College and Jacksonville State to the Alabama Softball Complex on Sunday. Admission is five dollars for the three game set.
"Everybody is really excited to play someone different," said head coach Patrick Murphy. "We have had a lot of good practices. I think everyone is working really hard, but I think everyone is ready to play somebody. All the freshmen are chomping at the bit to get going."
Fall Brawl I will feature three games, with each participant facing each other once. Alabama and Georgia Perimeter will start things off at noon, a match up with Georgia Perimeter and Jacksonville State will follow at 2:00 p.m. and the event will conclude with a rematch of last year's NCAA Tuscaloosa Super Regional, when Alabama and Jacksonville State face off at 4:00 p.m.
Jacksonville State is no stranger to the Tide, as the last series played at the Alabama Softball Complex featured the two teams in the Tuscaloosa Super Regional. Tide ace Kelsi Dunne shined in that series, tossing two no-hitters leading Alabama to its sixth Women's College World Series appearance in nine years.
The Crimson Tide went 21-6 last season to capture their third consecutive SEC Western Division title. Alabama earned its 11th straight NCAA tournament bid last year and swept its way through the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional and Super Regional. The Tide tied their longest stay at the WCWS last season winning two games and was only an out away from forcing a play-in game against Florida, to play in the WCWS championship series.
The Alabama newcomers will all be making their first appearance in the crimson and white on Sunday. The freshman class will try to help the Tide fill the holes left from departing seniors Kellie Eubanks, Ashley Holcombe, Kelley Montalvo, Lauren Parker and Brittany Rogers.
Alabama will host Fall Brawls two and three Halloween weekend, when they welcome Chipola College and Wallace State-Hanceville on Saturday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 1, specific game times can be found online at RollTide.com.
