Softball Set to Host Easton Challenge
3/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 4, 2010
No. 6/8 ALABAMA (12-3)
Tickets: Brickyard and General Admission Available
TV: WVUA (Gary Harris, Brent Magnuson and Kelley Montalvo)
Radio: WVUA-FM (90.7) - Tuscaloosa (Lake Koelling)
Internet Radio: RollTide.com
Live Stats: RollTide.com
Streaming Video: Tide TV
Easton Challenge Notes
Tournament Central
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 6/8 ranked Alabama softball team (12-3) will welcome three other teams to the Softball Complex for the Easton Challenge. The four team field will feature No. 7 Michigan (10-4), DePaul (6-4) and South Carolina (8-6). A total of eight games will be played this weekend with the tournament starting on Friday, March 5 at 3:30 p.m. with DePaul facing off against South Carolina. Alabama will take on Michigan in the night cap at 6:00 p.m. All Alabama games will be televised by WVUA-TV. Gary Harris, Brent Magnuson and Kelley Montalvo will call the action. The Friday night game will be tape delayed and shown at 10:30 p.m. while the other contests will be broadcasted live from the Alabama Softball Complex.
LAST TIME OUT
Alabama went 4-1 over the weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Alabama continued its hot play at the prestigious tournament, opening the weekend with back-to-back wins over Maryland (4-1) and Iowa (5-4). Alabama then came from a 6-2 deficit in the seventh inning and scored eight runs on the strength of three home runs to down No. 4 ranked Michigan, 10-6. Whitney Larsen collected the big hit with a clutch grand slam off Wolverine All-American Nikki Nemitz. The Tide then run-ruled Nebraska in six innings by the score of 11-3 before getting tripped up on Sunday to UCF, 3-2.
WHO TO WATCH
Alabama freshman Kayla Braud continues to ignite the Tide from the leadoff spot. Braud batted a team-leading .444 (8-for-18) over the week with six runs and four stolen bases. The Eugene, Ore., native also added two RBI and four walks to sport a .545 on base percentage. Braud collected a hit in all but one of the six games over the week and scored at least one run in all but two games. Against Nebraska Braud tallied three runs and reached base in all four at bats, with two hits and two walks. She also swiped two bags in the winning effort over the Huskers.
MORGAN NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Alabama senior Charlotte Morgan (Moreno Valley, Calif.) was named to the ESPN.com NCAA Early Season All-American team the website announced. Morgan was named to the first-team and joins 23 other players on the two squads. Morgan enters her senior season as one of the most decorated players in Alabama history. Earlier this season the utility player broke the Alabama career RBI record when she tallied her 192nd RBI against South Alabama on Feb. 16.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan enters the Easton Classic with a 10-4 record and is coming off a 3-0 victory over Mississippi State on Wednesday. Michigan posted a 3-2 record in its first stop of the extended trip at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Michigan's pitching was solid but somewhat inconsistent over the weekend as the trio combined for a 2.47 ERA, 54 strikeouts, 26 hits allowed and a pair of shutout victories. Junior RHP Jordan Taylor stood out from the pack with a 2-1 effort from the circle, posting a 1.11 ERA with 31 strikeouts. Senior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus extended her hitting streak to a career-best 10 consecutive games, headlining the Wolverines' offense with a .400 (6-for-15) effort at the plate, three RBI, two home runs and seven runs scored. Senior centerfielder Molly Bausher, who matched a career-best three hits in the finale vs. Maryland, went .375 (6-for-16) over the weekend with three runs scored and a double.
SCOUTING DEPAUL
DePaul enters the weekend with a 6-4 record and has won five in a row. The Blue Demons swept the Kickin' Chicken Classic in Conway, S.C., to earn five victories. DePaul is coming off identical 6-2 victories over Canisius and Eastern Kentucky and a 4-0 shutout over Jacksonville. Leading the way offensively for DePaul is Becca Heteniak and Tara Voss. Heteniak, also the team ace, is hitting .417 (10-for-24) with one home run and five RBI. Voss follows with a .353 (6-for-17) average and has added a home run and three RBI. In the circle, Lindsey Dean is 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA and has added seven strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. Heteniak is 3-3 with a 1.65 ERA and has struck out 41 in 34 innings. She is also the reigning Big East Pitcher of the Week.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan: Alabama will once again face Michigan this season as the two teams met last weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Crimson Tide won the game in dramatic fashion as they scored eight runs on the strength of three home runs, including a grand slam to erase a 6-2 deficit in the seventh inning to win 10-6. The Tide is 4-5 all-time against the Wolverines. Michigan beat Alabama in the opening game of the 2009 Women's College World Series.
DePaul: The two teams have met six times with Alabama holding a 4-2 series lead. The two programs last met at the DePaul Invitational on April 29, 2008. The Blue Demons earned a 1-0 victory in eight innings with ace hurler Becca Heteniak allowing two hits and fanning 12 in the complete-game effort.
EASTON CHALLENGE HISTORY
The 2010 Easton Challenge marks the second season of the tournament. The inaugural Easton Challenge featured Alabama, Washington, Georgia and Baylor. Of the four teams that participated in the tournament, three made it to the Women's College World Series. The Huskies won the national championship while the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs were eliminated in the national semifinals. Alabama went 3-1 at the tournament, defeating No. 1 Washington 6-0 and No. 24 Baylor 4-0 and 10-1. The Huskies returned the favor with an identical score of 6-0.
EASTON CHALLENGE COACHES
All three visiting head coaches enter Tuscaloosa with lofty credentials. The trio of Eugene Lenti (DePaul), Carol Hutchins (Michigan) and Joyce Compton (South Carolina) are all members of the NFCA Hall of Fame. Lenti enters the season with 983 wins since 1999 while Hutchins and Compton have both won over 1,000 games.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Tide remain at home to host Liberty in a midweek doubleheader. The two teams will face off on Tuesday, March 9 with first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m. Alabama will then head to Athens, Ga., and open SEC play against Georgia on March 13.
