Second-Ranked Alabama to Host UAB on Wednesday Night
4/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 8, 2014
THIS WEEK
This week, No. 2/3 Alabama (35-5) hosts the UAB Blazers (23-16) on Wednesday, April 9 with first pitch set for just after 6 p.m. CT.
THE TIDE ON THE AIR
RADIO - 95.3 FM (CTSN Network Affiliates)
TV - WVUA-TV
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
Built by Bama Wristband Giveaway
SCOUTING UAB
UAB (23-16, 9-5 C-USA) - Since Alabama and UAB met on Feb. 25, the Blazers have won 20 of last 28 games, sitting in third in the latest Conference USA standings. During that stretch, they are 2-2 against ranked opponents, shutting out then-No. 18 Georgia, 8-0, on March 1 and most recently defeating then-No. 17 Tulsa last weekend, 4-2, though the series finale was ultimately rained out. Sophomore Caitlin Attfield is the sparkplug at the plate, leading the team with a .409 average, 56 hits and nine stolen bases. Senior sisters Kristen and Megan McGrath have provided much of the power in the lineup, combining for 22 home runs and 52 RBI. Senior Leigh Streethman (14-9, 1.78 ERA) leads the pitching staff with 20 starts and 27 appearances, throwing 134.0 innings with 142 strikeouts, 39 walks and 34 earned runs allowed.
SERIES HISTORY
Alabama is undefeated all-time against UAB, winning all 15 meetings against the Blazers. Most recently, the teams played each other earlier this season in Birmingham as the Tide shut out the Blazers, 5-0, behind a complete game in the circle by Leslie Jury with Haylie McCleney and Kaila Hunt each going 3-4 at the plate. The last meeting between the teams in Tuscaloosa was on April 10 of last season, when Alabama run-ruled UAB, 11-0, in six innings thanks to a Leona Lafaele grand slam in the bottom of the sixth that ended the game.
LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA SWEEPS ARKANSAS IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS
Alabama earned its fourth conference sweep of the season last weekend, defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks in three games in less than 24 hours, as games two and three were moved to a Saturday doubleheader due to forecasted rain on Sunday. Arkansas came into the weekend with an SEC-leading .335 team batting average, and Jaclyn Traina set the tone in game one by limiting the Razorbacks to just two hits and one walk while the Tide offense exploded for eight runs to earn the 8-0 run-rule victory in six innings. The bats stayed hot in game two as Alabama only needed five innings, defeating Arkansas 12-1 to secure the series and give Leslie Jury her 13th win of the season. Game three was a much closer affair, as the Tide saw its 4-1 lead start to slip away in the seventh inning with the Razorbacks plating two runs to put the potential tying run at third base. Traina, who had exited the game earlier that inning, reentered and forced a popup to secure the final out and give the Tide the sweep.
LAFAELE LEADING THE WAY
Leona Lafaele was the Tide's main run producer at the plate last week, leading the team with a .545 average and nine RBI off six hits. All nine of those RBI came against Arkansas, as Lafaele single-handedly outscored the entire Razorback offense. She reached base safely in her first eight at-bats against Arkansas, earning five hits and drawing two walks, one of which was intentional. On Friday, she went 3-3 with her first career triple, driving in a career-high four RBI. She nearly matched it in game two on Saturday, going 2-2 with three RBI. She only earned one hit in game three but made it count, driving in a pair off the first-inning single.
J-TRAIN BACK ON TRACK
Senior Jaclyn Traina has been one of the most reliable starters in the country over the last month, winning 12-straight starts to improve her record to 15-3. Her last loss came to McNeese on Feb. 23, but she has since claimed wins in every start including one against then-No. 9 Florida State and two against then-No. 1 Florida. In those 12 starts, she owns a 1.51 ERA with three shutouts and has not allowed any opponent to score more than three earned runs. During the stretch, she has 73 strikeouts to just 32 walks (2.28 K/BB) and has allowed just 49 hits, averaging about four per outing. While she hasn't needed it, the Tide offense has given her more than enough run support, as Alabama outscored its opponents 86-22 over those 12 starts. In addition to her 12 starts, she has been reliable out of the bullpen, throwing 7.1 relief innings since the McNeese loss including a pair of saves against Georgia State and then-No. 11 South Alabama.
SOFTBALL CLIMBS TO NO. 2 IN LASTEST ESPN.COM/USA SOFTBALL POLL
A win over South Alabama and a sweep over Arkansas helped Alabama improve its winning streak to a season-high nine games and move the Crimson Tide to its highest ranking of the season, earning a No. 2 spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and a No. 3 spot in the USA Today/NFCA poll. The Tide jumps two spots in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, moving all the way up to No. 2 from No. 4 last week. Alabama is receiving one first-place vote, while top-ranked Oregon is earning 18 of a possible 20 first-place votes, moving up from No. 3 last week thanks to two wins over UCLA, who swapped spots with the Ducks this week. Two losses in Baton Rouge dropped Tennessee all the way to No. 5, while Michigan jumped the Lady Vols to earn a No. 4 spot this week. Alabama climbed to its highest ranking of the season in the USA Today/NFCA poll, moving up one spot to a No. 3 ranking this week. It is Alabama's highest spot in the poll since March 5, 2013, when the Tide owned the top spot. Alabama is now the highest-ranked SEC team, as Tennessee fell from No. 2 to No. 4 after losing two games to LSU last weekend in Baton Rouge. Oregon jumped to No. 1, earning 30 of a possible 32 first-place votes, after winning two games last weekend at home against UCLA, who fell from the top spot to No. 2 this week. The SEC boasts the most top-25 teams of any conference as eight SEC teams are ranked in both polls: Alabama (2/3), Tennessee (5/4), Florida (8/6), Kentucky (11/11), Georgia (17/13), Missouri (18/16), Auburn (21/20) and Texas A&M (22/21). LSU is still receiving votes in both polls.
NEXT TIME OUT: APRIL 11-13 AT MISSISSIPPI STATE
Alabama continues its SEC slate with a three-game series in Starkville, Miss., against the Mississippi State Bulldogs (30-12, 3-9 SEC). Game one will start at 5 p.m. CT on Friday, April 11, game two will start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 12 and game three will start at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 13. Sunday's game is set to be broadcast on Fox Sports Net.
