Softball to Host UAB Tuesday in Tuscaloosa
3/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
THIS WEEK: #4/5 ALABAMA VS. UAB
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Rhoads Stadium
Tuesday, March 10 - 6 p.m. CT
THE TIDE ON THE AIR
TV (Online Only): SEC Network + (WatchESPN.com)
Play-by-play: Gary Harris, Color: Lauren Sewell
RADIO: 95.3 FM (953thebear.com)
SCOUTING ALABAMA (18-4)
- Alabama opened SEC play last weekend with a shutout sweep over Ole Miss at home, defeating the Rebels by a combined score of 23-0.
- Sophomore Sydney Littlejohn capped the weekend with a perfect game on Sunday, already her second this season. Prior to this year, there had only been one perfect game in program history, making Littlejohn the first Tide pitcher to throw multiple perfect games.
- The three shutouts mark the first time Alabama has won at least three straight shutouts since the 2011 postseason, when they defeated Stanford, 10-0 and 1-0, in the NCAA Super Regional before defeating Cal, 1-0, and Baylor, 3-0, to open play at the Women's College World Series. The last time Alabama shut out an SEC opponent in three games was also in 2011, when the Tide blanked South Carolina 7-0, 7-0 and 1-0 on April 1-3.
- Alabama is led on offense by two time All-American Haylie McCleney, hitting .500 with 32 hits, seven doubles, 17 RBI and 15 stolen bases. She has started all 22 games this season in center field and has batted leadoff in 20 of those 22 games.
- Freshman Alexis Osorio has started the most games (8) and thrown the most innings (50.0) of any Tide pitcher this season. She has struck out 64 batters, which ranks eighth in the SEC.
SCOUTING UAB (18-5)
- After a 6-5 start, the Blazers have since won 12 straight games, including a big upset over 11th-ranked Minnesota at the Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday, March 1.
- During the 12 game winning streak, UAB has outscored its opponents 77-31, including shutouts over Robert Morris, Towson and Minnesota.
- Weather has cost UAB four games so far this season, including a scheduled home date against Alabama on Feb. 17.
- Junior Catilin Attfield leads the Blazer offense in nearly every category, batting .482 with 40 hits and nine doubles. Fellow junior Sara Beth Williamson provides the power with a team-leading six home runs and 24 RBI.
- In the circle, UAB is led by sophomore Cara Goodwin (8-0), who owns a 1.94 ERA and 45 strikeouts over eight undefeated starts.
LAST WEEK: ALABAMA VS. OLE MISS (TUSCALOOSA, ALA.)
- Alabama 6, Ole Miss 0: A first-inning grand slam by Marisa Runyon and a stellar complete game by Alexis Osorio guided Alabama to a 6-0 shutout over Ole Miss in Friday's SEC opener at Rhoads Stadium. Alabama drew a season high 10 walks as the Ole Miss pitching staff struggled to find the zone. Despite the lopsided win, the Tide left plenty of additional opportunities on base, stranding a season high 12 as well.
- Alabama 7, Ole Miss 0: Celebrating her senior day on Saturday, pitcher Leslie Jury helped guide Alabama to a 7-0 shutout win over Ole Miss, clinching the series for the Crimson Tide. Alabama shut out Ole Miss for the second straight game, following a similar formula to Friday's win by scoring early and holding the Rebels at bay with strong pitching. Jury earned the win for the Tide in the circle, throwing a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts and no walks.
- Alabama 10, Ole Miss 0 (5 Innings): The third shutout of the weekend for Alabama was its finest, as sophomore Sydney Littlejohn threw a perfect game against Ole Miss on Sunday, becoming the first player in program history to throw two perfect games. Littlejohn is the only player in Alabama history to throw two perfect games, both of which have come this season. Offensively for the Tide, Danae Hays and Chaunsey Bell were both 2-2 on Sunday with a combined five RBI while Marisa Runyon also drove in a pair on a first-inning double. Five of the Tide's 10 runs were unearned, as some early errors by the Ole Miss defense hurt starter Madi Osias' effort in the circle, as she left after just 1.2 innings pitched.
LITTLEJOHN MAKES UA HISTORY WITH SECOND PERFECT GAME
Sophomore Sydney Littlejohn's second perfect game of the season was a historic moment in Alabama softball history:
- She is the only pitcher in program history to throw multiple perfect games, as there was only one perfect game thrown by an Alabama pitcher prior to her two this season.
- It is the first time an Alabama pitcher has thrown multiple no-hitters in the same season since Kelsi Dunne in 2011.
- Only two other Tide pitchers have thrown multiple no-hitters in the same season: Stephanie VanBrakle and Kelsi Dunne. VanBrakle threw two in 2004 and three in 2006. Dunne threw three in 2009 and three in 2011.
LITTLEJOHN NAMED SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Her historic second perfect game this season helped Sydney Littlejohn earn SEC Pitcher of the Week honors, announced by the Southeastern Conference on Monday:
- It is her second SEC Pitcher of the Week award this season. She earned her first one after throwing her first perfect game at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala., on week one.
- It is the third SEC weekly honor overall for Alabama so far this season, as Haylie McCleney was named SEC Player of the Week following the Stanford Nike Invitational in week two.
- This is Littlejohn's third career conference honor, as her first came last year in the final week of the regular season when she clinched an outright SEC Championship for Alabama to earn SEC Freshman of the Week.
- She is the first Alabama pitcher to earn multiple SEC Pitcher of the Week awards in the same season since Jaclyn Traina in 2012.
Patrick Murphy APPROACHING CAREER WIN #900
Alabama Head Coach Patrick Murphy is just 12 wins shy of career win No. 900, owning an 888-250 (.780) record. He went 28-20 as the interim head coach at Northwest Missouri State in 1995 and has since earned an 860-230 record in 16-plus seasons at the helm of the Crimson Tide. Since taking over as the head coach at Alabama in 1999, he has made 16-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and nine Women's College World Series appearances, including a national championship in 2012. Alabama has won five SEC regular season titles and five SEC Tournament titles as well.
NEXT TIME OUT: ALABAMA AT GEORGIA
Alabama continues SEC play this weekend in Athens, Ga., facing the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs (19-2). Game one is set for a 5 p.m. CT start on Friday, March 13. Games two (Saturday 2 p.m. CT) and three (Sunday 1 p.m. CT) of the weekend series will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
