Alabama Softball Hosts South Alabama Wednesday

April 19, 2016

THIS WEEK

#4/4 ALABAMA (38-8) VS. SOUTH ALABAMA (26-12)

Wednesday, April 20 - 6 p.m. CT
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Rhoads Stadium

FOLLOWING THE TIDE

Video: SEC Network+ (Online Only)
Radio: 95.3 FM / 953thebear.com
Live Stats: rolltide.com
Twitter: @AlabamaSB

SCOUTING ALABAMA (38-8, 10-5 SEC)

Alabama went 3-1 last week, stretching its winning streak to eight games with a win over Southern Miss and two over Texas A&M before dropping the series finale against the Aggies.
The series win over Texas A&M marked the fourth SEC series win of the season for Alabama. Three of the four SEC series wins came against top-25 opponents, including No. 16 Missouri, No. 1 Florida and No. 16 Texas A&M.
The Crimson Tide offense has scored at least seven runs in seven of its last eight games, hitting at least one home run in six of them.
Alabama pitching has allowed the fewest walks of any SEC team (80), averaging just one walk every 3.6 innings.
Wednesday's game vs. South Alabama marks the 32nd and final non-conference game of the regular season for the Crimson Tide. Alabama is 28-3 in non-conference games this season, including a 17-3 mark against teams ranked in the top 100 in the latest RPI.

THE OPPONENT

South Alabama Jaguars (26-12)

Conference: Sun Belt
2015 Record: 40-13
Head Coach: Becky Clark (10th Season)
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/4
Newcomers: 11

Stat Leaders:

Batting Avg. - Emily Messer - .455
Hits - Emily Messer - 61
Home Runs - Amanad Minahan - 4
Wins - Devin Brown - 15
ERA - Devin Brown - 1.51
Strikeouts - Devin Brown - 243

ALL-TIME VS. THE OPPONENT

11-0 vs. South Alabama

Current Streak: Alabama 11
First Meeting: Feb. 8, 2008 - W, 8-1 - Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Last Meeting: Feb. 5, 2015 - W, 2-1 - Mobile, Ala.
Last Meeting in Tuscaloosa: April 2, 2014 - W, 3-0

LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA WINS SERIES OVER TEXAS A&M

Game One - Alabama 8, Texas A&M 3:Alabama softball used a trio of homers to take the series opener on the road over Texas A&M, 8-3. Seven of the eight runs came courtesy of the long ball, including a grand slam by Haylie McCleney and a pair of home runs by Leona Lafaele. The grand slam was the third of McCleney's career, her first since April 17 last year against Auburn, and it was Lafaele's second multi-homer game of the season, first doing so against Grand Canyon on March 18.
Game Two - Alabama 8, Texas A&M 7: The two teams battled it out in a wild game two to open Saturday's doubleheader, with Alabama taking a five-run lead in the top of the seventh only to see the Aggies rally and answer with four of their own in the bottom-half. Ultimately, Alabama held on to earn the narrow 8-7 victory and win the series.
Game Three - Texas A&M 14, Alabama 1 (5 Inn.):Texas A&M rebounded from the loss with a convincing win in game three, avoiding the series sweep with a 14-1 win over Alabama. The 14 runs allowed by the Tide is the second-most in program history. Alabama only scored one run on three hits with an RBI single by Sydney Booker erasing the shutout in the fourth inning.

MCCLENEY DRAFTED BY USSSA PRIDE IN 2016 NPF DRAFT

Alabama senior outfielder Haylie McCleney was selected with the 13th pick in the third round by the USSSA Pride in the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Draft, held Thursday night in Nashville, Tenn. McCleney is the 11th player in program history drafted by the NPF, the first since Kelsi Dunne and Whitney Larsen were selected in 2011. Alabama will play alongside former Alabama All-American Kelly Kretschman with the Pride. Former Alabama players Jaclyn Traina (Scrapyard Dawgs) and Kelley Montalvo (Akron Racers) will also play in the league this upcoming season.

MCCLENEY CLOSING IN ON 300/200/100 CLUB

With eight more hits, Haylie McCleney would become just the fourth player in program history with at least 300 hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases, joining Kelly Kretschman (368/288/133), Brittany Rogers (343/256/198) and Kayla Braud (344/271/182). The four players have combined to earn 14 of Alabama's 49 All-America honors, with Kretschman and Rogers claiming four each and McCleney and Braud claiming three each.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Leona Lafaele hit an even .500 this week and four of her five hits were home runs, giving her a four-game slugging percentage of 1.700. She hit two home runs in Friday's win over Texas A&M, her second multi-homer game of the season. She now leads the team with 42 RBIs and is tied for second with eight home runs.
Reagan Dykes saw her hitting streak end at 11 games, the longest hitting streak for any Alabama player this season. The streak is the fourth-longest for any Tide freshman in program history, the longest since Haylie McCleney hit in 12-straight games as a freshman in 2013.
Merris Schroder hit .375 over four appearances and three starts, scoring four times and driving in three runs. She hit her first career home run in game two over Texas A&M, a two-run shot in the fourth inning that gave Alabama a 3-2 lead in the eventual 8-7 victory.

UP NEXT

#4/4 Alabama (38-8, 10-5 SEC) vs. #11/11 Kentucky (37-9, 13-5 SEC)
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Rhoads Stadium

Friday, April 22 - 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, April 23 - 5 p.m. CT *SEC Network*
Sunday, April 24 - 1:30 p.m. CT

University of Alabama Athletics