Alabama
Washington
Alabama Softball Hosts Washington for Two Games this Weekend in Tuscaloosa
4/20/2017 3:32:00 PM | Softball
THIS WEEKEND
No. 12/12 Alabama (37-9) vs. No. 9/10 Washington (31-10)
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Rhoads Stadium
- Friday, April 21 - 6 p.m. CT
- Saturday, April 22 - 4:30 p.m. CT
FOLLOWING THE TIDE
- Video: SEC Network+ (Online Only)
- Radio: 93.3 FM (praise933.com)
- Live Stats: rolltide.com
- Twitter: @AlabamaSB
SCOUTING NO. 12/12 ALABAMAÂ (37-9, 10-7 SEC)
- Alabama heads into this weekend coming off a 2-0 midweek victory over Southern Miss on Wednesday. With the win, Alabama is now 37-9 overall and 10-7 in SEC play.
- The Tide comes in at No. 14 in this week's NCAA Rating Percentage Index and is ranked No. 12 in both the USA Today/NFCA poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
- The Crimson Tide is second in the SEC in strikeouts (398), opposing batting average (.166) and hits allowed (177) and is third in walks drawn (203) and fielding percentage (.978). Against SEC opponents, Alabama is second in strikeouts (110) and third in hits (104) and opposing batting average (.212).
- Alexis Osorio leads the league and is fifth nationally with 225 strikeouts, one of two pitchers in the SEC with over 200 strikeouts. Littlejohn is third in the SEC with 150 strikeouts, making Alabama and Florida the only SEC schools to have over 300 strikeouts between two starters. Littlejohn also ranks fourth in the SEC with a 0.98 ERA, one of four in the league with an ERA under 1.00.
THE OPPONENT
Washington Huskies
- Conference: Pac 12
- 2017 Record: 31-10
- Head Coach: Heather Tarr (13th Season)
Washington Stat Leaders
- Batting Avg. - Casey Stangel - .387
- Hits - Casey Stangel - 46
- Home Runs - Stangel/Flores - 9
- Wins - Taran Alvelo - 19
- ERA - Taran Alvelo - 2.28
- Strikeouts - Taran Alvelo – 136
ALL-TIME VS. THE OPPONENT
5-4 vs. Washington
- Current Streak: Alabama 4
- First Meeting: May 26, 2007 - L, 3-4 - Seattle, Wash. (NCAA Super Regional)
- Last Meeting: May 28, 2016 - W, 5-2 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. (NCAA Super Regional)
LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA SHUTS OUT SOUTHERN MISS, 2-0, WEDNESDAY IN TUSCALOOSA
Alabama softball posted its 23rd shutout of the season Wednesday at Rhoads Stadium, defeating Southern Miss, 2-0. For the third-straight week, Alabama posted a midweek shutout behind stellar defense and a great outing in the circle by Madi Moore, who went 6.1 innings with just three hits allowed while Sydney Littlejohn entered to secure the final two outs, earning her first save of the season.
The Tide and Southern Miss were scoreless for the first two innings before a sac fly RBI by Reagan Dykes in the third gave Alabama a 1-0 lead and an RBI single in the fifth by Chandler Dare added another, which ultimately proved final in the slim two-run victory. Alabama missed a handful of scoring opportunities however, leaving nine runners on base.
FAMILIAR FOES
- Alabama has faced Washington nine times in program history, with four of those meetings coming within the last two years.
- Six of the nine meetings have come in the NCAA Tournament. The Tide fell in two games to the Huskies at the 2007 Seattle Super Regional but Alabama has since beat Washington twice in the 2015 Tuscaloosa Regional and twice in the 2016 Tuscaloosa Super Regional.
- Washington previously competed in Tuscaloosa during the regular season at the 2009 Easton Challenge. The teams split two games, each by scores of 6-0.
ZEROES IN THE RUN COLUMN
Wednesday's 2-0 victory over Southern Miss marked the 23rd shutout of the season for Alabama. It is the most shutouts in a season since 2009 and tied for the fourth-most in program history, just three shy of tying the single-season record.
Most Shutouts in a Single Season at Alabama
- 26 - 2009
- 25 - 2001
- 24 - 2006
- 23 - 2017, 2008, 2007
BAILEY HEMPHILL NAMED FINALIST FOR 2017 SCHUTT SPORTS/NFCAÂ FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Alabama freshman catcher Bailey Hemphill has been named one of 25 finalists for the 2017 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year, announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Thursday.
Hemphill, a native of Lafayette, La., has started 45 of the team's 46 games this season, splitting time at catcher and designated player. She is hitting .330 with 35 hits including five doubles, a triple and five home runs along with 30 RBIs and 23 runs scored. Her 43 walks ranks second in the SEC, making her just one of two in the league with over 40 walks. She reached base safely in 22-straight games to start the season, the second-longest streak by a freshman in program history.
TIDE TRENDS
- Alabama is 32-2 this season when scoring first, but the Tide has also come back to win in five of the 12 games in which the opponent scored first.
- Alabama is 21-0 when it scores in the first inning. So far this season, the Tide is outscoring its opponents 38-10 in the first inning.
- The Tide has scored 46 in the third inning this season, more than any other inning. The 91 combined runs in the third and fourth innings account for about 40 percent of Alabama's run output.
- When the offense hits at least one home run, Alabama is 20-0. When the opponent hits two or more home runs, Alabama is 1-4.
- Six of Alabama's nine losses have come via shutout, while the Tide has shut out its opponents in 23 of its 37 wins.
- Alabama is undefeated in midweek games at 11-0, including seven Wednesday wins and four Tuesday wins. Alabama is 10-1 on Friday, 9-4 on Saturday and 7-4 on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Next week, Alabama travels to Birmingham, Ala. to face Samford on Tuesday, April 25 before heading to Oxford, Miss. for a three-game series against Ole Miss starting on Saturday, April 29 at 2 p.m. CT. Sunday and Monday's games against the Rebels will be live on SEC Network.
- Tuesday, April 25 at Samford - 6 p.m. CT - Birmingham, Ala.
- Saturday, April 29 at #18/20 Ole Miss - 2 p.m. CT - Oxford, Miss.
- Sunday, April 30 at #18/20 Ole Miss - 6 p.m. CT - Oxford, Miss. (SEC Network)
- Monday, May 1 at #18/20 Ole Miss - 6 p.m. CT - Oxford, Miss. (SEC Network)
