Alabama
Georgia State
Alabama Softball Makes 2018 Home Debut Hosting Easton Bama Bash
2/22/2018 10:14:00 AM | Softball
THIS WEEK: EASTON BAMA BASH
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium
Friday, Feb. 23
- vs. Georgia State (5-6) – 4 p.m. CT
- vs. #9/7 Florida State (9-3) – 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 24
- vs. Northern Iowa (9-2) – 1:30 p.m. CT
- vs. #9/7 Florida State (9-3) – 4 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 25
- vs. Georgia State (5-6) – 1:30 p.m. CT
SCOUTING ALABAMA
- Alabama is 6-1 heading into week three after a 3-1 weekend at the Black and Gold Invitational, defeating Southern Miss, McNeese and Mississippi Valley State before falling to Baylor.
- The Crimson Tide is hitting .359 as a team, which ranks second among SEC teams. Alabama ranks second in slugging percentage (.609) and leads the league in on-base percentage (.477) and fielding percentage (.983).
- Junior Caroline Hardy leads the offense after a stellar weekend at the plate. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native has six hits in 11 at-bats for a .545 batting average with six runs scored and five RBI. She also has a team-leading six walks, good for a .706 on base percentage.
- Alabama pitching has only allowed four runs, three earned, over 39.0 innings pitched this season, which leads the SEC. The Tide boasts a 0.54 team ERA.
- Freshman pitcher Madison Preston has yet to allow an earned run through 11.0 innings pitched. Junior Courtney Gettins has only allowed two through 10.0 innings (0.70 ERA) and senior Alexis Osorio only has two through 18.0 (0.78). Osorio has fanned 22 batters over those 18.0 innings pitched.
- Alabama is ranked No. 10 in the latest USA Today/NFCA poll and No. 13 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. After facing two ranked teams in McNeese and Baylor last weekend, the Tide will play two games against ninth-ranked Florida State this weekend.
LAST TIME OUT: AT BLACK AT GOLD INVITATIONAL
- Alabama went 3-1 last weekend in Hattiesburg, Miss., defeating Southern Miss, #24 McNeese and Mississippi Valley State by a combined score of 33-2 before dropping a hard-fought 2-1 decision to #11 Baylor in the weekend finale.
- The Tide opened its weekend with an 11-1 win over the host Southern Miss Golden Eagles Friday. Alabama hit three home runs in the game, its highest total since the April 1 win at Missouri last season and the first time at least three different players had a home run in a game since the 2017 season opener against Towson. An unearned run in the sixth inning for Southern Miss was the first run scored against the Tide this season.
- Alabama had two more dominant wins on day two in Hattiesburg, defeating 24th-ranked McNeese, 11-1, and Mississippi Valley State, 11-0. Freshman Kaylee Tow was 3-for-5 at the plate between the two games, hitting a three-run home run against the Cowgirls and an RBI triple against the Devilettes.
- The Tide had its first loss of the season Sunday at the Black and Golf Invitational, battling to a 2-1 decision against 11th-ranked Baylor. The Bears took a 2-0 lead on a two-run single in the first but Tow cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the top of the third. Alabama had a pair of runners in scoring position with one out in the seventh inning, but ultimately could not bring home either in the low-scoring pitcher's duel.
SHUTOUT STREAK TO OPEN SEASON
A late run allowed in the sixth inning against Southern Miss last Friday ended Alabama's shutout streak to start the season at 23.0 innings, the second-longest streak in program history.
Longest Start to Season Before Allowing a Run
- 29.2 (2011)
- 23.0 (2018)
- 18.1 (2005)
- 13.1 (2017)
FACING A TOUGH TASK EARLY
The two games against ninth-ranked Florida State this weekend will give Alabama four games against ranked opponents through the first three weeks of the season. That is the third-highest total in program history through the first three weeks. In the 22-year history of Alabama softball, it is just the eighth time the Tide have played four or more ranked games through the first three weeks.
Most Ranked Games Through First Three Weeks of Season
- 7 (2010)
- 5 (2003, 2002, 1999)
- 4 (2018, 2016, 2000, 1997)
HOME SWEET HOME
Alabama makes its home debut this weekend at Rhoads Stadium, the home of the Crimson Tide since 2000. It has proven a sizeable home field advantage for Alabama over the years, as the Tide is 526-86 (.859) all-time at Rhoads Stadium and has never lost more than nine games at home in a season. Alabama has hosted 15 NCAA Regional rounds at the park, including a streak of 13-straight Regional titles in Tuscaloosa, along with series wins in eight of the nine Super Regional rounds it has hosted.
ALABAMA SOFTBALL MAINTAINS TOP-10 RANKING IN WEEK TWO NFCA POLL
Alabama softball maintained its top-10 ranking in the week two USA Today/NFCA poll, coming in at No. 10, while the Crimson Tide dropped to No. 13 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball.
After a 3-1 outing at last weekend's Black and Gold Invitational in Hattiesburg, Miss., Alabama fell one spot in the NFCA poll and four spots in the USA Softball poll. After defeating Southern Miss, McNeese and Mississippi Valley State by a combined score of 33-2, the Crimson Tide had its first loss of the season in a narrow 2-1 contest to Baylor, who moved up to No. 8/10 this week.
All 13 SEC teams are either ranked in the top 25 or are receiving votes. Ranked SEC teams include Florida (#2/1), Texas A&M (#6/9), LSU (#7/8), Alabama (#10/13), Tennessee (#11/11), Auburn (#12/6), Georgia (#14/14), Ole Miss (#16/18), Kentucky (#23/24) and South Carolina (#24/RV). Mississippi State, Arkansas and Missouri are receiving votes outside the top 25 in at least one poll.
UP NEXT
Alabama travels to Birmingham, Ala., Tuesday, Feb. 27 for a 6 p.m. CT game against UAB before heading to Seattle, Wash., for the Husky Classic, hosted by Washington. There, the Tide will play two games against the top-ranked Huskies as well as BYU, Portland State and Northwestern starting Friday, March 2.
