Alabama
Michigan State
Softball Opens 10-Game Homestand This Weekend at Easton Crimson Classic
2/28/2019 11:50:00 AM | Softball
THIS WEEKEND: EASTON CRIMSON CLASSIC
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium
Friday, March 1
- vs. Michigan State – 4 p.m. CT
- vs. Southern Miss – 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 2
- vs. Saint Francis – 1:30 p.m. CT
- vs. Southern Miss – 4 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 3
- vs. Michigan State – 1:30 p.m. CT
SCOUTING ALABAMA
- Alabama is undefeated at 16-0 to start the 2019 season, winning five games at last weekend's Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, including two against then-No. 24 Minnesota, and a midweek road contest at UAB Wednesday
- The 16-0 start is the Crimson Tide's best since 2013, when it won 22 before its first loss
- The Tide moved up to No. 5 in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, while remaining at No. 6 in the USA Today/NFCA poll for the second-straight week
- Freshman Montana Fouts earned her second-consecutive SEC Freshman of the Week award after going 2-0 in the circle with two wins over the Gophers, including the first shutout loss of the season for Minnesota
- Six of the Tide's nine regular starters are hitting above .300, led by junior Bailey Hemphill at .400 (18-for-45)
- Alabama leads the SEC with 39 stolen bases, which ranks ninth nationally
ALL-TIME VS. THE OPPONENTS
Overall vs. Michigan State: 2nd Meeting (Alabama leads 1-0)
- In Tuscaloosa: 1-0 | In East Lansing: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 0-0
- Current Streak: Alabama +1
- Last Meeting: Feb. 16, 2007 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 8-0 (5)
Overall vs. Southern Miss: 14th Meeting (Alabama leads 11-2)
- In Tuscaloosa: 7-0 | In Hattiesburg: 4-1 | At Neutral Sites: 0-1
- Current Streak: Alabama +8
- Last Meeting: April 18, 2018 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 4-2
Overall vs. Saint Francis: First Meeting
LAST TIME OUT: ALBAMA SHUTS OUT UAB WEDNESDAY
Alabama posted its seventh shutout of the season Wednesday night at UAB, defeating the Blazers 8-0 in six innings. Alabama scored in five of the six innings it came to the plate against UAB, including a four-run second inning. The win marks the seventh shutout of the season for the Crimson Tide and its seventh run-rule win. Three players had multi-hit performances, including a pair of home runs from junior Bailey Hemphill. Freshman Skylar Wallace went 2-for-3, hitting her second home run of the season, and senior Reagan Dykes tallied her third two-hit performance of the season. In the circle, junior Sarah Cornell went the distance for the shutout victory, striking out five.
BEST STARTS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
At 16-0, Alabama is off to one of its best starts in program history
Best Starts in Alabama Softball History
- 27-0 (2001)
- 26-0 (2012)
- 25-0 (2007)
- 22-0 (2013)
- 17-0 (2011)
- 17-0 (2008)
- 16-0 (2019)
MONTANA FOUTS EARNS SECOND-STRAIGHT SEC WEEKLY AWARD
- For the second-consecutive week, Alabama freshman pitcher Montana Fouts is the SEC Freshman of the Week
- The Grayson, Ky., native earned a pair of wins over 24th-ranked Minnesota at last weekend's Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, holding the Gophers to two runs over 12.0 innings pitched with 15 strikeouts
- Her complete-game shutout on Friday marked the first shutout loss of the season for Minnesota
- It was Fouts' second-consecutive SEC Freshman of the Week award and the third for Alabama in as many weeks, after sophomore Kaylee Tow was named SEC Player of the Week following opening weekend
- This marks the 21st SEC Freshman of the Week award in program history and makes Fouts the first two-time winner for UA since Demi Turner in 2015
REAGAN DYKES FIVE AWAY FROM CAUGHT STEALING RECORD
- With two runners caught stealing over last weekend's games, Reagan Dykes is now tied with Lacy Prejean (2000-03) for second all-time at UA with 39 career runners caught stealing
- She is five shy of Kendall Dawson's (2009-12) record total of 44
- Dykes' 16 runners caught stealing last year was one off the single-season school record of 17 set by Dawson in 2011
- Dykes, Dawson and Prejean are the only three catchers in school history with at least 16 runners caught stealing in a season
UP NEXT
Next week, Alabama continues its homestand with a pair of midweek contests at Rhoads Stadium, hosting South Alabama Tuesday, March 5 at 5 p.m. CT and Mississippi Valley State Wednesday, March 6 at 6 p.m. CT. The following weekend, the Tide opens conference play with a three-game series against Missouri in Tuscaloosa.
