Alabama Heads to College Station for Three-Game Series at Texas A&M

Friday, March 22

College Station, Texas

6 P.M. CT

Alabama

Texas A&M

Photo by: Crimson Tide Photos/UA Athletics

Alabama Heads to College Station for Three-Game Series at Texas A&M

3/21/2019 7:46:00 AM | Softball

Game Notes (PDF)Live Audio (93.3 FM)Friday Live Stats Friday Live Video Saturday Live Stats Saturday Live Stats Sunday Live Stats Sunday Live Video

THIS WEEKEND: NO. 3 ALABAMA (31-0, 3-0 SEC) AT TEXAS A&M (17-11, 1-5 SEC)
College Station, Texas – Davis Diamond

Friday, March 22 – 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 23 – 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 24 – 1 p.m. CT

SCOUTING ALABAMA

Alabama is undefeated at 31-0 to start the 2019 season and is the last remaining undefeated team in college softball
The 31-0 start is the best in program history, beating the previous record of 27-0 from 2001, and is the seventh time in NCAA Division-I history a team has won its first 31 games
Last weekend, the Crimson Tide swept its six games at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii
Alabama moved up to No. 3 in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and remained at No. 4 in the USA Today/NFCA poll for the second straight week
Eight of the Tide's regular starters are hitting above .300, led by sophomore Kaylee Tow at .373. Junior Bailey Hemphill is batting .348 with 13 home runs and an NCAA-best 44 RBIs

ALL-TIME VS. TEXAS A&M

Overall: Alabama leads 14-3
In College Station: 7-2 | In Tuscaloosa: 5-1 | At Neutral Sites: 2-0
Current Streak: Alabama +4
Last Meeting: May 6, 2018 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 5-4 (8 Inn.)
Last Meeting in College Station: April 16, 2016 - L, 1-14 (5 Inn.)

LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA GOES 6-0 IN HAWAII

Alabama swept its six games last week at the Rainbow Wahine Classic, defeating SIUE, Niagara and Hawaii twice
The Tide outscored its opponents 50-14, hitting 12 home runs
The run-rule victories over Niagara, 12-2, and Hawaii, 9-0, give Alabama eight run-rule victories this season
Friday's shutout over tournament host Hawaii marks the ninth shutout of the season for the Tide

BEST STARTS IN NCAA HISTORY
Alabama's 31-0 start to the season is the best in program history and stands as one of the best in Division-I softball history

Best Starts in NCAA Division-I Softball History

Oregon (2017) - 35-0 *WCWS*
UCLA (1999) - 35-0 *National Champion*
UCLA (1992) - 33-0 *National Champion*
Cal (2001) - 32-0 *WCWS*
Alabama (2019) - 31-0
Arizona (2001) - 31-0 *National Champion*
Arizona (1994) - 31-0 *National Champion*

ALABAMA IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

The Tide leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally with 70 stolen bases, averaging 2.26 per game
Alabama paces the conference and is eighth nationally in home runs per game, slugging 46 over 31 games for an average of 1.48 per game
Junior Bailey Hemphill is the national leader with 44 RBIs and is tied for fourth with 13 home runs
Sophomore Kaylee Tow leads the NCAA with 32 walks, averaging 1.03 per game and is 14th with 32 RBIs and 16th with 10 doubles
Freshman Montana Fouts is atop the SEC and ranks eighth nationally with a 0.74 ERA, throwing more innings than four of the seven ranked above her, and her 8.73 strikeout-to-walk ratio is sixth in the country

GRAND SLAMS

After not hitting any grand slams this season, Alabama has hit three over its last seven games
The three over that span already surpasses the entire season totals from 2018 and 2017. Alabama hit four grand slams in 2016
The UA single-season record for grand slams is seven, set in 2015. The Tide hit six in 2008, 2010 and 2011

2019 Alabama Grand Slams

Reagan Dykes vs. Missouri - March 10
Bailey Hemphill vs. Niagara - March 14
Kaylee Tow vs. Niagara - March 15

ALABAMA RANKED NO. 3 IN ESPN.COM/USA SOFTBALL POLL

After an undefeated week in Hawaii, Alabama softball returns to conference play this weekend ranked No. 3 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 4 in the USA Today/NFCA poll
The No. 3 ranking is the Tide's highest in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll since week three of the 2016 season
Alabama is the highest-ranked SEC team in the polls, joined in the top 10 by Tennessee (5/5), Florida (6/7) and LSU (8/6)

UP NEXT
Alabama plays four games in Tuscaloosa next week, hosting Georgia Tech on Wednesday, March 27 at 6 p.m. CT before a three-game series against Mississippi State at Rhoads Stadium beginning Friday, March 29 at 6:30 p.m. CT.