Saturday, April 22
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
11:30 a.m. CT
Alabama
vs
Auburn
Rivalry Renewed – Alabama vs. Auburn Softball in Tuscaloosa for First Time Since 2017
4/20/2023 10:29:00 AM | Softball
Game Notes (PDF)Live StatsLive Audio (97.5 FM)Friday Video (SECN)Saturday Video (SECN)Sunday Video (ESPN)
The Crimson Tide and Tigers open their three-game series Friday at 8 p.m. CT live on SEC Network
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the first time since 2017, Alabama (33-13, 9-6 SEC) and Auburn (33-13, 9-6 SEC) softball will face off in Tuscaloosa, with the three-game series beginning Friday at 8 p.m. CT at Rhoads Stadium.
This Week: #14/13 Alabama (33-13, 9-6 SEC) vs. #19/21 Auburn (33-13, 9-6 SEC)
- Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium
- Friday/Saturday Video: SEC Network
- Sunday Video: ESPN
- Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network at 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa | nick975.com | Varsity App
- Friday, April 21 – 8 p.m. CT
- Saturday, April 22 – 3 p.m. CT
- Sunday, April 23 – 11:30 a.m. CT
Scouting Alabama
- After five games away from home, Alabama returns to Rhoads Stadium this weekend hosting Auburn for three games
- All three games will be televised, with Friday's and Saturday's games on the SEC Network and Sunday on ESPN
- This will be the first Alabama vs. Auburn series in Tuscaloosa since 2017, with the scheduled 2020 meeting canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic
- Last time out, the Crimson Tide split two games of a Tuesday road doubleheader in Huntington, W. Va., falling to Liberty, 5-3, before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over host Marshall
- Kenleigh Cahalan and Ally Shipman lead the team with 45 hits each, including a combined 27 doubles
- Ashley Prange is tied with Bailey Dowling for third on the team with 39 hits, while Prange leads the squad with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs
- The Alabama pitching staff has a 1.93 ERA with 311.1 innings pitched, led by Montana Fouts at 17-7 with a 1.50 ERA and NCAA-leading 244 strikeouts in 158.1 innings pitched
- Murphy is in his 25th season as head coach at Alabama with a 1,226-346 (.780) record
- Alabama returns 11 players from last year's team, including All-SEC honorees Montana Fouts, Ashley Prange, Ally Shipman and Bailey Dowling, while also welcoming five freshmen and three transfers
Inside the Series
- Overall vs. Auburn: 51-22
- In Tuscaloosa: 26-8 | In Auburn: 19-10 | At Neutral Sites: 6-4
- Current Streak: Alabama +4
- Last Meeting: March 14, 2021 - Auburn, Ala. - W, 4-2
- Last Meeting in Tuscaloosa: May 7, 2017 - W, 3-2
Last Time Out: vs. Liberty/Marshall
- Alabama split its two games Tuesday in Huntington, W. Va., falling to Liberty, 5-3, before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over host Marshall
- The Crimson Tide finishes the regular season with a 24-7 record in non-conference games
- Ally Shipman and Bailey Dowling each had four hits between the two games, with Dowling going 3-for-3 against Liberty and Shipman 3-for-4 against Marshall
- Dowling also had a home run in each game, improving her season total to seven and her RBI total to 34, good for second on the team
- Montana Fouts earned the 15th save of her career against the Flames, putting her one shy of second-place Shelley Laird (1999-2002) and Alexis Osorio (2015-18) in the UA career record books
Alabama in the SEC Rankings (Top 10)
Overall
- Batters Struck Out - Montana Fouts - 1st - 244
- Wins - Montana Fouts - 2nd - 17
- Doubles - Ally Shipman - 2nd - 14
- Doubles - Kenleigh Cahalan - 3rd - 13
- Opposing Batting Avg. - Jaala Torrence - 3rd - .133
- Home Runs - Ashley Prange - 8th - 12
- Opposing Batting Avg. - Montana Fouts - 8th - .159
- Walks - Kenleigh Cahalan - 9th - 29
- Earned Run Avg. - Montana Fouts - 9th - 1.50
- Total Bases - Ashley Prange - T10th - 80
SEC Only
- Batters Struck Out - Montana Fouts - 1st - 94
- Caught Stealing By - Ally Shipman - T2nd - 3
- Wins- Montana Fouts - T1st - 7
- Opposing Batting Avg. - Jaala Torrence - 2nd - .094
- ERA - Montana Fouts - 4th - 1.17
- Opposing Batting Average - Montana Fouts - 6th - .159
- Walks - Ashley Prange - T7th - 10
- Batting Avg. - Jenna Johnson - 10th - .349
Fouts Throws Fourth Career No-Hitter
- Fouts' no-hitter on April 8 vs. South Carolina was the fourth of her career, making her the fifth UA pitcher to throw four or more no-hitters, either solo or combined
- Kelsi Dunne holds the UA record with 10 no-hitters (nine solo, one combined), followed by Alexis Osorio with seven (four solo, three combined), Stephanie VanBrakle with five (all solo) and Fouts (three solo, one combined) tied with Madi Moore (all combined) with four
- It was the 13th seven-inning no hitter in program history and the 13th in conference play
- Fouts is one of just four UA pitchers to throw multiple solo no-hitters in a season, with Sydney Littlejohn doing so in 2015, Stephanie VanBrakle in 2006 and 2004 and Kelsi Dunne in 2008, 2009 and 2011
Multiple Solo No-Hitters in the Same Season
- Stephanie VanBrakle - 3 - 2006
- Kelsi Dunne - 3 - 2009
- Kelsi Dunne - 3 - 2011
- Stephanie VanBrakle - 2 - 2004
- Kelsi Dunne - 2 - 2008
- Sydney Littlejohn - 2 - 2015
- Montana Fouts - 2 - 2023
Extra Innings
- The game one win over South Carolina was Alabama's fifth extra-inning game this season, holding a 4-1 record in those contests
- The four extra-inning wins are tied for the second-most in a season in program history, only trailing a staggering 14-0 extra inning record in 2000
- The four extra-inning wins are the most since 2017, with the last time before that as 2009
- Overall, the Tide is 70-41 (.631) in extra-inning games
Most Extra-Inning Games in a Season (Record)
- 14 - 2000 (14-0)
- 9 - 1999 (3-6)
- 7 - 2001 (4-3)
- 6 - 2017 (4-2)
- 5 - 2023 (4-1), 2019 (3-2), 2009 (4-1), 2007 (3-2), 2006 (3-2), 2004 (3-2)
Moving Up the Career Shutout Rankings
- Montana Fouts' game three win at Mississippi State on Sunday was her 32nd career shutout, moving her within six of second place Kelsi Dunne and seven of Shelly Laird's career record
Alabama Career Shutout Leaders
- 39 - Shelley Laird (1999-02)
- 38 - Kelsi Dunne (2008-11)
- 32 - Montana Fouts (2019-pres.)
- 28 - Alexis Osorio (2015-18)
Fouts Surpasses the 1000 Strikeout Mark
- With two strikeouts in the March 14 win over North Alabama, Montana Fouts became the fifth player in program history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts
- She is now just 11 shy of second place Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06)
Alabama Career Strikeout Leaders
- 1,219 - Kelsi Dunne (2008-11)
- 1,113 - Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06)
- 1,102 - Montana Fouts (2019-pres.)
- 1,063 - Alexis Osorio (2015-18)
- 1,045 - Shelley Laird (1999-2002)
Fouts Career Record Watch
- With 92 career wins, Montana Fouts is fifth all-time at Alabama, with Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06) as the next milestone in fourth place with 97 wins
- Fouts also has 111 career starts, with fourth place VanBrakle as the next-highest on the list with 125
- Fouts has four saves this season, giving her 15 for her career which is one shy of tying Shelley Laird (1999-2002) and Osorio for second all-time at Alabama
Up Next: vs. #15/15 LSU (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
- Friday, April 28 - 6 p.m. CT
- Saturday, April 29 - 1 p.m. CT - ESPN2
- Sunday, April 30 - 12 p.m. CT - ESPN2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
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