Friday, May 5
Oxford, Miss.
6 p.m. CT
Alabama
at
Ole Miss
Alabama Softball Concludes SEC Play on the Road at Ole Miss
5/4/2023 10:15:00 AM | Softball
Game Notes (PDF)Live Audio (97.5 FM)Friday Live StatsFriday Video (SECN+)Saturday Live StatsSaturday Video (SEC Network)Sunday Live StatsSunday Video (SECN+)
The Crimson Tide heads to Oxford for the first time since 2017
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama softball concludes its SEC schedule this weekend with a three-game road series at Ole Miss, beginning Friday, May 5 at 6 p.m. CT. Game two of the weekend series will air live on the SEC Network.
This Weekend: #14/14 Alabama (36-16, 12-9 SEC) at Ole Miss (28-23, 7-14 SEC)
- Oxford, Miss. – Ole Miss Softball Complex
- Friday, May 5 – 6 p.m. CT – SEC Network+ (streaming)
- Saturday, May 6 – 1 p.m. CT – SEC Network
- Sunday, May 7 – 1 p.m. CT – SEC Network+ (streaming)
- Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network at 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa | nick975.com | Varsity App
Scouting Alabama
- Alabama finishes the regular season this weekend on the road with a three-game series at Ole Miss
- Saturday's game will air live on SEC Network with Friday and Sunday's games streaming on SEC Network Plus
- With the top four seeds earning a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament, the Crimson Tide is ranked fifth in the SEC standings heading into the final weekend, only a game behind both Auburn and Arkansas
- Last weekend, Alabama took two of three games against 13th-ranked LSU behind a pair of complete-game shutouts from Montana Fouts, helping her earn SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week accolades
- Kenleigh Cahalan leads the team with 50 hits, with Ally Shipman close behind with 48 as the pair also owns a combined 29 doubles
- Bailey Dowling (43) and Ashley Prange (41) are also in the 40+ hit club on the team, with Prange leading the team in home runs and RBIs (13, 39) and Dowling second in both categories (8, 37)
- The Alabama pitching staff has a 1.92 ERA with 353.1 innings pitched, led by Montana Fouts at 20-8 with a 1.43 ERA and NCAA-leading 277 strikeouts in 186.1 innings pitched
- Murphy is in his 25th season as head coach at Alabama with a 1,229-349 (.779) 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. Ole Miss: 63-6
- In Tuscaloosa: 33-2 | In Oxford: 29-3 | At Neutral Sites: 1-1
- Current Streak: Alabama +4
- Last Meeting: May 8, 2021 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 6-1
- Last Meeting in Oxford: May 1, 2017 - L, 4-5
Last Time Out: vs. LSU
- Alabama took two of three games from LSU last weekend in Tuscaloosa, splitting the first two games before winning Sunday's rubber match to clinch the series
- Since losing the first three-game series between the two teams in Tuscaloosa (2004), the Crimson Tide has since won the next five straight at home against the Tigers (2008, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2023)
- Both wins for Alabama were shutouts, giving the Tide 17 shutout victories this season including eight in SEC play
- Montana Fouts went 2-0 with two complete-game shutouts, allowing just seven hits, all singles, with two walks and 15 strikeouts
- Kenleigh Cahalan, Bailey Dowling and Ashley Prange each hit a home run over the weekend
Alabama in the SEC Rankings (Top 10)
Overall
- Batters Struck Out - Montana Fouts - 1st - 277
- Doubles - Ally Shipman - T1st - 15
- Wins - Montana Fouts - 2nd - 20
- Doubles - Kenleigh Cahalan - 3rd - 14
- Opposing Batting Avg. - Jaala Torrence - 4th - .146
- Earned Run Avg. - Montana Fouts - 7th - 1.43
- Home Runs - Ashley Prange - T8th - 13
- Opposing Batting Avg. - Montana Fouts - 8th - .162
SEC Only
- Batters Struck Out - Montana Fouts - 1st - 127
- Wins-Â Montana Fouts - T1st - 10
- Opposing Batting Avg. - Jaala Torrence - 3rd - .155
- ERA - Montana Fouts - 3rd - 1.12
- Opposing Batting Average - Montana Fouts - 6th - .164
- ERA - Alex Salter - 5th - 1.86
- Stolen Bases - Larissa Preuitt - T9th - 5
Fouts Earns Record Fourth SEC Weekly Accolade
- For the fourth time this season, Alabama fifth-year senior Montana Fouts earned weekly accolades from the Southeastern Conference, sharing SEC Softball Co-Pitcher of the Week honors
- The weekly award is Fouts' fourth this season, tying her season-best total from 2021 which is also tied with Stephanie VanBrakle (2006) for the most Pitcher of the Week awards in a single season for any Crimson Tide pitcher
- Overall, it is Fouts' 17th weekly award of her career, including four Freshman of the Week honors in 2019 and 12 previous Pitcher of the Week awards
- Fouts won a combined five awards in 2019, earning four Freshman of the Week accolades and one Pitcher
- Alabama pitchers have now won a combined 54 SEC Pitcher of the Week awards all-time
Fouts Breaks into Single-Season Strikeout Top 10...Again
- Following the LSU series, Montana Fouts owns an NCAA-leading 277 strikeouts this season, which already beats her season total from last year (262) and ranks 10th all-time at Alabama
- She is one of four UA pitchers to have multiple seasons within the top 10, with her personal best of 349 from 2021 ranking third
- 300 strikeouts this season would make Fouts the third Tide pitcher with multiple 300 strikeout seasons, joining Kelsi Dunne and Stephanie VanBrakle
Alabama Single-Season Strikeouts Top 10
- 1st - 361- Jackie Traina - 2012
- 2nd - 355 - Kelsi Dunne - 2010
- 3rd - 349 - Montana Fouts - 2021
- 4th - 345 - Stephanie VanBrakle - 2006
- 5th - 341 - Stephanie VanBrakle - 2005
- 6th - 334 - Alexis Osorio - 2017
- 7th - 331 - Kelsi Dunne - 2011
- 8th - 310 - Shelley Laird -2000
- 9th - 282 - Shelley Laird - 2002
- 10th - 277 - Montana Fouts - 2023
Moving Up the Career Shutout Rankings
- Montana Fouts' two shutouts over LSU improved her career total to 34, moving her within four of second place Kelsi Dunne and five of Shelly Laird's career record
Alabama Career Shutout Leaders
- 39 - Shelley Laird (1999-02)
- 38 - Kelsi Dunne (2008-11)
- 34 - Montana Fouts (2019-pres.)
- 28 - Alexis Osorio (2015-18)
Fouts Continues to Climb in UA Career Strikeouts
- Montana Fouts continues to inch closer to Alabama strikeout record-holder Kelsi Dunne (2008-11), sitting 84 shy in second place with 1,135
- In the March 14 win over North Alabama, Montana Fouts became the fifth player in program history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts
Alabama Career Strikeout Leaders
- 1,219 - Kelsi Dunne (2008-11)
- 1,135 - Montana Fouts (2019-pres.)
- 1,113 - Stephanie VanBrakle (2003-06)
- 1,063 - Alexis Osorio (2015-18)
- 1,045 - Shelley Laird (1999-2002)
Fouts Career Record Watch
- With 95 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 115 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: 2023 SEC Softball Tournament (Fayetteville, Ark.)
- Tuesday, May 9-Saturday, May 13
- Opponent TBD
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
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