Tuesday, March 19
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
6 p.m. CT
Alabama
vs
Samford
Softball Hosts In-State Foes Samford Tuesday, UAB Wednesday
3/18/2024 1:36:00 PM | Softball
The games begin a four-game home stretch this week for the Crimson Tide
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama (22-5) begins a four-game home stretch with a pair of in-state matchups at Rhoads Stadium this week, hosting Samford (6-19) on Tuesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. CT and UAB (12-15) on Wednesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. CT.
This Week: vs. Samford/UAB
- Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium
- Tuesday, March 19 vs. Samford – 6 p.m. CT
- Wednesday, March 20 vs. UAB – 6 p.m. CT
- Streaming: SECN+
- Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network at 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa | nick975.com
Scouting Alabama
- After a four-game road stretch, Alabama returns home for four this week starting with a pair of midweek games against Samford on Tuesday and UAB on Wednesday
- The Crimson Tide heads into the week at 22-5 overall after falling in two of its three games last weekend at No. 5 Georgia
- Alabama is in the midst of a 14-game stretch that includes 11 ranked matchups: two against Arizona (March 1-2), three against Florida (March 9-11), one at Florida State (March 13), three at Georgia (March 15-17) and two against Virginia Tech (March 22-23)
- Wednesday's game against UAB will already be the third time the Tide and Blazers have met this season, with Alabama winning a pair of games in Birmingham, 8-0 and 15-0, in late February
- Tide pitching is third in the SEC in ERA (1.41), runs allowed (52), earned runs allowed (35), opposing batting average (.180) and hits allowed (111)
- Alabama returns 15 letterwinners from last year's Women's College World Series squad, including 2023 All-SEC honoree Larissa Preuitt, 2023 NFCA All-Region Kenleigh Cahalan, 2023 All-SEC and SEC All-Tournament Team Jenna Johnson and 2022 All-SEC and All-Region Bailey Dowling
- Seven newcomers are on the Tide roster in 2024, including freshmen Lauren Johnson (Franklin, Tenn.) and Jocelyn Briski (Phoenix, Ariz.) and transfers Kayla Beaver (Central Arkansas), Kendal Clark (DMACC), Alea Johnson (LSU), Kinley Pate (Samford) and Riley Valentine (Texas A&M)
Inside the Series
- Overall vs. Samford: 26-2
- In Tuscaloosa: 19-0 | In Birmingham: 7-2 | At Neutral Sites: 0-0
- Current Streak: Alabama +26
- Last Meeting: April 11, 2023 - Birmingham, Ala. - W, 6-2
- Last Meeting in Tuscaloosa: Feb. 22, 2023 - W, 3-2
- Overall vs. UAB: 32-0
- In Tuscaloosa: 16-0 | In Birmingham: 15-0 | At Neutral Sites: 1-0
- Current Streak: Alabama +32
- Last Meeting: Feb. 25, 2024 - Birmingham, Ala. - W, 15-0 (5)
- Last Meeting in Tuscaloosa: March 22, 2023 - W, 12-0 (5)
Last Time Out: at Georgia
- Alabama played its first SEC road series of 2024 last weekend against fifth-ranked Georgia in Athens, falling in the first two games before rallying to win game three, 5-4
- The game three win avoided a series sweep, which would have been Georgia's first over Alabama and the first for the Tide in any SEC series since 2013
- Alabama is now 52-23 all-time vs. Georgia, including a 21-13 mark in Athens
- Kayla Beaver threw her seventh complete game of the season in Sunday's win, striking out the final batter with the bases loaded and the tying run at third base
- All three of Kenleigh Cahalan's hits over the weekend went for extra bases, with two doubles and a solo home run
- The five runs scored in the fourth inning of game three vs. Georgia are the most in an inning in SEC play so far this season for Alabama
Turning Two
- Alabama has turned 13 double plays through 27 games this season, which is six shy of cracking the single-season top 10
- Averaging 0.48 double plays per game so far this season, that rate projects out to between 26 and 27 through a 56 game regular season
- The Tide turned 19 double plays in 2022, its most since hitting the same mark in 2018
- Alabama hasn't reached 20 or more double plays in a season since 2007
Kayla Beaver and Abby Duchscherer earn National Recognition from Softball America and D1 Softball
- Softball America released its updated player position rankings at the beginning of March, with Kayla Beaver at No. 3 on its pitchers list
- Beaver is 9-2 with three saves over 15 appearances this season, including seven complete games and three solo shutouts while striking out 81 batters over 77.0 innings pitched
- Abby Duchscherer came in at No. 5 for first base on both Softball America and D1 Softball's lates position power rankings
- Duchscherer is batting .363 on the season with a team-leading 29 hits, four doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs
Alabama in the SEC Rankings (Top 5)
Team
- ERA - 3rd - 1.41
- Runs Allowed - 3rd - 52
- Earned Runs Allowed - 3rd - 35
- Opposing Batting Avg. - 3rd - .180
- Hits Allowed - 3rd - 111
- Double Plays Turned - 3rd - 13
- Home Runs Allowed - T3rd - 9
- Batters Struck Out- 5th - 182
- Runners Caught Stealing - T5th - 5
Individual
- Hit by Pitch - T2nd - Jenna Johnson - 9
- ERA - 3rd - Kayla Beaver - 0.91
Alabama in SEC Play
- Alabama is 504-201 (.715) all-time in SEC play, including a 469-180 (.723) mark under Head Coach Patrick Murphy
- The Crimson Tide has won six SEC regular season titles (2006, '10, '11, '12, '14 and '19) and six SEC Tournament titles (1998, 2003, '05, '10, '12 and '21)
- Alabama has never had a losing record in conference play, winning 20 or more conference games 11 times
- The Tide is the only team to win the SEC Tournament on its home field, doing so in 2012 and 2021
Sweet Home Alabama
- Alabama sports a 720-138 (.839) all-time record at home, including a 684-122 (.849) mark under Head Coach Patrick Murphy (1999-pres.) and a 665-118 (.849) record at Rhoads Stadium, the Tide's home field since 2000
- Since Rhoads Stadium opened in 2000, Alabama has won at least 25 home games in 20 of its 24 previous years there
Alabama Softball Scheduled for 16 TV Games
- The Crimson Tide is slated to appear 16 times on the ESPN family of networks throughout the 2024 regular season
- Over half of the Crimson Tide's league slate will be nationally televised, including the entirety of the Texas A&M (April 13-15) and Auburn (May 2-4) series
- A non-conference matchup on the road at Florida State on Wednesday, March 13 will also be aired on the ACC Network
- All home games and every SEC road game will also be streamed online through the SEC Network Plus digital platform, available at WatchESPN.com or on the ESPN app
- Additionally, the entirety of the 2024 SEC Softball Tournament will also be aired live on the ESPN family of networks
Alabama 2024 TV Schedule
- Sunday, March 10 vs. Florida - SEC Network
- Monday, March 11 vs. Florida - SEC Network
- Wednesday, March 13 at Florida State - ACC Network
- Saturday, March 16 at Georgia - SEC Network
- Sunday, March 17 at Georgia - SEC Network
- Saturday, April 6 vs. Ole Miss - SEC Network
- Saturday, April 13 vs. Texas A&M - ESPN2
- Sunday, April 14 vs. Texas A&M - ESPN2
- Monday, April 15 vs. Texas A&M - SEC Network
- Saturday, April 20 at Arkansas - SEC Network
- Sunday, April 21 at Arkansas - ESPNU
- Saturday, April 27 vs. Tennessee - ESPN2
- Sunday, April 28 vs. Tennessee - ESPNU
- Thursday, May 2 at Auburn - ESPNU
- Friday, May 3 at Auburn - SEC Network
- Saturday, May 4 at Auburn - SEC Network
Up Next: vs. Virginia Tech (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
- Friday, March 22 - 6 p.m. CT
- Saturday, March 23 - 6 p.m. CT
Players Mentioned
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UTIL
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C
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