Friday, March 22
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
6 p.m. CT
Alabama
vs
Virginia Tech
Two Ranked Matchups Await Softball vs. Virginia Tech this Weekend in Tuscaloosa
3/21/2024 2:42:00 PM | Softball
The Crimson Tide and Hokies face off Friday at 6 p.m. CT and Saturday at 1 p.m. CT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 13/15 Alabama (24-5) steps out of conference play this weekend, hosting No. 16/12 Virginia Tech (24-4-1) for a pair of games at Rhoads Stadium on Friday, March 22 at 6 p.m. CT and Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. CT.
This Weekend: #13/15 Alabama (24-5) vs. #16/12 Virginia Tech (24-4-1)
- Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Rhoads Stadium
- Friday, March 22 – 6 p.m. CT
- Saturday, March 23 – 1 p.m. CT
- Streaming: SECN+
- Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network at 97.5 FM in Tuscaloosa | nick975.com
Scouting Alabama
- Alabama will spend its SEC bye weekend with a pair of games against No. 16/12 Virginia Tech at Rhoads Stadium on Friday at 6 p.m. CT and Saturday at 1 p.m. CT
- The Crimson Tide heads into the week at 24-5 overall following a pair of midweek wins against Samford and UAB
- 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)
- Tide pitching is third in the SEC in ERA (1.43), runs allowed (57), earned runs allowed (38), opposing batting average (.179) and hits allowed (118)
- 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. Virginia Tech: 6-0
- In Tuscaloosa: 4-0 | In Blacksburg: 0-0 | At Neutral Sites: 2-0
- Current Streak: Alabama +6
- Last Meeting: Feb. 19, 2022 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - W, 2-0
Last Time Out: vs. Samford/UAB
- Alabama earned a pair of wins over two in-state foes at Rhoads Stadium this week, defeating Samford, 11-2, in five innings on Tuesday before battling to a 4-3 win over UAB on Wednesday
- The Crimson Tide is 22-1 in non-conference games this season with four more remaining on the regular season schedule
- The win over Samford was the fourth this season in which Alabama scored 10 or more runs
- The win over UAB was the Tide's first this season when tied or trailing after five innings
- Jenna Johnson was a combined 3-for-6 with three RBIs in the two games, including a solo home run against the Blazers
- Jocelyn Briski went 2-0 in the circle, striking out 12 batters across 7.0 innings pitched and not allowing a single baserunner to reach in 3.0 relief innings vs. UAB
Tide Trends
- Kenleigh Cahalan is on a season-best five game hit streak, batting 5-for-13 (.385) over that stretch with three runs scored, six RBIs, three doubles and a home run
- Two of Jenna Johnson's three home runs this season have come within the last three games: Sunday at Georgia and Wednesday vs. UAB
- Bailey Dowling has at least one hit in six of the last seven games, including multi-hit performances against Florida State (March 13) and Samford (March 19)
- Two of Kali Heivilin's four multi-hit games this season have come in the last three games: Sunday at Georgia and Wednesday vs. UAB
Turning Two
- Alabama has turned 13 double plays through 29 games this season, which is six shy of cracking the single-season top 10
- 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 .361 on the season with a team-leading 30 hits, five doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs
Alabama in the SEC Rankings (Top 5)
Team
- Batters Struck Out - 2nd - 198
- ERA - 3rd - 1.43
- Opposing Batting Avg. - 3rd - .179
- Hits Allowed - 3rd - 118
- Earned Runs Allowed - 3rd - 38
- Runs Allowed - T3rd - 57
- Hit by Pitch - 3rd - 32
- Double Plays Turned - T3rd - 13
- Runners Caught Stealing - T4th - 6
- Home Runs Allowed - T5th - 10
Individual
- Hit by Pitch - T2nd - Jenna Johnson - 9
- ERA - 5th - 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 722-138 (.840) all-time record at home, including a 686-122 (.849) mark under Head Coach Patrick Murphy (1999-pres.) and a 667-118 (.850) 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: at #RV/23 Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)
- Thursday, March 28 - 5:30 p.m. CT
- Friday, March 29 - 5:30 p.m. CT
- Saturday, March 30 - 1 p.m. CT
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballNCAA Super Regional GM 2 Postgame: Coach Murphy
Saturday, May 24
NCAA Super Regional GM 1 Postgame: Coach Murphy & Kali Heivilin
Friday, May 23
NCAA Super Regional Preview: Patrick Murphy, Jocelyn Briski & Audrey Vandagriff
Thursday, May 22
NCAA Super Regional Preview: Patrick Murphy
Wednesday, May 21
