Precision Pitching Gives Alabama Softball Wins Over Loyola And Valparaiso
By Chris Dodson
It’s become obvious that Alabama Softball’s strong point this season is pitching. The Crimson Tide used that pitching rotation to secure two wins on Tuesday and Wednesday over Loyola and Valparaiso.
Alabama softball is now 21-2 after wins against Loyola and Valparaiso. Next for the Tide is the opening weekend of SEC play against Arkansas.
The star duo of Alexis Osorio and Sydney Littlejohn led Alabama to the two, midweek victories. The pitching staff has proven that it is one of the best in the country. While the Tide’s offense isn’t consistent, that won’t matter if the pitching plays lights-out each game.
No Offense, No Problem
As stated in Monday’s piece, Alabama’s offense has seemed to tick up a bit lately. After a great weekend, it seemed that Alabama finally found it’s groove offensively.
Tuesday’s game vs. Loyola saw five runs come across for Alabama, including a solo home-run from batting-average leader Bailey Hemphill. However, Wednesday’s game against Valparaiso saw just one total run and that came off an error. Whether it’s just simply cold bats or an order that just needs shaking up, Bama’s offense cannot be depended on right now.
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We knew before the season that the Alabama softball, returning pitching rotation would be a Tide strength. That rotation has well exceeded those expectations.
Junior Alexis Osorio started off her season with a perfect game and notched her tenth win on Tuesday. Osorio has 140 strikeouts and that’s due mostly to a signature rise ball that’s leaving batters stunned.
Senior Sydney Littlejohn, meanwhile, has a different game. Her ERA is a staggering 0.24 and has an undefeated record at 8-0.
So does Alabama need a good offense to find success in the SEC season? One thing is for sure: It doesn’t provide much of a safety net should the pitching/defensive game fail.
The Louisiana-LaFayette weekend proved that. It’s not like Alabama won’t face tough pitchers throughout the rest of the season. The Alabama softball SEC season looms large and it will take more than good pitching to succeed.
What About Arkansas?
The Razorbacks pitching staff pales in comparison to Alabama, but it isn’t bad either. Arkansas pitchers Autumn Storms and Grace Moll combine for a 15-1 record. They have three other rotation pitchers, creating a lot of depth if the get in a jam. You can definitely expect to see most of the roster in the circle this weekend at Rhodes Stadium.
Arkansas strength comes from its bats and it will be Alabama’s toughest pitching challenge yet. The Arkansas lineup includes four batters hitting .350 or better. Nichole Schroder is the best of their lineup, with twelve home runs, forty RBI’s and a .526 average.
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The series kicks off on Friday at 6:30 PM CT, with Saturday’s game at 5:00 PM and Sunday’s at 1:30 PM. All games will be on the SEC Network+ on WatchESPN. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.