Weekend Recap: Alabama softball sweeps Trojan Classic
By Chris Dodson
Alabama Softball traveled to Troy, AL for the Trojan Classic to open up the 2019 campaign. The Tide left with five wins and a statement about what this team is looking to accomplish to have a successful season; Offense.
Alabama Softball started off the weekend with a shutout, run-rule 12-0 win over Murray State and an 8-1 victory against Troy. The next day, Alabama run-ruled Maryland 10-0. Following that game, Murray State put up 10 runs on Alabama, but the Tide responded with 16 of its own to take the 16-10 win. Finally, the weekend closed out with an 8-0 win over Troy.
Although it’s early in the season and you don’t want to jump to too many conclusions, Alabama has made one thing very clear this weekend. The offense is will be driving preseason ranked No. 13 Alabama Softball to wins this year.
Bats On Fire
Alabama outscored its opponents 53-11 in just one weekend tournament. Alabama has made it very clear that offense will be key to success this season.
The second game against Murray State is the best example. Alabama softball teams of season’s past wouldn’t usually have 10 runs hung up on them and expect to walk out with a win. However, when Alabama was down 10-7 in the bottom of the sixth, Alabama put up nine runs when four would have done it. This team doesn’t just try to win. They know they will win and they will use every opportunity to seize a win.
This team is tenacious. If the Tide continues to play that way this season, a WCWS berth isn’t even a question. That’s obviously months away from even being thought about, but the team was extremely impressive this year.
However, that is not to say that Alabama’s pitching staff was lackluster either.
Sure, that Murray State game was a low point in the defensive game, but Alabama was pitching did rather well overall through the weekend. Three shutouts in one weekend is nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, the three shutouts were won by three different pitchers, none of them involving the only experienced pitcher in rotation, Courtney Gettins.
Next. On Agendas and Championships. dark
Coming up…
Alabama Softball has one more away tournament. The Tide will head west to Arizona to take part in the Hillenbrand Invitational. The five different opponents over the three day weekend are USF, New Mexico, Cal State Fullerton, Arizona and UIC. After that weekend, the Tide will come home to open up the Rhoades House with the annual Bama Bash tournament.