Alabama Softball: Crimson Tide crosses the Pacific for chance to go 31-0
By Ronald Evans
Alabama softball is off to a stunning 25-0 start to the 2019 season. The near record-breaking start can go higher with six games in Hawaii this week.
For anyone who has not noticed, it is time to pay attention. Alabama softball is really, really good this season. So good some are saying this Crimson Tide could become Patrick Murphy’s best team.
At 25-0 and 3-0 in SEC play, this Alabama softball team is nearing an all-time record and one that could be set in the next few days. The Crimson Tide is in Honolulu, Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine Classic. The Classic field includes Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Niagra and the host team, Hawaii. The Crimson Tide opens with SIUE Wednesday at 6:00 PM CST.
Alabama softball is currently ranked No. 4 in both the USA Today and ESPN polls. The Tide is the highest ranked SEC team. Other ranked SEC teams in the polls’ top ten are Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and LSU.
The school record for undefeated starts was set in 2001 when the Crimson Tide opened 27-0. After opening with SIUE, the Crimson Tide will play Niagra and SIUE again on Thursday. Niagra is winless so far this season. SIUE is 7-7. The Crimson Tide should be heavily favored in the first three games and if the results match current form, by Thursday night the Crimson Tide will be a record-setting 28-0. UPDATED – The Crimson Tide beat SIUE to reach 26-0. SECOND UPDATE – The Tide beat Niagra 9-3 to tie the season-opening record of 27-0 set in 2001.
THIRD UPDATE – The Crimson Tide beat SIUE again to set a new record of 28-0.
FOURTH UPDATE – After two more wins in Hawaii, the Crimson Tide is now 30-0.
https://twitter.com/UA_Athletics/status/1106406400975089664
The Crimson Tide will play Niagra and Hawaii on Friday and finish the tournament with a game against Hawaii on Saturday. Hawaii is 16-6 on the season.
Alabama softball has been boosted by a combination of great pitching and good hitting this season. The ace in the circle is Montana Fouts. Fouts has been named SEC Freshman of the Week three times this season.
Check out this stats from rolltide.com on Fouts and some of her impressive teammates.
- Fouts is third in the SEC with a 0.74 ERA and fourth with 83 strikeouts
- Junior pitcher, Sarah Cornell ranks 7th in the SEC with a 1.13 ERA
- Seven of the Tide’s nine regular starters are hitting above .300, led by sophomore Kaylee Tow at .393
- Junior Bailey Hemphill is hitting .342 with a team-leading 11 home runs and 34 RBIs
- Alabama is second in the SEC and seventh nationally with 55 stolen bases
Patrick Murphy has consistently had good pitching in his Alabama teams. In recent seasons, inconsistent hitting, lack of speed on the bases and defensive breakdowns have plagued the Tide. This season, the Tide has great pitching again and the past weaknesses appear to have all been corrected.
Tide head coach Patrick Murphy reached a career milestone in the opening SEC game of the season. The victory over Missouri gave Murphy 400 wins in his career. No other current SEC coaches have reached the 300 win plateau.