Alabama Softball: Crimson Tide begins its path to Oklahoma City today

Last season’s WCWS semi-finalist Alabama Softball begins its 2022 season today in Tuscon, AZ. The Crimson Tide finished last season as SEC Tournament Champions, with a record of 52-9 and was No. 3 in the final, national ranking for the 2021 season.

It will be Patrick Murphy’s 24th season as the Alabama Softball head coach in his 26-year coaching career. Murphy has added nine new players to the 2022 roster, including key transfers from Tennessee and Ohio State.

Speaking about the new roster, Murphy said,

"The chemistry is just perfect. I don’t know how they did it. We added nine new kids to 12 returnees, and it’s just been so much fun to coach."

Expectations are high for Murphy’s 2022 team, with the Crimson Tide being ranked as high as No. 2 in the polls. Alabama and Florida are the preseason favorites in the SEC. The Gators have an advantage of hosting the SEC Tournament this season, as Alabama did last season.

Montana Fouts was softball’s Pitcher of the Year last season. Fouts and another Crimson Tide returning player, Kaylee Tow were All-Americans last season. Fouts and Tow were named to the 2022 Preseason All-SEC team.

The Crimson Tide has a busy two weeks ahead, following the trip to Arizona with the Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide will play nine games over the two-weekend stretch. In early March the Tide has another big weekend in Tuscaloosa with games against Texas and Miami-Ohio. The SEC season begins for Alabama on Mar. 11 with a three-game series against LSU in Baton Rouge.

Alabama Softball at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tuscon AZ

• Friday, Feb. 11 at 2:00 PM CST versus Southern Utah
• Saturday, Feb. 12 at 4:30 PM CST versus Oregon State
• Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7:00 PM CST versus Arizona
• Sunday, Feb. 13 at 12:30 PM CST versus New Mexico

The Arizona Wildcats are ranked No. 9 and No. 11 in the preseason polls.

Video streaming for the games will be available on flosoftball.com and pac-12.com. Radio broadcast of the games will be available on FM 97.5.

Alabama Softball Easton Bama Bash, Tuscaloosa, AL

• Friday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 PM CST versus Evansville
• Friday, Feb. 18 at 4:00 PM CST versus Virginia Tech
• Saturday, Feb. 19 at 1:30 PM CST versus Virginia Tech
• Saturday, Feb. 19 at 4:00 PM CST versus Middle Tennessee State
• Sunday, Feb. 20 at 1:30 PM CST versus Middle Tennessee State

Along with Fouts and Tow, Tide pitcher, Lexi Kilfoyl was named to USA Softball’s preseason watch list for the 2022 Player of the Year.