Heading into the weekend at 9-0, most Alabama softball fans were approaching the start of the season with cautious optimism. The Crimson Tide had looked completely dominant, outscoring its opponents 83-9 through nine games, but the competition hadn't been fierce.
That changed this weekend in Tallahassee with two games against a Top 10-ranked Florida State team on the road. What didn't change was the result: Alabama dominated the Seminoles as they had dominated everyone else this season, going 2-0 in the two meetings and outscoring FSU 13-1.
There's no more time for caution: Patrick Murphy has his best team in a few years, and the two wins over Florida State proved just that. This team is good enough to go a long way.
Jocelyn Briski and freshman Vic Moten form a formidable 1-2 punch in the rotation, and Alabama might even have a reliable third arm in Kaitlyn Pallozzi, who tossed a perfect game against Elon on Friday.
Alabama used the long ball to pile it on Florida State in Tallahassee
But the biggest reason for optimism has been a newfound pop in the lineup. The lack of power had been a major Achilles heel the last few seasons. A year ago, Alabama hit just 60 home runs in 58 games. This year, the Crimson Tide is nearly halfway to that total with 29 dingers in 12 games.
Alabama hit seven homers in the two games against Florida State: three in the first game on Friday and four more on Saturday.
In the Crimson Tide's 8-0 win on Friday, Brooke Wells, Alexis Pupilo, and Ana Roman all went yard during an explosive 4th inning.
In the 5-1 win on Saturday, it was two homers by Pupilo sandwiched between home runs by Mari Hubbard and Jena Young.
If that pop continues, and Briski and Moten keep throwing gem after gem, then the sky is the limit for Team 30 in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama finishes its weekend trip to Tallahassee with a game against Dartmouth on Sunday morning. They'll be back at Rhodes for a midweek matchup against UAB on Tuesday and then a weekend series that features games against St. Thomas, USF, and Kent State.