If you follow Alabama softball, you know one of the more frustrating issues from the last couple of seasons has been a lack of pop in the lineup. The Crimson Tide has had what seem feel is an overreliance on small-ball, and it has held the offense back.
A season ago, Alabama only hit 60 home runs as a team in 58 games, an average of just barely over one per game.
If the first three games of the 2026 season are any indication, that might not be a problem this year.
After smashing seven home runs in Thursday's season-opening shellacking of Villanova, the Crimson Tide hit five more in Friday's doubleheader, helping to produce wins over East Carolina (9-1) and Buzz Classic host Georgia Tech (9-0).
Alabama softball's 12 home runs is a opening weekend program record
With two games left to play on Saturday, Alabama has already set an opening weekend program record for home runs with 12. The previous record was 10, set in back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012. Those two teams combined to go 113-19 in two seasons, and the 2012 team captured the Women's College World Series Championship. It's too early for that kind of talk, but worth noting nonetheless.
Alabama produced two homers in the romp over East Carolina, both coming in an explosive six-run third inning that blew the game open. Ana Roman and Brooke Wells hit a pair of three-run homers in the inning.
Salen Hawkins, Alexis Pupillo, and Marlie Giles all homered in the win over Georgia Tech.
Pupilo, Hawkins, Roman, and Wells all have two dingers on the season, with all going deep in Alabama's 17-0 win over Villanova on Thursday.
Alabama will face Villanova again on Friday in the first leg of a doubleheader to finish out the weekend Buzz Classic in Atlanta. They'll finish up with host Georgia Tech before heading back to Tuscaloosa.
The opening series at Rhoades will be next weekend for the Easton Bama Bash, with Murphy's squad facing games against Purdue, Liberty, and Georgia Southern.