Alabama Softball Moves Up In Rankings As They Face a Familiar Foe

The SEC Tournament is well under way for nine teams with five squads already eliminated in the single-game elimination format. As the second seed, Alabama had a bye and face the Missouri Tigers today at 1:30 p.m. CT.

RANKINGS

Thanks to some serious meltdown chaos in several locations across the country, Alabama has climbed back up in the national rankings. UCLA, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Washington, and Arizona State all took it on the nose over the weekend.

Even with these rankings, the Crimson Tide could be punished in the NCAA Tournament seedings should they lose to an unranked team.

SEC TOURNEY SCORES

Texas A&M 5, South Carolina 3 - SC eliminated
Mississippi State 7, LSU 4 (9 innings) - LSU eliminated
Missouri 1, Auburn 0 - Aub eliminated
Florida 4, Texas A&M 1 - TAMU eliminated
Ole Miss 9, Georgia 5- UGA eliminated

TODAY’S GAMES

[All times CT]

Game 6: Tennessee vs. MSU 11 a.m.
Game 7: Alabama vs. Mizz 1:30 p.m.
Game 8: Kentucky vs. Florida 4 p.m.
Game 9: Arkansas vs. Ole Miss Georgia 6:30 p.m.

HOW TO WATCH... ALLEGEDLY

Today’s round will be aired on the SEC Network. The Semis and Final will be on ESPN2. I am happy to announce that all the games are being called by Kevin Brown and Amanda Scarborough with former basketball player Andraya Carter doing God knows what for God knows what reason.

SECN also has a command center that includes a panel of former Bama star Kayla Braud, Madison Shipman (Ally’s sister and biggest fan), and Alyssa Lang.

MIZZOU

It’s good news for the Bama staff in that they don’t have to work too hard to scout their next opponent since these two teams just concluded a three-game set four days ago.

PITCHING

On Wednesday, the Tigers got a big performance from Jordan Weber who allowed only four singles in a complete game shutout against Auburn. She started Games 1 and 3 against the Tide last weekend. Laurin Krings pitched Game 2 in that series. Coach Larissa Anderson will have a tough choice as to who to put in the circle against Alabama. It seems likely that Anderson rides the hot streak of Weber.

The Crimson Tide will obviously go with their one and only pitcher.

OFFENSE

Against Auburn, Missouri managed only three hits and struck out 11 times. The only run of the game was a two out double by Jenna Laird who knocked in a teammate who had walked and took second on a wild pitch.

As mentioned in last week’s preview, Mizzou has four batters with double digit home runs. Slugger Kimberly Wert hit one of two round-trippers in the Alabama series. She also had a double in six at bats, but Bama coach Patrick Murphy opted to intentionally walk her four times over the three games. Kendyll Bailey hit the other home run, a solo shot, but it was her only hit of the weekend. Brooke Wilmes was 4 for 10 but had no RBI and scored once. Leadoff hitter Laird was also 4 for 10 and scored twice.

Wert was the only Tiger to not strike out at least once against Bama. Casidy Chaumont whiffed seven times. Alex Honnold went down on strikes six times.

Mizzou scored five runs in the series. One was unearned, one was a bases loaded walk, and the other three came off the two homers - one of which was aided by Savannah Woodard’s gaffe in center field.

Alabama’s Ashley Prange was 2 for 9 against Mizzou, but the two hits were four-baggers that produced four RBI. Bailey Dowling finished 4 for 8 with a double, a dinger, two runs, two RBI, and no strikeouts.

The Tide scored two, three, and three runs in the three game set. They managed exactly five hits in each game. Prange, Dowling, and Abby Doerr were responsible for all of the RBI.

Kaylee Tow, Dallis Goodnight, and Jenna Johnson went hitless.

ALABAMA

For the fourth time this season, the conference honored Montana Fouts as SEC Pitcher of the Week for the 308 pitches she threw last weekend. In other news, S&M Magazine named Murphy coach of the week.

Lexi Kilfoyl’s availability for the foreseeable future is a mystery up there with the true identity of Jack the Ripper.

Recent Bama graduate Ashley Prange was also recognized for her excellent work in the community.

“Prange volunteered with the Wheeler Mission Ministries, based out of Bloomington [Indiana], in their efforts to provide Thanksgiving meals to poor and homeless members of the local community. She and her Crimson Tide teammates also “adopted” a local class of elementary school students, serving as pen pals for the students and stuffed backpacks with needed school supplies as a Christmas gift for the kids.”

Prange’s hometown is a suburb of Indianapolis. Roll Tide, Ashley. Thank you for transferring to the Capstone!

#Team26 #RollTide