Catching Up With The Crimson Tide: Alabama Softball’s Perfect Week

There was no shortage of storylines for Alabama esports this week. The softball pitching team has stringed together incredible games, and the baseball team is still undefeated with a 20-run win in their last game. The varsity basketball teams were well represented with SEC postseason awards as March Madness was about to start, and the gymnastics team is set to wrap up its regular season with Senior Day.

What happened: The biggest story at Rhoads Stadium last weekend was the pitching. On March 4, Jaala Torrence threw a no-hitter against Robert Morris. Montana Fouts followed her teammate on Sunday with the third perfect game of her illustrious career against Longwood. Both games ended in run rule wins, and the Crimson Tide won all of their games in the T-Mobile Crimson Classic. No. 9 Alabama (19-3) has won eight straight games and turned the success of a brilliant weekend into two midweek contests. The Crimson Tide hit western Michigan on Tuesday and the UAB on Wednesday.

What’s on deck: Wednesday’s matchup against UAB was Alabama’s first real away game of the spring. Five games in a row now await the Crimson Tide. Headlining the Bevo Classic is a pair of top 10 games against Texas on Friday and Saturday. Alabama also meets Texas State and Wisconsin in Austin. Alabama’s run at the Classic begins Friday with a 4:00 p.m. CT showdown between the Crimson Tide and the Longhorns.

to know names: Still an offensive machine, Kenleigh Cahalan has had six games of hitting streaks, taking her batting average to a consistent .400 throughout the season. Michigan transfer Lauren Esman, even after Fouts’ perfecto, still has the lowest earned run average on the team at 1.11. Fouts continued their strong work, snagging saves on Tuesday and Wednesday.

What happened: No. 18 Alabama won two midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday, including its first road contest against Samford. The Crimson Tide is now 14-0, and conference play is upon us. The Tide totaled 21 runs in a Wednesday run against Alabama State. Last weekend, Alabama defeated UIC with two games ending on the run rule of three possible. If it hadn’t been for a lonely big inning at Samford, the Crimson Tide might have won four of their last five matchups. Alabama has run in double figures in five of six games.

What’s on deck: In the last series before the Southeastern Conference game, Columbia visits Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Lions (2-5) have points and have 15 runs each in two wins against UNC Wilmington and nine each in two losses against the Skyhawks. The Ivy League roster struggled in a top-25 streak in the season opener, falling victim to a three-game win at the hands of the Virginia Cavaliers. The first pitch in the series opener is scheduled for Friday at 6:00 p.m. CT.

to know names: Left fielder Tommy Seidl went 4-4 with four runs batted against Alabama State. Popular shortstop Jim Jarvis has hit a home run in consecutive games. Third baseman Colby Shelton’s 4-game home run streak ended against the Hornets, as did his 10-game hitting streak. However, the rising star has displayed remarkable offensive prowess in his brief career and a single evening won’t change that.

What happened: No. 8 Alabama (6-5) lost to Missouri last Friday but still had individual and group success with three event wins and every singles title. Helping those efforts was Luisa Blanco’s third 10 this spring, which she received on beam. Despite those marks, the Crimson Tide totaled 196,750 while the Tigers went over 197 for the win. However, it was a strong team effort and a fine showing in the last SEC meeting of the regular season. Alabama are now 1-1 on the road in their last two encounters, both close contests with the team’s performances setting them up for more future success.

What’s on deck: The final general meeting of the regular season is here. That means Senior Night vs. Boise State at the Coleman Coliseum. The Broncos (4-6) were on a four-win streak last time out against Minnesota, their second loss to the Golden Gophers this season. The Crimson Tide is aiming for its first win since February 17th. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7pm CT.

to know names: Blanco, a senior, has put in great performances week in and week out, winning on beam and floor in the team’s previous game. Fellow senior Makarri Doggette won the uneven bars title against Missouri, while grad student Shallon Olsen took home the vault title against the Tigers. All are key contenders in Friday night’s competition.

What happened: No. 4 Alabama (26-5, 16-2 SEC) dropped its regular season finale at Reed Arena against the Texas A&M Aggies but retained its first place in the SEC tournament. The Aggies pulled away and fought off a comeback from the Crimson Tide for the 67-61 win. Freshman Brandon Miller led with 19 points, but only two others scored double digits – Jahvon Quinerly (12) and Noah Clowney (11). Alabama beat the Aggies by four points in the last 20 minutes, but that wasn’t enough in a game where the Crimson Tide compromised with 18 turnovers and went 7-for-36 from beyond the arc.

What’s on deck: The start of the SEC tournament is next on the agenda. Alabama opens Friday afternoon’s game against the ninth-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs, a team trying to make their case for a bid in the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs beat Florida in overtime on Thursday. The Crimson Tide opened the league game in Starkville against Mississippi State and won 78-67. In a much closer affair in Tuscaloosa on January 25, Alabama earned a 66-63 victory. Similar to this season, when Alabama last won the SEC regular season in 2020-21, it also played the Bulldogs three times and opened the conference tournament against them. Tipoff is scheduled for Friday noon CT.

to know names: The Crimson Tide won a number of SEC postseason honors. Miller was named SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, and also earned spots on the All-SEC First Team and All-Freshman Team. Quinerly was co-sixth Man of the Year. Clowney and Jaden Bradley joined Miller in the all-freshman roster. Mark Sears was named to the All-SEC second team, and center Charles Bediako is a member of the All-Defensive Team.

What’s on deck: The Alabama women’s basketball team has not played since moving its SEC tournament opener to Kentucky on March 2. The Crimson Tide (20-10) is poised to secure a big spot in the NCAA tournament and will surely know what’s next in the selection this Sunday this weekend. The selection show begins at 7pm CT.

to know names: Guards Brittany Davis and Hannah Barber were honored with SEC Postseason Awards. Davis was named to the All-SEC First Team and Barber was the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year. Both players are critical to the team’s success, with their 3-point range skills being a crucial component to the Crimson Tide’s offense.