Big Test for Alabama Crimson Tide Softball in Clearwater Tournament

@AlabamaSB

Big props to coach Patrick Murphy for taking a page from the Nate Oats playbook and scheduling one of the most aggressive non-conference schedules we have seen in awhile. After wrapping 4-1 in the Candrea Classic in Arizona, the Tide had the week to recuperate in Tuscaloosa before heading down south to Clearwater, Florida for the prestigious Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational. Bama will take some lumps with such a slate, but in the end, it should toughen the team up and help them play at a higher level down the road.

FLORIDA SCHEDULE:

Meanwhile in Gainesville, the Gators have an embarrassingly pillow soft schedule to muddle through before SEC play gets under way. We’ll see what good it does them.

• vs North Florida
• @ Illinois State
• @ Delaware
• @ Michigan
• @ Georgia Southern
• @ USF
• vs Jacksonville
• vs Stetson
• vs Boston College
• vs Providence
• vs Duke
• vs Boston College
• vs Binghamton
• vs Duke
• @ North Florida
• @ California Baptist
• @ Arizona State
• @ New Mexico State
• @ Grand Canyon
• @ Iowa State
• vs FGCU
• vs Samford
• vs Troy
• vs Western Michigan
• vs FAMU
• @ Houston

RANKINGS

Despite going 4-1, Alabama is now ranked # 12/12/14/20, down from 11/11/11/17.

CLEARWATER SCHEDULE

The Clearwater Tournament has become the most prestigious of collegiate softball tournaments. Four of the next five opponents made the post-season last year and two of them participated in the WCWS.

• Friday, Feb 14♥ vs San Diego State* 11am/noon SECN (Matt Schumacker, Amanda Scarborough)
• Friday, Feb 14♥ vs Liberty* 3:30/4:30 ESPN+ (Tiffany Greene, Madison Shipman)
• Saturday, Feb 15 vs Ohio State 9am/10am ESPN+ (Mike Couzens, Jenny Dalton-Hill)
• Saturday, Feb 15 vs UCLA** 3pm/4pm ESPNU (Tiffany Greene, Madison Shipman)
• Sunday, Feb 16 vs Oklahoma State** 5pm/6pm ESPN (Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza)

* 2024 Post-season
** 2024 WCWS

BONUS GAME: Friday, Feb 14: UCLA vs Oklahoma State 1pm/2pm ESPN2

SAN DIEGO STATE (3-2)

Last season, the Aztecs (31-20) made the postseason by winning the MWC. They had wins over Kentucky and Mizzou in the regular season. So far this season, they defeated CSUN, Army, and Southern U – each win by 7 or more runs. The losses came to Oklahoma (6-11 in 9 innings) and Fullerton (3-7). SDSU is scoring 7.0 runs per game.

Southern California native Grace Uribe spent her first three seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to SDSU. She is looking like the team ace and should also be one of their best hitters.

LIBERTY (5-0)

The Flames also won their conference (C-USA) last season and defeated UGA in the Athens Regional before the Bulldogs rebounded to beat them twice and move on to the Supers.

So far in 2025, the Libbies are undefeated on the young season with wins over Louisville and two over Rutgers in games played in a Florida tournament. It is hard to believe Bama coach Patrick Murphy did not go after KK Madrey when she entered the Transfer Portal from LSU. She is a Grand Master old school bunter with speed. Madrey went 9 of 16 (.563) on the opening weekend and stole 7 bases.

Team ERA is 1.00, led by Paige Bachman who has yet to yield a run in 13.2 innings pitched.

OHIO STATE (4-0)

The Buckys were 31-20 in 2024, but were not selected to participate in the post-season. Last weekend, they beat up on some directional schools – most of whose mascots you probably could not name.

Catcher Jasmyn Burns had a blistering opening weekend with 10 hits in 14 at bats, including a pair of round-trippers and 7 RBI. Shortstop Kami Kortokrax was 8 of 14.

Freshman Lorin Boutte has been an early surprise as she hurled 12.1 innings and has yet to yield a run. She struck out 25 and had only one walk over that span. anOSU may want to borrow some money from the football program’s petty cash in order to hang onto her.

The Buckeyes swiped only two bases last weekend.

#3/4/4/4 UCLA (5-0)

The Bruins began the season with five straight run rules wins including four shutouts. They outscored opponents 34 to 2, and did not score less than 8 runs in any one game. The opposition was not exactly Murderers Row, but still some serious TCB by LaLa.

After one weekend, the Bruins are fourth in the nation in team batting average (.426) and team ERA (0.50). Savannah Pola leads the team .692 BA, 3 doubles and a triple. Five Bruins have 5 or more RBI on the fledgling 2025 campaign.

Junior pitcher Taylor Tinsley was named a 2025 Preseason Second Team All-American. She and 2024 All-Pac-12 First Team sophomore lefty Kaitlyn Terry lead a solid pitching staff.

#9/9/9/10 OKLAHOMA STATE (2-2)

In a tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the Cowgirls beat Northern Colorado, split with FSU (with the loss being an 8-0 run rule), and suffered a Bizarro World 6-1 upset loss to Louisiana Tech. Preseason rankings had them at #4/4/4/5.

The Lady Cowpokes are off to a rough start, due mostly to a similar problem that many programs have in roster turnover chaos. The OSU does not exactly have an “ace” this year, opting instead for a pitch-by-committee strategy.

Before facing the Crimson Tide, the Cowgirls will have to get through a gauntlet of UCLA, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Auburn. There is no way of knowing who Alabama will face in the circle on Sunday.

1B Karli Godwin (.340 BA, 15 HR, 51 RBI in 2024), P Ruby Meylan (2023 Third Team All-American, transfer from Washington), and OF Megan Delgadillo (.417 BA, 44 SB at Fullerton in 2024) were named to the 2025 D1 Softball Preseason All-American second team for Oklahoma State.

You may recall that former Tide player Megan Bloodworth transferred to Okie Lite two years ago. She had sub .195 batting averages the last two seasons in Stillwater, but coach Kenny Gajewski has stuck with her. So far this season, Bloodworth has 3 singles in 8 at bats with a HBP, 2 SB, and no Ks.

WEATHER

Clearwater is expecting partly cloudy skies and highs in lower 80s over the weekend. Thunderstorms are a possibility on Sunday.

LOWDOWN

Team29 is getting another early test before they come back to Tuscaloosa for some homecooking tournaments. We may get a clearer picture of who this team is after this slate is completed.

#RollTide #Team29