Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Needs A Sweep Over Mizzou

Have you seen this movie before? The Crimson Tide starts playing like an elite team. Then they get complacent and drop a game against a team they should curb stomp. It has happened in recent seasons. Can this year’s squad avoid overlooking a lesser opponent? Some of the Alabama fan base is pumping the team full of fairy dust (IYKYK). Team29 needs to ignore all that and play like it is the final game of the World Series against the Soviets, game-in and game-out if they hope to have a smoother post-season path.

ACCOLADES & RANKINGS

MAMA’S CALLIN’

We are back to no accolades for the Tide from the SEC.

On a side note, a certain Washington Husky with a famous dad, who you may have heard of, leads her team with a .364 batting average, 17 home runs, and 48 RBI in 44 games thus far. Do the math on the RBI/G average. Since nobody seems to give a F about tampering, we need to figure out a way to get that young lady home to her family down this-a way.

MOVING… UP?

Despite losing two of three to the Gators – including a run rule defeat – Alabama (32-18, 8-10) again improved in the polls. Two of the rankings actually put the Tide in the Top 16 which would qualify them for home hosting duties in a Regional if the NCAA toes the line. #Blesst

• USAToday/NFCA 24 ↑ 23 ↑ 22 ↑ 20
• ESPN/USA Softball 23 ↑ 22 ↑ 17 ↑ 15
• Softball America 22 ↓ 23 ↑ 18 ↑ 14
• D1Softball 24 ↔ 24 ↑ 19 ↑ 18

MIDWEEK

Bama spent the last leg of the midweek Crimson Caravan in Montgomery playing sad little Alabama State (15-32). Three Tide pitchers 2-hit the Hornets and won 7-0. Reserve freshman Mari Hubbard tripled in two runs. Forgotten Kendal Clark doubled in two. Occasional starter Alexis Pupillo solo homered.

This is the final midweek of the season. Thank goodness!

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

It is the last regular season home games for Team29. Patrick Murphy loves getting his teams all teary-eyed before a game. If Vox paid me more, I would have superimposed Murphy’s face over Daniel Day-Lewis’.

If you are a fanboy or fangirl, there is a good chance you will see some former players in the crowds this weekend:

• Friday, Apr 25 vs Missouri 6pm/7pm Power of Pink Game
• Saturday, Apr 26 vs Missouri 8pm/9pm SECN Alumni Night
• Sunday, Apr 27 vs Missouri 2pm/3pm Final Senior Day

SENIORS: 2B Kali Heivilin*, 3B Brooke Ellestad, RHP Catelyn Riley, RHP Emily Winstead, 1B/OF Kendal Clark.

* As the sole-year Bama player, Kali should been team captain this season.

HOW TO WATCH… ALLEGEDLY

We got spoiled by the last two weekends. Only Game 2 is on regular cable TV (SECN). The other two games can be viewed on low-rent SEC+.

BAMA WEATHER

Friday could be a problem weather-wise. With the rains clearing out, it should be really nice weather for all the next two games in T-town. Partly Cloudy and highs in the mid-80s are expected. Don’t you love springtime in the South (said the guy who isn’t allergic to pollen)?

MIZZOU (23-26, 4-14 SEC)

Let’s make no bones about it: this is not a great team. But it is still the SEC and the Tigers absolutely should not be taken lightly. Missouri lost to team such as Marshall, Notre Dame, Minnesota, UCF, Ohio State, and San Diego State before entering SEC play. More recently, they fell at home in a midweek games against Kansas and then (gulp!) Southern Illinois. The highlights of the non-conference schedule have been a W over currently ranked #19 Clemson and a neutral site split with #21 Nebraska.

In conference, Mizz Mizery dropped two games to Oklahoma, but did hand the Sooners their first ever SEC defeat. Los Tigres lost two of three to Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M. The one win over the top-ranked Aggies was a 9-1 run-rule victory.

MU has been swept by Texas and SEC 13th place Kentucky.

Mizzou is not up to their usual quality this season, but still a scrappy team.

THROW THE BALL

Woof. The Tigers pitching staff is having a rough season. The ERA’s of their top three hurlers are all well over 3.00. The odd thing is that these three pitchers were all pretty solid a season ago.

• Taylor Pannell 1.21 a season ago → 3.36 this year
• Marissa McCann 1.87 → 3.90
• Cierra Harrison 2.05 → 4.00

One of the big issues is blowing leads late in games. The cause of this and other struggles could be due to the staff. MU did change two of their assistants in the off-season. Team ERA is 3.81.

HIT THE BALL

Missouri has only one player with a batting average over .300 but she is a good one. Julia Crenshaw is hitting .382 with 13 doubles, 12 homers and 28 RBI. Her slugging is a robust .743. Madison Walker leads the team in four-baggers (17) and runs batted in (46), but her BA is .229. This free-swinger has walked only three times in 157 at bats. Unbelievable. Kara Daly (.280) has 10 round-trippers and 34 RBI.

Mizz is near the bottom in many offensive categories in the SECbut they are 5th in batted balls that leave the park with 63, one behind Texas and two behind MSU.

CATCH THE BALL

The Tigers are middle of the pack in fielding percentage at .969, but tied for last in the league in turned double plays with only 8. Only four SEC teams have given up more stolen bases.

NINE CENT ANALYSIS (discount b/c this one should be obvious)

Missouri is in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. This is a hurting team, but they clearly still have some fight in them. Don’t take them for granted. A recommended strategy would be to jump all over this pitching staff early and don’t take the foot off the gas. And steal bases. Run, run, run.

The Rainbow Lollipop Unicorn Brigade believes this Alabama team is among the elite. Prove it by going out and sweeping a team you are supposed to sweep at home.

#RollTide #Team29