What Alabama Softball Needs in Home-Opening Weekend: Just a Minute

Can the Crimson Tide turn things around at home in front of the fans at Rhoads Stadium?

Alabama Softball Player Audrey Vandagriff (12) celebrates a homerun during a game against West Alabama at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Friday, Oct 18, 2024. / Alabama Athletics

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a daily video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral's assistant editor and softball writer Katie Windham talks about what Alabama softball needs in its home opener at Rhoads Stadium in the Easton Bama Bash this weekend against Virginia Tech, Southern Utah and Drake after a 6-5 start to the season.

No. 21 Alabama softball is back at the Rhoads House this weekend for five games in three days at the Easton Bama Bash. It hasn't been an easy start to the season for the Crimson Tide with games against ranked teams in both of the first two weeksn, starting out with a 6-5 record.

The team will have two more ranked games this weekend against No. 17 Virginia Tech. What does Alabama need to do to make this weekend successful? The simple answer is win. Patrick Murphy is a competitive coach who hates losing, and despite some signs of improvement and overall competitiveness from his team, the Crimson Tide has to start adding up some wins.

In order to do that, the team has to figure out ways to close out games. Alabama held a lead in all four games it lost in the Clearwater Invitational and late-inning leads in three of the four losses. The Crimson Tide even struggled to shut down Jacksonville State on Tuesday night after having the chance for a run-rule victory in the fifth.

Alabama's offense is improved from last season, with newcomers Audrey Vandagriff and Alexis Pupillo leading the way. Playing at Rhoads Stadium in front of the home fans against easier opponent should provide an opportunity to get back on track.

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