Alabama Softball Goes Out of Conference for Unusual Late-Season Top-15 Matchup

Sun Belt foe Louisiana visits Alabama for a pair of games this weekend

The No. 13  Ragin’ Cajuns of the University of Louisiana will visit Tuscaloosa’s Rhoads Stadium this weekend to face No. 5 Alabama in a two-game series, weather permitting.

The forecast for Saturday features a 100-percent chance of rain. For now, the schedule is for the teams to square off Saturday and Sunday, with first pitch at 1:30 p.m. CT for both games. If both are played, each will be available on SEC Network+.

That's just the start of Crimson Tide coach Patrick Murphy's concern. The middle infield has been marred by season-ending knee injuries to graduate shortstop Claire Jenkins and freshman second baseman Bailey Dowling.

“It’s next person up. You never know when your name’s going to get called,” Murphy said. “You never know when the other person’s going to get hurt, so you have to be ready at any time.

“You practice like you’re going to play every single day, because if you don’t, when you do get in there, you will not perform. It’s just as simple as that. You will not get the job done.”

Graduate Taylor Clark has stepped in at shortstop with sophomore Savannah Woodard at second.

Montana Fouts (14-3, 1.66 ERA) is expected to start the opener. She's struck out at least ten batters in her last five starts. 

The Crimson Tide (34-7, 12-6 SEC) is led at the plate by graduate left fielder Alexis Mack’s .405 average and 17 steals. Power comes from graduate catcher Bailey Hemphill, who is hitting .298 with eight homers and 38 runs driven in. Hemphill is often pitched around and sports a .547 on base average.

Louisiana (35-7, 16-2 Sun Belt) has faced only one SEC team this season, losing to LSU twice back in February. 

 The Ragin’ Cajuns are led in the pitching circle by sophomore Kandra Lamb (14-3, 2.08) and senior Summer Ellyson (16-4, 2.30 ERA). The top hitter is senior outfielder Ciara Bryan with a .458 average to go with 24 stolen bases. She is expected to challenge Hemphill’s arm when given the opportunity.

“We’ve known Gerry [Glasco, Louisiana’s coach] for years, and are really glad that he agreed to come up here,” Murphy said. “They’re a very, very good team. We’re lucky our [SEC] bye weekend was also their bye weekend.”

Louisiana is coming off a 7-0 Tuesday home win over in-state foe Louisiana Tech.