Hard to Put into Words What Montana Fouts Means to Alabama Softball

To the softball world, Fouts is a dominant ace pitcher. To the Crimson Tide, she's much more than that.

Anyone who follows Alabama softball has seen the video.

It was hard to miss as it made the rounds on sports news sites and on social media.

Alabama ace pitcher Montana Fouts, who leads the nation in strikeouts, tweaked her left knee against Arkansas in last week’s SEC Tournament after recording punchout No. 311.

It didn’t look good. She tried to push through, but her knee wouldn’t cooperate. She was done. Surely, this wasn’t how the story of one of the most dominant pitchers in Alabama history would end.

No one would have blamed Fouts if she simply walked off the field, sat in the dugout and sulked for the rest of the game, thinking about her future.

“Not her,” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said.

Instead, the senior turned, walked back to the circle and gathered her teammates together and flipped from player mode to coach. She instructed them on what the situation was and what to do.

“I get goose bumps seeing it. It’s like a dad moment for me,” Murphy said. “I had more baseball, softball, basketball, football—you name it—coaches call me and tell me, ‘I just showed my kids that clip.’

“That’s what true leadership looks like as a kid. That’s why she’s so special.”

Special is an understatement to what Fouts has meant to the Crimson Tide—and to college softball—the last five seasons.

As one Alabama teammate put it, Fouts is the face of college softball. Through Name, Image and Likeness, she’s signed multiple deals, proving to be one of the most marketable college athletes, male or female.

On the field, Fouts is golden, too. Her 23-9 record with a 1.44 ERA and 213 innings pitched is a big reason why Alabama is the No. 5 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament, which started Friday with the Crimson Tide facing LIU in the Tuscaloosa Regional at Rhoads Stadium.

In her career, Fouts is a three-time All-American, NCFA Pitcher of the Year (2021), SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year (2021), SEC Freshman of the Year (2019) and Women’s College World Series all-tournament team (2019, 2021). Add gold medalist to the list from her time with Team USA at the World Games (2022) and with the U-19 team (2019).

“You only get to see a glimpse of Montana,” said senior outfielder Jenna Johnson. “You get to see the videos and get to see what she does on the field, but she is so much more. She is a great friend, a great motivator and a great leader. I can go on and on about how many things she has brought to this team. She’s more than just a pitcher.”

Fouts visited renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lyle Cain in Birmingham earlier in the week and she is listed as day-to-day. She wouldn’t have pitched in Friday’s game regardless of her health. Murphy made it clear that his No. 1 pitcher hasn’t made a Friday start in the 24 straight regional tournaments Alabama’s been in.

Still, having Fouts available makes a big difference during the postseason. But Murphy has been in this situation with Fouts before. As a freshman, Fouts, who injured her ribs that season, pitched the Crimson Tide to a 1-0 win against Oklahoma in the WCWS semifinals. Murphy opted to rest Fouts for the rematch with the Sooners, which Alabama lost.

“She comes up and says, ‘I’m good to go,’ and I said, ‘No, you are not going to pitch,” Murphy said of the decision. “I said, ‘Montana, I want you back again, again and again.’

He was thinking long term.

Murphy said the decision to play Fouts this week and beyond depends on a few factors. Three to be exact. Cain relayed to him that Fouts has to pass three tests. Murphy said he didn’t know what those tests were.

One thing Murphy does know and never questions is Fouts’ desire, determination and strength. He likens her to softball legend Monica Abbott, a former Tennessee ace from 2007 who still dominates the circle today with Team USA.

“Monica Abbott was (50-5) her senior year,” Murphy said. “I thought she can’t do this, her arm is going to fall apart. She’s still the best pitcher in the world 14 years later. How does she do it I don’t know? Her body was built to pitch.

“Some kids can do it. Some kids are built to do one thing. I think (Fouts) was built to pitch.”

Something else Murphy knows is Fouts’ value as a leader, teammate, softball ambassador and friend.

“What she’s meant to our program and to the sport, I feel that,” Murphy said. “When you have a circle drawn around your position, you’re pretty damn important. She’s been extremely important for us the last five years.”

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