Windham Wrap-up: Alabama Softball’s Opening Power Surge
When the media met with Alabama outfielder Jenna Johnson before the team headed out to Arizona for the Candrea Classic and its opening slate of games, Johnson said the team was excited about getting to hit out in the dessert. With the hot, dry air the balls can really start to fly out of the yard, and that's exactly what we saw from the Crimson Tide this weekend.
Alabama tied a program record with 10 home runs on opening weekend, and they did in just the first three games alone. The 10 home runs came from seven different players with two newcomers— Megan Bloodworth and Ashley Prange— leading the way. The freshman Bloodworth had three home runs, including a grand slam in the season opener against Southern Utah.
In the biggest game of the weekend for the No. 2 Crimson Tide against No. 9 Arizona, Alabama had five home runs, including two from Prange, in the 11-0 run-rule victory over the Wildcats.
In my season preview, I said that Alabama has the best one-two pitching punch in the country with Montana Fouts and Lexi Kilfoyl. (Kilfoyl helped her own cause in the game against Arizona with a home run of her own.) Patrick Murphy showed the trust he has in both pitchers by having Kilfoyl start against the ranked Wildcats with Fouts getting the start against Oregon State. Alabama also got solid starts from Jaala Torrence and Alex Salter in the circle.
It's still early in the season, and Alabama likely will not be able to keep hitting home runs at this high of a pace. However, they have the pitching depth and talent that if combined with this type of power can take a team all the way to a national title.
Alabama will begin the home schedule with the Easton Bama Bash on Friday afternoon against Evansville.
