Catching up with the Crimson Tide: Alabama softball's perfect week

There has been no shortage of storylines for Alabama sports this week. The softball pitching staff strung together back-to-back incredible games, and the baseball team is still unbeaten with a 20-run win in its previous outing. The university’s basketball squads were well represented with SEC postseason awards with March Madness about to get underway, and the gymnastics team is slated to wrap up its regular season with Senior Day.

What happened: The biggest story at Rhoads Stadium this past weekend was the pitching. On March 4, Jaala Torrence threw a no-hitter against Robert Morris. Montana Fouts followed her teammate on Sunday with the third perfect game of her illustrious career against Longwood. Both games ended with run-rule victories, and the Crimson Tide went on to win all its games in the T-Mobile Crimson Classic. No. 9 Alabama (19-3) has won eight consecutive games, parlaying the success from its brilliant weekend into a sweep of its two midweek contests. The Crimson Tide beat Western Michigan on Tuesday and UAB on Wednesday.

What’s on deck: Wednesday’s matchup against UAB was the first true road game of Alabama’s spring. Five straight games away from home now await the Crimson Tide. The headliner of the Bevo Classic is a pair of top-10 games against Texas on Friday and Saturday. Alabama will also face Texas State and Wisconsin in Austin. Alabama’s run at the Classic will get underway with a 4 p.m. CT showdown between the Crimson Tide and Longhorns on Friday.

Names to know: Kenleigh Cahalan is still an offensive machine and has a six-game hitting streak, raising her season batting average to an even .400. Michigan transfer Lauren Esman still has the lowest earned run average on the team even after Fouts’s perfecto, at 1.11. Fouts kept up her strong work and nabbed saves on Tuesday and Wednesday.

What happened: No. 18 Alabama won two midweek games, including its first road contest against Samford, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Crimson Tide is now 14-0 with conference play looming. The Tide scored 21 total runs in a Wednesday rout against Alabama State. Last weekend, Alabama swept UIC with two games ending by run rule of a possible three. If it weren’t for a lone big inning at Samford, the Crimson Tide might have run-ruled four of its last five matchups. Alabama has scored runs in the double digits in five of six games.

What’s on deck: The final series before Southeastern Conference play sees Columbia visit Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Lions (2-5) can score, posting 15 runs each in two wins against UNC Wilmington and nine each in two losses against the Skyhawks. The Ivy League squad struggled in a top-25 series in the season opener, falling victim to a three-game sweep at the hands of the Virginia Cavaliers. First pitch in the series opener is slotted for 6 p.m. CT on Friday.

Names to know: Left fielder Tommy Seidl went 4-4 against Alabama State with four runs batted in. Popular shortstop Jim Jarvis has hit a home run in back-to-back games. Third baseman Colby Shelton’s four-game home run streak ended against the Hornets, as did his 10-game hitting streak. However, the burgeoning star has shown remarkable offensive prowess in his short career, and one off night isn’t going to change that.

What happened: No. 8 Alabama (6-5) lost to Missouri last Friday but still had individual and group success with three event wins and every individual title. These efforts were helped by Luisa Blanco’s third 10 this spring, which she obtained on beam. In spite of these marks, the Crimson Tide scored an overall 196.750, while the Tigers went over 197 for the win. It was a strong team effort, though, and a good showing in the final SEC meet of the regular season. Alabama is now 1-1 in its previous two meets on the road, both close contests with the team’s performances setting them up for more future success.

What’s on deck: The final overall meet of the regular season has arrived. That means Senior Night against Boise State at Coleman Coliseum. The Broncos (4-6) had a winning streak of four snapped last time out against Minnesota, the second loss against the Golden Gophers this season. The Crimson Tide is seeking its first win since Feb. 17. The meet is set to get underway at 7 p.m. CT.

Names to know: Blanco, a senior, has had great performances week in and week out, winning on beam and floor in the team’s previous outing. Fellow senior Makarri Doggette won the uneven bars title against Missouri, while graduate student Shallon Olsen took home the title on vault against the Tigers. All are key competitors in Friday night’s contest.

What happened: No. 4 Alabama (26-5, 16-2 SEC) dropped its regular season finale inside Reed Arena to the Texas A&M Aggies but kept its top overall seed in the SEC Tournament. The Aggies pulled away and fought off a Crimson Tide comeback for the 67-61 victory. Freshman Brandon Miller led the way with 19 points, but just two others scored in double figures- Jahvon Quinerly (12) and Noah Clowney (11). Alabama outscored the Aggies by four in the final 20 minutes, but that wasn’t enough in a game where the Crimson Tide compromised itself with 18 turnovers and went 7-for-36 from beyond the arc.

What’s on deck: The SEC Tournament opener is next on the docket. Alabama opens play on Friday afternoon against the ninth-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs, a team seeking to state its case for a bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs beat Florida in overtime on Thursday. The Crimson Tide opened league play in Starkville against Mississippi State and won 78-67. A much closer affair in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 25 saw Alabama eke out a 66-63 victory. Similarly to this season, when Alabama won the SEC regular season last in 2020-21, it also played the Bulldogs three times and opened the conference tournament against them. Tipoff is scheduled for noon CT on Friday.

Names to know: The Crimson Tide won a host of SEC postseason honors. Miller was named the SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, in addition to earning spots on the All-SEC first team and the All-Freshman team. Quinerly was Co-Sixth Man of the Year. Clowney and Jaden Bradley each joined Miller on the All-Freshman squad. Mark Sears was named to the All-SEC second team, and center Charles Bediako is a member of the All-Defensive team.

What’s on deck: The Alabama women’s basketball team has not played since dropping its SEC Tournament opener to Kentucky on March 2. The Crimson Tide (20-10) is expected to earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament and will know for sure what’s next on Selection Sunday this weekend. The selection show will start at 7 p.m. CT.

Names to know: Guards Brittany Davis and Hannah Barber were honored with SEC postseason awards. Davis was named to the All-SEC first team, and Barber was the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Both players are vital to the team's success, with their abilities from 3-point range a critical component to the Crimson Tide’s offense.