Crimson Tide Softball Win Streak Now At 8 Games
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Defeats Jacksonville & Drake In Crimson Classic
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The University of Alabama softball team is on a tear right now. The Crimson Tide ran its winning streak to eight games after enjoying two big wins on Friday in the Crimson Classic.
The Bama belles (16-2) shut out Jacksonville 10-0 before dismantling down Drake 6-1.
It was a run-rule victory for Bama in Friday's first game. It was the Tide's Alexis Osorio and Madi Moore combining for a five-inning no hitter. The only baserunner to make it to first was due to a hit batter. Osorio (8-1) picked up the win with 11 strikeouts in four complete innings.
UA softball head basketball coach Patrick Murphy said, "It's strange but I feel like we almost expect Lexi to strike out the first nine batters of the game now. It's amazing to watch. Having Madi [Moore] come in and finish the game was great to see for the combined no-hitter. Sydney [Littlejohn] gave up three easy singles and Merris [Schroder] made a great play on the one ball that was hit the hardest. I thought all three pitchers looked good."
Leading the Bama batters was Merris Schroder with a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Marisa Runyon was two-for-three, while Mari Cranek had the only other extra-base hit with a double. The game ended following a six-run fourth inning for UA, followed by a perfect top of the fifth pitching effort from Moore.
Alabama pitcher Sydney Littlejohn (6-0) took the win in Game 2 over Drake. She allowed just three singles in the complete-game victory.
The Tide picked up seven total hits in that game, with Chandler Dare as the only Bama batter with more than one hit. Peyton Grantham had the lone extra-base hit with a double.
The Crimson Classic continues today. Alabama will face Sanford at 1:30 p.m. CT, with a matchup once again with Drake at 4 p.m. CT.
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
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Bama Baseball's Losing Streak Comes To An End
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Crimson Tide Bests ULM 4-3
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The losing streak ends at four. The University of Alabama baseball team picked up its first win in five outings, with a lot of help from Hunter Alexander, to thrill the crowd at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Friday night to defeat Louisiana-Monroe 4-3. The win improves the Crimson Tide record to 4-5 overall, while ULM falls to 4-6.
Alabama Crimson Tide baseball head coach Greg Goff said, "I want to start off by saying that I really was proud of our players tonight. When your number one guy doesn't throw very well early, and gives up some runs – in instances like that, most teams would quit. Tonight, our guys persevered and were relentless in the dugout. Our hitters adjusted as the game went along, and I'm just really proud to have a good team win against a tough Louisiana-Monroe team."
Alabama entered the bottom of the ninth knotted up at 3-3, after having trailed in the game 3-0. A standout relief performance sophomore Brock Love (1-1) earned his first win of the young season. Love worked a career-high tying 4.1 relief innings, collected a career-high 10 strikeouts and retired every one of the 13 batters he faced in consecutive order.
The Tide picked up multi-hit games from Kyle Kaufman and Hunter Alexander. Kaufman was two-for-three with a run scored, while Alexander went two-for-four with a double, a run scored as well as a team-leading RBI.
The two teams return to the field this afternoon at 2 p.m. CT. Junior right-hander Jake Walters will start for Alabama, while ULM will counter with junior right-hander Keegan Curtis.
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Finebaum Starts First "Saban Leaving" Rumor
Of The Year
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| Paul Finebaum Photo Credit: SEC Network |
It never fails. At least twice annually the coaching rumors and the departure of Alabama football head coach Nick Saban bolting to the NFL surface. Oh, and it seems that some of the time it's the guy that is once again talking about it: ESPN's Paul Finebaum.
Come on. Really? The king of college football stepping down from the pedestal to be mired in the swamp of of professionals that look more toward the dollar sign than the real love of the game? To go where the coach doesn't have the real power to pull in the players he wants, much less needs?
Could be. But not likely, Paul.
In college football, and especially in Tuscaloosa, Saban is able to go after, and usually get, the talent that he wants. He gets to take the diamond and fashion it as a master diamond cutter. He can shape it, hone it, polish it and perfect it. Nick Saban was made for this.
During an appearance this week On SportsCenter, Finebaum spoke on this very subject: Nick Saban eventually becoming bored with college football and want to challenge himself once again in the NFL. Of course the one caveat was: if the right opportunity was to come around.
Finebaum said, "I think Saban, at some point, will just get bored with all this. Had he won last year, that would've been six national championships, five in eight years, and everyone loves to win, everyone loves to be successful, but Nick Saban has been at Alabama for 10 years now, I'm wondering why he hasn't left previously.
"I think he's waiting for the right opportunity, where someone says, 'Okay, coach, we have a quarterback, you have a piece of the franchise, you're making $8 or $9 million now, but you'll be making so much money you'll never have to give money a second thought."
Never say never, however. Strange things seem to happen all the time.
But family, business and the love of the area may just keep Saban at Alabama. At home.
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Alabama's Reuben Foster
Reportedly Sent Home From NFL Combine
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| Reuben Foster Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
According to various sports outlets, former University of Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster has been sent home from the NFL Combine.
It has been reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, among others, that Foster had a "heated argument with a hospital worker." This argument precipitated Foster's dismissal from the combine. A little later Schefter later reported an NFL spokesman had confirmed to him that Foster was being sent home for "personal reasons."
Foster was a unanimous All-American with the Crimson Tide, and won the coveted Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. He led the Tide with 115 tackles, with 13 of those for loss as well as five sacks.
Foster could have an opportunity to at least partially redeem himself on March 8th at pro day in Tuscaloosa.
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Tide Men's Tennis Opens SEC Play With Loss
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The University of Alabama men's tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision to the Ole Miss Rebels at the Alabama Tennis Stadium on Friday night to officially begin Southeastern Conference play. The Crimson Tide now falls to 6-7 on the season, while
the Rebels improve to 5-2.
UA men's tennis head coach George Husack said, "Welcome to the SEC. Another battle and great match. We're putting ourselves in a position
to win and will get back after it against the Razorbacks on Sunday."
DOUBLES
1. Mazen Osama/Spencer Richey (Alabama) defeated Grey Hamilton/Fabian Fallert (Ole Miss) 6-4
2. Gustav Hansson/Tim Sandkaulen (Ole Miss) defeated Alexey Nesterov/Edson Ortiz (Alabama) 7-6
3. Zvonimir Babic/Ricardo Jorge (Ole Miss) defeated Zhe Zhou/Thibault Cancel (Alabama) 7-6
SINGLES
1. No. 62 Mazen Osama (Alabama) defeated No. 17 Gustav Hansson (Ole Miss) 6-3, 7-5
2. Thibault Cancel (Alabama) vs. No. 111 Tim Sandkaulen (Ole Miss)
3. Edson Ortiz (Alabama) defeated Ricardo Jorge (Ole Miss)
4. Filip Kraljevic (Ole Miss) defeated Spencer Richey (Alabama) 6-3, 6-4
5. Fabian Fallert (Ole Miss) defeated Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) 6-3, 6-4
6. Zvonimir Babic (Ole Miss) defeated Zhe Zhou (Alabama) 6-4, 7-6
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
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Alabama Women's Tennis Loses To Ole Miss
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
OXFORD, Mississippi– The Alabama women's tennis team fell to 17th-ranked Ole Miss 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the
Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center in Oxford to officially kick off Southeastern Conference
play. The Crimson Tide now drop to a 6-5 overall record,
while the Rebels improve to 10-2 on the season.
DOUBLES
1. Maddie Pothoff/Erin Routliffe (Alabama) defeated Arianne Hartono/Anna Vrbenska (Ole Miss)
6-1
2. Natalie Suk/Alexa Bortles (Ole Miss) defeated Andie Daniell/Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) 7-5
3. Zalina Khairudinova/Tea Jandric (Ole Miss) defeated Juliana Valero/Joanna Savva (Alabama) 6-2
SINGLES
1. No. 116 Erin Routliffe (Alabama) defeated No. 35 Arianne Hartono (Ole Miss) 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
2. Andie Daniell (Alabama) defeated Natalie Suk (Ole Miss) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
3. Zalina Khairudinova (Ole Miss) defeated Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) 6-3, 6-2
4. Anna Vrbenska (Ole Miss) defeated Smith Hinton (Alabama) 6-4, 6-2
5. Maddie Pothoff (Alabama) defeated No. 115 Alexa Bortles (Ole Miss) 7-6, 7-5
6. Tea Jandric (Ole Miss) defeated Juliana Valero (Alabama) 6-3, 7-6, 7-5
DOUBLES
1. Maddie Pothoff/Erin Routliffe (Alabama) defeated Arianne Hartono/Anna Vrbenska (Ole Miss)
6-1
2. Natalie Suk/Alexa Bortles (Ole Miss) defeated Andie Daniell/Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) 7-5
3. Zalina Khairudinova/Tea Jandric (Ole Miss) defeated Juliana Valero/Joanna Savva (Alabama) 6-2
SINGLES
1. No. 116 Erin Routliffe (Alabama) defeated No. 35 Arianne Hartono (Ole Miss) 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
2. Andie Daniell (Alabama) defeated Natalie Suk (Ole Miss) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
3. Zalina Khairudinova (Ole Miss) defeated Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) 6-3, 6-2
4. Anna Vrbenska (Ole Miss) defeated Smith Hinton (Alabama) 6-4, 6-2
5. Maddie Pothoff (Alabama) defeated No. 115 Alexa Bortles (Ole Miss) 7-6, 7-5
6. Tea Jandric (Ole Miss) defeated Juliana Valero (Alabama) 6-3, 7-6, 7-5
