Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Rank: #8
Conference Rank: #4 SEC
Alabama has built their softball program into a perennial powerhouse. The team has made18 consecutive NCAA Tournaments with 11 Women’s College World Series appearances (2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016). Last season the Crimson Tide went out quickly after reaching the WCWS with back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and LSU. Alabama loses their entire starting outfield lineup from last year, including all-everything and team leader Haylie McCleney. So the outfield could be one weak point for this year’s otherwise strong team.
2016: 46-12, 16-8
2016 Postseason: WCWS
Coach: Patrick Murphy
Key Departed Players:
Haylie McCleney, OF, .443 BA, 4 HR, 29 RBI
Leona LaFaele, IF, .355 BA, 14 HR, 57 RBI
Andrea Hawkins, OF, .382 BA, 0 HR, 13 RBI
Kallie Case, OF, .262 BA, 1 HR, 17 RBI
Key Returning Players:
Sydney Littlejohn, P, 2.28 ERA, 156.1 IP, 110 SO
Alexis Osorio, P, 2.84 ERA, 148. IP, 214 SO
Madi Moore, P, 1.95 ERA, 61.0 IP, 45 SO
Demi Turner, IF, .451 BA, 1 HR, 24 RBI
Chandler Dare, UT, .386 BA, 1 HR, 31 RBI
Reagan Dykes, C, .277 BA, 11 HR, 41 RBI
Marisa Runyon, IF, .263 BA, 9 HR, 42 RBI
Projection:
Alabama brings back all of its starting pitching staff from last season, Sydney Littlejohn, Alexis Osorio and Madi Moore. That's the good news. The bad news is they lost some of their big power hitters like Leona LaFaele. Also gone is Haylie McCleney who played with a special kind of fire that would help to pump the team up when needed. Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy teaches fundamentals so the team gives away very few games due to on field mistakes. With their strong returning pitching staff, I look for Alabama to have another good season and once in the playoffs, anything can happen.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
Madness 2017 Draft Rankings:
#11 Sydney Littlejohn
