Softball 2026-expectations?

[TideATL70]

I thought I'd do a repeat of last year and see what we think. Saw where we are 14th in one preseason poll but as always the SEC will have 7-8 VERY good teams. Hopefully the pitching staff has a bit more depth and Aubrey Vandergriff continues her road to legend status!!

 

[bamamc1]

I think I saw that 12-13 SEC teams are ranked in the top 25 so that alone says how tough their schedule will be. I think the addition of a few very talented freshmen pitchers should provide some much needed depth. I'm excited that my niece will begin her career as a freshmen. Her dream since age 7 came true. RTR

 

[BennyHoover]

Hopefully Murph will bat a lefty behind Vandergriff all year. Last year it seemed like her steal success rate dropped after he started batting righties there.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Did we upgrade our hitting coach?

 

[BamaHoHo]

Did we upgrade our hitting coach?

Nope!!!

 

[bamamc1]

Did we upgrade our hitting coach?

Are you available?

 

[TideATL70]

Hoping the transfers in for the pitching staff help. Briski should be a year stronger, but these days it takes a true staff approach as the hitting has dramatically improved and the SEC has as well.

 

[Krymsonman]

I'm curious to see what we're gonna look like this year. We seem to have some good players coming in. Let's see what Murphy does with them this year.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Is there any reason for optimism?

 

[CrimsonTheory]

Is there any reason for optimism?

Not from me.

I got no expectations from the Softball team.

 

[TideATL70]

I'm trying to stay positive but even our preseason ranking of 14 (I've also seen 15 in one poll) points to a year that falls a round short of the world series.

 

[AlBamaWagg]

17-0, no hitter, freshman and soph pitchers, 7 home runs by 7 different players. Not a bad way to start the season.
Congrats Ladies.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

17-0, no hitter, freshman and soph pitchers, 7 home runs by 7 different players. Not a bad way to start the season.
Congrats Ladies.

Against...?

 

[TideATL70]

Hoping to catch some of the action this weekend in person down at GA Tech. Tech is not a powerhouse but MUCH better than Villanova.

 

[bamamc1]

Against...?

A division 1 softball program.

 

[BamaHoHo]

A division 1 softball program.

True but not a very good one!

 

[bamamc1]

True but not a very good one!

Would East Carolina and Georgia Tech qualify?

 

[BennyHoover]

18 homeruns in 5 games! Off to a great start.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

It's a great start.

For several years now, we've started fine and faded badly in the SEC mainly because of an inability to hit. Pitching vs. SEC competition was not elite but presented nowhere near the problems that hitting did.

This year the start is better, and offensive production is certainly up....even acknowledging that the competition hasn't been what we'll see in a few weeks.

Still, I've seen this movie before. Several times. For multiple seasons now, we've beaten up on the pre-conference schedule, then (phrasing it charitably) struggled at the plate against the SEC.

Montana Fouts and Bailey Hemphill put a band-aid on the problem for a while. Then when they left (first Hemphill, then Fouts), it was laid bare, wasn't pretty, and hasn't shown any improvement since.

I'm in "show me" mode until we prove we can support our pitching staff against SEC competition with offense in at least the top third of the conference.

 

[bamamc1]

It's a great start.

For several years now, we've started fine and faded badly in the SEC mainly because of an inability to hit. Pitching vs. SEC competition was not elite but presented nowhere near the problems that hitting did.

This year the start is better, and offensive production is certainly up....even acknowledging that the competition hasn't been what we'll see in a few weeks.

Still, I've seen this movie before. Several times. For multiple seasons now, we've beaten up on the pre-conference schedule, then (phrasing it charitably) struggled at the plate against the SEC.

Montana Fouts and Bailey Hemphill put a band-aid on the problem for a while. Then when they left (first Hemphill, then Fouts), it was laid bare, wasn't pretty, and hasn't shown any improvement since.

I'm in "show me" mode until we prove we can support our pitching staff against SEC competition with offense in at least the top third of the conference.

Alabama hit 18 home runs this weekend over 5 games. I think the slap hitting days are over. Hell, there was a freshman that hit 4 this weekend. Bama’s #1 pitcher was limited to a couple of innings. Freshman and one other was in the circle. Keep on complaining.