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2010 Alabama Softball Preview

It is quite literally a new day and age for the Alabama softball program. Gone are the likes of All-Americans Brittany Rogers, Kelley Montalvo, Ashley Holcombe and Lauren Parker. In come another one of Patrick Murphy’s impressive recruiting classes.

"It’s been a totally different look," said Murphy. "We lost five really good seniors. Four of those five were four year starters, so it has been a challenge in practices."

Challenges were expected entering fall practice with five defensive positions to fill, however Coach Murphy remains optimistic in the way his team has handled the situation thus far.

"Everyone is working really hard. They have bought in to everything that we are teaching," Murphy said. "We couldn’t ask for any better kids. I think we all need to be patient and realize that they are stepping into something brand new. If we let them continually get better through practices and individual workouts throughout the fall, I think in the long run that this will be a very good class."

While there are many new faces in the 2010 squad, the team will return some of the Southeastern Conference’s best this fall. Leading the way is the 2009 SEC Player of the Year, Charlotte Morgan who will attempt to become only the second player in conference history to win the honor twice. The Tide’s ace in the circle returns as well in junior Kelsi Dunne who last season joined the long list of Crimson Tide greats to be named first team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Alabama’s offensive attack will be anchored by sophomores Cassie Reilly-Boccia and Amanda Locke, along with the bat of Morgan.
Mixing and matching his new talent has been a key for Murphy in fall play. "We had six different lineups in the fall games. We tried to put new people with new people, old people with old people, just seeing where they would mix and match the best," Murphy explained. "We told them that the nine that play together the best will be the nine that are out there."

INFIELD

No single part of the team will look more different than the Crimson Tide infield this season. "In one game this fall we had five of the six infielders that were all brand new," said Murphy. "You could definitely hear it because no one talked much, but I think once everyone gets comfortable that will improve."

The Tide have a wide variety of options at first base this season in Reilly-Boccia, Locke, Morgan and Alex Blewitt are all players Murphy said that will see playing time at first base, also throwing in the possibility of Catherine Dozier, Whitney Larsen and Jazlyn Lunceford making an appearance at first in certain situations. "I think at first base you might see kind of a revolving door and all of them will do fine, it just depends on who is the hot hitter."

The question of who takes over duties at second base for former All-American Lauren Parker remains to be seen. Murphy said the position is currently up for grabs with Dozier, Larsen, Jackey Branham and Kayla Braud, all being candidates to snag the starting job at second before the season starts.

The battle for starting shortstop is not quite as wide open. Larsen and Branham are the two most likely to emerge as the starter at the position, because of their defensive skill at the position and the fact that both have very strong arms.

During the fall Courtney Conley shined as the Alabama third baseman, both offensively and defensively, but Murphy stressed that there is a great need to find a specific backup for Conley at third so the freshman does not get too comfortable at the position.

Murphy has been very pleased with the job Kendall Dawson and Olivia Gibson have done at catcher thus far. "Kendall and Olivia have done a really good job at catcher," said the Alabama skipper. "A lot of people have said that would probably be the toughest spot to fill with the loss of Holcombe. I think either way we go we’re going to have a good spot and it’s just like every other spot that has been filled for the last four years, it is going to take time to get that game action."

OUTFIELD

With the Tide losing four time All-American Brittany Rogers in centerfield and looking at the likely move of Larsen back to the infield, Reilly- Boccia will be leading the outfield corps as the only true returning starter in right.

"We have some really good kids who are just waiting for a shot," said Murphy. "One of them is Jennifer Fenton who did get to play quite a bit last year and Jazlyn Lunceford. I like them both, because they are both lefty-lefties and they both have speed."

Murphy says another player to look for in the outfield is fifth year senior Jessica Smith, who has been plagued with injuries in her first four seasons at the Capstone. "She’s probably in the best shape she has ever been in," Murphy said of Smith. "Offensively this has definitely been her best fall."

Freshman Keima Davis from Deerfield Beach, Fla. has the best arm of any player on the team and has very good speed according to Murphy. The coaching staff is currently working on fundamentals of the outfield with Davis, like reads, jumps and angles that are key to playing outfield in the SEC.

PITCHING

Easily the brightest spot of the 2010 team is the pitching staff, which doesn’t lose a single player, but does gain one in strong-armed freshman hurler Lauren Sewell of Pembroke Pines, Fla.

"We loved the way our pitchers are spread out," Murphy said. "We have a senior, a junior, a sophomore and a freshman all on our staff. If we could have it anyway we wanted it, this would be it. Just to have a pitcher in every class."

The group of diverse pitchers is led by Alabama ace Kelsi Dunne who is now a true veteran in the circle. Last season, Dunne sported a 1.63 ERA going 28-5 on the year, striking out 258 batters in only 215 1/3 innings.

"Kelsi is probably throwing 65-to-66, which is the fastest she’s ever thrown and she looks really good," said Murphy. On top of her contributions to the team at the plate and defensively at first base, Morgan provides the Tide with solid performances in the circle as well. The Moreno Valley, Calif. native went 18-6 last season with a 1.80 ERA.

The Tide will look for additional support from the newcomer Sewell and Locke, who went 8-0 last year as a freshman and struck out 42 batters in just under 50 innings pitched. Sewell was named an All-State pitcher in high school, as well as being named to the NFCA All-South region team and third team high school All-American by the NFCA.

SCHEDULE

Coach Murphy did not shy away from once again putting together one of the toughest schedules in the nation for the 2010 campaign. The Crimson Tide will play 38 games against 17 different teams that played in the 2009 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament. Of those games, 19 will be played against eight different teams that were given one of the 16 national seeds in last year’s NCAA tournament.

"I really like our 2010 schedule," Murphy said. "There is a great balance of tough home and road games, some really good tournaments and some great RPI matchups. Our home nonconference opponents could be the best ever. Our fans will get to see the nation's best all spring."