Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
No. 12 Alabama
Raiders Ready to Start NCAA Regional With Tough No. 12 Alabama
5/17/2018 6:00:00 PM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – If Middle Tennessee is going to earn its first NCAA regional win on Friday, it will have to defy the odds yet again against Alabama playing in its home, the historic Rhoads Stadium.
The Blue Raiders, whose improbable undefeated run through the Conference USA Tournament highlighted what's been maybe the best season in program history, will have the odds stacked against them more than any point this season. They're 0-7 all-time against the Crimson Tide, who were ranked nationally between No. 9 and 18 every week this season.
If the blue and white showed anything during their four-day, five-game run through the C-USA Tournament, though, it's that they should never be counted out.
"We're glad to be representing Conference USA and MTSU," MT head coach Jeff Breeden said. "We had a great run last week and are looking to continue that this weekend. … This raises the bar and raises the standard of expectation for us."
The winner of Friday's game, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT, advances to play Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against either Wisconsin or Oregon State, while the loser goes to a must-win game at 4 p.m.
Scouting Alabama
While MT (39-20) is relatively new to the regional scene, making just its second appearance all-time and first since 2000, the Crimson Tide (33-18) are veterans on the big stage.
The 2012 national champions have made a regional appearance in all 20 seasons head coach Patrick Murphy has been at the helm, and they've hosted a regional in each year since 2005. Their current 13-year regional winning streak is the longest active streak in the country, and they haven't lost a game in the regional round since 2007 (34 straight wins).
All of that success has bred a loyal fan base. The Tide led the nation in average attendance this season (3,043) and broke their own NCAA record set in 2016.
"We know that they're from the SEC and that we're going to the stadium in America that draws the most fans year in and year out," Breeden said. "I'm looking forward to going down there and competing on the largest stage."
Alabama, the current No. 13-ranked team in the nation, got to this point this season on the backs of young position players and a veteran in the circle.
Freshman Kaylee Tow leads or is tied for the lead for the Tide with 48 hits, a .350 batting average and 35 walks, and her 31 RBIs are tied for second on the team with sophomore Gabby Callaway.
The only Alabama hitter with more RBIs this season is sophomore Bailey Hemphill, who leads the team with 41 and 12 home runs. She's been crushing the ball of late, hitting .545 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in the last six games after returning from injury.
Not to be forgotten among the young Crimson Tide position players is leadoff hitter Elissa Brown, who sports a .345 average and has stolen 26 bases this season in 30 tries.
While youth leads the way for Alabama's offense, senior Alexis Osario sets the tone in the circle.
Osorio leads the team with a 2.22 ERA to go with a 13-9 record, and her 203 strikeouts this season give her 1,037 for her career, fourth all-time in program history.
The California native features a rise ball that she uses in all counts, something Breeden is hoping his girls are ready for.
"Their pitcher is going to throw rise balls at all location of the zone, but our California kids have grown up their whole lives facing her," he said. "I think we'll be ready."
When it isn't Osorio in the circle, usually junior Courtney Gettins gets the ball. She's second on the team with 115 innings pitched this season, and she matches Osorio's 13 wins in just 24 appearances.
Scouting MT
Middle Tennessee will counter with a cast of players who've set or are close to setting career and single-season program records. The Raiders also come in hot, winning 13 of their last 17 games including the five in the C-USA Tournament, and their 39 wins are the most of the four teams in the regional.
At the plate, senior Precious Birdsong is 13 total bases and two walks away from the MT career record marks in both categories. She already owns program records in career runs scored, hits, singles, triples, steals and attempted steals. She's also second in on-base percentage and third in batting average all-time.
Fellow senior Morgan Harris leads the Blue Raiders all-time with 111 career RBIs, and she also ranks seventh in hit by pitches and fifth in putouts. Redshirt junior Dani Munoz and sophomores Lexi Cushing and Summer Burgess also rank in the top-10 all-time in various categories, and Cushing is MT's single-season leader in home runs (14) and RBIs (48).
In the circle, senior Cori Jennings, who dazzled at the Conference USA Tournament with a no-hitter en route to winning tourney MVP, is fifth in program history with a 2.32 career ERA.
The Blue Raiders will need to lean on the lefty Jennings and their offense, which is currently batting a program-record .304 this season. They're also close to several program records as a team, including runs scored, hits and RBIs.
If you ask the players, especially the MT seniors, they'll tell you they're ready to keep proving doubters wrong.
"[People will see] a lot of energy," Birdsong said. "A lot of energy, and a lot of fight."
