Two outs? So what? That mantra has fueled Alabama softball hitting to undefeated start

Brett Greenberg

The Tuscaloosa News

Alabama softball scored 61 runs through eight games, good for top 20 in the nation, but the way coach Patrick Murphy's 2021 team has been scoring is special.

The Crimson Tide is batting .377, has scored 30 runs with two outs and is hitting above .400 with runners in scoring position. The selfless attitude of players who aren't at the top of the lineup like Elissa Brown makes this trend work.

"My ultimate goal is to get on base and it doesn't matter how," said Brown. "It doesn't matter where you are in the lineup, we all want to get the big hit no matter the situation."

In the Easton Bama Bash last weekend, the Crimson Tide hit .487 and scored 20 of its 32 runs with two outs. Against No. 13 LSU, Alabama scored all of 13 of its runs with two outs.

"Before the (LSU) game, we talked about how we wanted to earn the runs," said Murphy. "I couldn’t be prouder of our team for being so zoned in at the plate.”

Alexis Mack and Kaylee Tow have been producing clutch hits. Mack is hitting 1.000 with five RBIs with two outs, and SEC Player of the Week Tow is hitting .500 with six RBIs in the same situation.

Tow went 11-for-14 (.786) with seven runs scored and nine RBIs, six of which came with two outs, last week. She had three-hit performances in both games against LSU. On Sunday afternoon, the Bama Bash MVP doubled twice with bases loaded and two outs.

"Tow had two great two-out, bases-loaded hits, which is hard to do," said Murphy. "Everyone is a bit looser as we progress, and I am happy with the mindset we have at the plate."

The Rhoads Stadium right field foul pole reads "Two outs ... so what," which has seemingly become the identity of the 2021 Alabama Tide offense.

"I was recruiting up in Seattle one summer and noticed the Mariners stadium had that saying," said Murphy. "I brought it back to Rhoads and it's been there ever since. It described the mantra our program has."

Easton Bama Bash Schedule

On Friday, Alabama will play a doubleheader against Memphis beginning at 4 p.m.

The Crimson Tide will play North Carolina in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.

The Easton Crimson Classic wraps up with Alabama taking on Troy at 1 p.m.