Crimson Red Sports

I attended the Fan Appreciation Day last Saturday and had a really good time. There was a good crowd on hand and if the weather had been a little nicer, I think there would have been a much larger crowd. The players sure made friends with a lot of fans as they wandered among the crowd signing autographs and taking pictures.

The team put on quite an exhibition during batting practice. Stephanie VanBrakle threw batting practice and she is no slouch when it comes to pitching, but home runs were flying out of the stadium at a very rapid pace.

The team scrimmaged with Jury pitching for the Crimson and Sewell pitching for the White team. I talked a little with Jury Friday afternoon and I asked her how Sewell was doing with her injured knee and she said she is 100% cured. This is a plus if she can work her way back into part of the pitching rotation. I only stayed for a couple of innings of the scrimmage as the weather turned a little nasty but Jury seems to be better mentally with her pitches. When Traina came to bat, Jury went right after her and 6 pitches later Traina was in the dugout. Jury couldn't do that last year because she was always pitching from behind in the count on most batters which is a great recipe for failure. Traina seems to have dropped a few pounds and looks to be in better shape than she was last year and this could be more bad news for her opponents. This team looks to be two deep at every position and the freshmen look nothing like freshmen. The team will have more speed than I have ever seen them have before and Murph said that anytime these speed merchants get on base, they have a green light to go at any time.

With all of the said above, there is one key ingredient that must happen for this team to take it all again this year. As all championship coaches will tell you, team leadership is the key ingredient. Last year I thought Jen Fenton and Cassie Reilly-Bochia were the leaders as they always seemed to be the two that did something to bring the Tide back from the jaws of defeat so many times and the other players seemed to follow their lead. Being a leader is something very special and can be very hard to do, so it will be interesting this year to see who will earn this privilege.

I hope that some of you that like the sport but haven't had the chance to come to T-town and watch them play will get that chance this year. They are an amazing bunch of athletes and loads of fun to watch. Roll Tide!!

Thanks for posting Jamos.  I would really enjoy bringing K. down to Tuscaloosa a few times this season to watch them play.  Not sure if I will but definitely hope we can seem them play.

If not, we'll see you for the game right after the A-Day game for sure... ;)

Looks like it will be a pleasure to watch them again this year. Thanks, J.

That is great, I always look forward to seeing you and the kids. Let me know if you can make an earlier game.

Win a National Championship, reload, repeat.

I hope to make it to a game this year.

Look me up when you do. ;)

Thanks for the report Jamos.  I'm ready to watch some Bama Softball.  I will be in town for the A Day weekend, looking forward to seeing Football, Softball and Baseball during that trip.  Thanks for keeping us updated.

Great, let me know when you get to town.