Fouts and Hemphill Finalists For Player of The Year
Team USA Softball narrowed down its player of the year award list down to 25 finalists this Friday. The Alabama Crimson Tide is one of five schools with multiple finalists on the list as junior Montana Fouts and graduate senior Bailey Hemphill represent coach Patrick Murphy's team. Both Alabama teammates were also finalists in 2019.
Fouts has pitched 118 innings this season and accumulated a record of 14-3 with a 1.66 ERA. She has struckout 181 batters, including striking out 10 or more batters in 10 games this season. Fouts' strikeout numbers rank second in the SEC and eighth in the nation. She has only given up 28 earned runs off 88 hits and 33 walks.
Hemphill has batted .398 in 40 games this season, she has 38 RBIs, eight home runs, five doubles along with 31 walks. She's moved into number one all time in career walks and is two home runs away from tying Kelly Kretschman's record of 60 career home runs.
The top 10 finalists will be announced on May 5 and the top three will be announced May 19 with the winner being revealed on June 1. The Top 25 Finalists for 2021 USA Softball Player of the Year Fouts and Hemphill have helped Alabama lead the SEC in strikeouts and hits.
The No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide takes on No. 13 Louisiana in a weekend series. Alabama plays at 1:30 p.m. CT on both Saturday and Sunday at Rhoads Stadium.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is 34-7 this season and has two SEC series with Ole Miss and Georgia remaining on the regular season schedule.