When the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team really needed her, Montana Fouts saved them. Fouts came into a close game with Northwestern (Louisana) to preserve Alabama’s 2-1 victory and to send the Tide to a third and deciding game that will decide who will go to the Women’s College World Series.
Fouts, who came into the game with a brace on her injured leg, retired all eight batters that she faced including a strikeout to end the game.
Many did not know if she would even be available to play this weekend or ever again for the Tide after she was injured in the SEC Tournament.
Fouts started Friday night’s game, with a 3-1 loss, so it had to be satisfying to know that if Saturday was indeed her last time in a Crimson uniform, she went out on a high night as she saved the game.
Head coach Patrick Murphy still doesn’t think his star pitcher is 100 percent.
“I would say she might be 70%,” he said. “I’m not sure what she would say — probably 100%. But to me it feels like her ball is so heavy when it comes out of her hand now. I don’t know if it’s because she’s spinning more or what but when you have a heavy ball in softball it’s just hard to hit.”
Fouts heroics on the mound did not go unnoticed by fans who praised her return.
Murphy didn’t announce if Fouts will take the mound Sunday afternoon but you have to believe since this may be her last game in a Crimson uniform, she will get the start.
About Stacey Mickles
Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.