Montana Fouts update: What Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy said about ace pitcher's injury
Alabama softball ace Montana Fouts left Thursday's SEC Tournament quarterfinal game versus Arkansas with a left leg injury.
After the game, Alabama coach Patrick Murphy did not have an update on her condition saying: "No there isn't," when asked. On the SEC Network, Murphy said that Fouts told him that she slipped when pitching.
Per Muprhy, the injury doesn't impact Alabama's plan for the semifinal matchup with the winner of Tennessee and Florida or the rest of the SEC Tournament as he planned on throwing Fouts for only two games.
"She was going to pitch the first two and then we were going to let the other three, whatever happened − whether it's one game, two games − doesn't matter. That was (the other pitchers') games to win."
It is unknown how the injury could affect her status for the NCAA Tournament that starts next week.
Fouts injured her left leg in the seventh inning after recording her ninth strikeout. She looked to land awkwardly and immediately started to limp. She attempted to stay in the game but looked visibly injured during warmup pitches. She was able to leave the field on her own. On the SEC Network after the game, Murphy was asked about what was said as he took her out.
"Come on let's go, someone else will win it for you. You got to have the faith," Murphy said. "She did not want to leave."
Fouts went to the dugout and cheered her teammates on for the rest of the game. She was seen coaching up Alex Salter, who replaced her and went on to get the win. After the game, she was seen on the field during Alabama's celebration after Bailey Dowling hit the go-ahead two-RBI double in the extra-inning victory.
Fouts has thrown more than half the innings for Alabama this season. She leads Division I pitchers with 302 strikeouts going into Thursday's game with an ERA of 1.46. She has gone 23-9 with three no-hitters and 10 shutouts.
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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Montana Fouts injury update: What Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy said
