Montana Fouts returns but Alabama softball drops Game 1 to Northwestern in super regional
Alabama softball saw the return of ace pitcher Montana Fouts in its 3-1 loss to Northwestern in the NCAA Tournament super regional round Friday.
The fifth-seeded Crimson Tide will face Northwestern in an elimination game Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN in the best-of-three series, trying to force a decisive game on Sunday. Fouts threw 3⅓ innings, allowing five runs with three strikeouts, in her return from a hyper-extended left knee.
Northwestern started with a home run in the second and scored in the next two innings as well. The Crimson Tide managed one run on a fielding miscue by the Wildcats in the fourth, but that was all it could muster on six hits.
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Montana Fouts returns
Fouts came back after missing the last five games. She allowed a home run in the second and then allowed the bases to get loaded in the third. Her velocity was a little lower than normal, hovering closer to 67 mph. She lasted just more than three innings before turning the ball over to Jaala Torrence.
Wearing a large brace on her left leg, Fouts allowed all three of the Wildcats' runs.
Offense continues silence
It wasn't that Alabama didn't get chances to score, it was that the Crimson Tide didn't take advantage of them. In the first four innings, Alabama had runners get on, including loading the bases in the second, but was unable to score.
Alabama's first run came when Jordan Stephens caught the Wildcats not paying attention and scored from first.
Errors hurt the Tide
Alabama had two errors in the game, both as Fouts was pitching. One was committed by Fouts but the other allowed the inning to extend as runs later scored with two outs. The Alabama defense gave the Wildcats extra opportunities, something that a returning Fouts didn't need.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama softball falls in Montana Fouts return vs. Northwestern
