Feb. 10, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team will open up the 2011 season Friday in the Hibbett/Easton All-Alabama Classic at the Vestavia Hills Sports Complex in Liberty Park. The three-day tournament includes nine Division I softball teams from the state of Alabama.
The Bulldogs will play a total of five games on the weekend, taking on Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, South Alabama and UAB. With a new staff at the helm of the program, the 2011 edition of the Bulldog squad is excited to get out on the field of play.
"We are extremely excited about opening up tomorrow night," Samford head coach Stephanie VanBrakle said. "We have been working so hard these past few months and we are anxious to get out there on the diamond."
Samford opens the weekend Friday night at 6 p.m. against national powerhouse Alabama. The Crimson Tide has ended seven of the last eight seasons ranked in the top 10 in the country. With six trips to the Women's College World Series and 12 appearances in the NCAA Tournament in the program's 14 years, Alabama has become a household name in collegiate softball.
Samford has faced the Crimson Tide 18 times in program history. The Bulldogs have only been victorious twice. Both wins came in Alabama's inaugural softball season in 1997. Since then, the Tide has won 16 straight over the Bulldogs.
Friday's meeting between the two teams will be extra-special as new head coach VanBrakle faces her alma mater for the first time in her career. While at Alabama, VanBrakle was a two-time NFCA All-American and was named SEC Pitcher of the Year in 2006 and SEC Freshman of the Year in 2003.
VanBrakle's assistant coaches, Mandy Burford and Kellie Eubanks, are also former Alabama standouts.
"It is always an honor to play one of the best teams in the country like Alabama," VanBrakle said. "My former coaches are not only great at their job, but they are great people. They will be a great tester for our team to see where we are, what we need to continue to work on, and where we are going."
Samford returns the bulk of its productivity at the plate to the 2011 roster. Junior Robyn Harmon (.345) and sophomore Alex Adams (.273) led the team in hitting last season while senior Amanda Jordan has been a staple in the lineup for the last three seasons. Senior Aaren Fisher was one of Samford's best sluggers last season and led the team in stolen bases while fellow senior Kayla Burris returns as the only Bulldog pitcher with major experience under her belt.
VanBrakle has been working her squad hard during the off-season to get them ready to start a great new chapter in Samford softball. She expects a lot out of this team and is excited to see them in full force against another team for the first time this season.
"I expect us to come out with a lot of intensity," VanBrakle said. "I have been preaching about that all week. The goal all season is to take one pitch, one play, and one at-bat at a time and to stay within ourselves. We have a challenging weekend in front of us but I think if you asked the team, they wouldn't want it any other way. It will be a great weekend for softball in the state."
On Saturday, Samford will start the day with an 11 a.m. meeting with South Alabama followed by a 1:30 p.m. contest against cross-town rival UAB.
South Alabama begins its fifth season of softball this weekend and looks to build upon its 21-win season in 2010. The Jaguars return 11 letterwinners from the previous season, including the top three in batting average - Brittany Fowler, Brittany Campbell and Christin Crocker.
The Bulldogs and the Jaguars met for the first time last season in the USA Mardi Gras Invitational. Samford walked away with an 11-2 win in five innings.
UAB went 37-22 last season and returns 16 letterwinners to the 2011 squad. The Blazers lead the series with the Bulldogs, 20-5. UAB swept Samford last season and the last time the Bulldogs defeated the Blazers was April 21, 2009, by a score of 3-1 at Bulldog Field.
Sunday brings on Alabama State and Auburn for the Bulldogs. Samford will take on the Hornets at 11 a.m. before wrapping up the tournament with the Tigers at 1:30 p.m.
Alabama State went 8-25 overall last season and 3-24 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Samford is undefeated against the Hornets, having won 11 straight since the first meeting in 1999. Last season, the Bulldogs defeated ASU, 5-2, in eight innings in their second game in the Magic City Classic.
Auburn posted a 31-26 record last season and finished third in the SEC West with an 11-17 record. The Tigers start their 15th season under the tutelage of Tina Deese. In 15 meetings between the two teams, Samford has only won five. The Tigers have won four straight, as Samford's last win over Auburn came in the first game of the 2003 season, a 1-0 victory for the Bulldogs.
Tickets for the tournament can be purchased at the main entrance to the Vestavia Hills Sports Complex each day. Tickets can also be purchased in advance at www.vhgsa.com. Registration is required.
Single day ticket prices are $10 and $7 for children 12 and under. For all-tournament passes, tickets are $25 and $15 for children 12 and under.
A full recap and results will be available at www.samfordsports.com upon the completion of each day's action.
