FSU softball faces No. 15 Alabama before beginning ACC play

FSU softball improved its record to (17-5) on Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State. The Noles had to battle from behind in the first game but shut out the Jackrabbits in the series clincher. FSU returns to action Wednesday night for a stretch of games against highly-ranked opponents. They will welcome No. 15 Alabama (20-3) to JoAnne Graf Field on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. The Crimson Tide lost its first two SEC Conference games against Florida before salvaging a win on Sunday to avoid the series sweep last weekend. Alabama hitters are batting .290 with a .398 on-base percentage. They only strike out in 15.7 percent of their at-bats and draw a ton of walks while hitting 20 home runs. They don't use many pitchers, but they have a duo that's excellent. They bring a 0.79 ERA and 168 strikeouts, 38 walks in 150 innings. They've only allowed five home runs, and opposing batters hit .163 against them. Defensively, Alabama brings a .969 fielding percentage into the game.

I'm not sure who will start the game on the mound for FSU, but Makenna Reid, Ashtyn Danley, and Allison Royalty pitched in Tuesday's doubleheader. All three looked good, and it'll likely be one of these three. FSU has allowed teams to take large leads early in games lately, and they'll need to avoid it against Alabama's pitching. Alabama hasn't played the toughest schedule, with Florida as the best team they've faced, losing two of three. It'll be important for FSU to get off to a great start inside the circle, as FSU's offense can generate runs in several ways. This game is important to continue building confidence against good teams, with No. 4 Duke on deck in ACC play this weekend. The game will air on ACC Network.