Montana Fouts

Montana Fouts
Pitcher
Born: (2000-06-04) June 4, 2000 (age 24)
Charleston, West Virginia
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Women's softball
Representing  United States
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Team
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Team

Montana Fay Fouts (born June 4, 2000) is an American softball pitcher for the United States women's national softball team. A four-time All-American pitcher at the University of Alabama, she is best known for pitching a perfect game against UCLA in the 2021 Women's College World Series.

Early life

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Montana Fay Fouts was born on June 4, 2000, in Charleston, West Virginia.[1][2][3] After her parents separated, she moved with her mother to Grayson, Kentucky, at age 10; her father regularly drove around 80 miles from Charleston to Grayson to watch her high school games.[4][3] She attended East Carter High School where she was named Kentucky's Miss Softball[5] and Kentucky's state Gatorade Player of the Year in softball in 2016, 2017, and 2018.[6][7][8][9] Fouts holds the Kentucky high school softball ERA record for a pitcher of 0.16 earned runs allowed per game, and set a single-season high school record in the state for the most perfect games (9) and no-hitters (14). Fouts had 111 career high school wins with 1,483 strikeouts, 77 shutouts, 25 no-hitters and 15 perfect games.

College career

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Fouts committed to Alabama in 2014, during her freshman year of high school.[10]

Freshman year

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Fouts made her debut for Alabama on February 8, 2019, against Troy, getting nine strikeouts with one run allowed and four hits.[2] In her freshman year, she went 21–6 in games that she started, had an ERA of 1.39, and threw 193 strikeouts.[11] Fouts led Alabama softball to a berth in the 2019 Women's College World Series where she pitched shutouts against Arizona and Oklahoma. Eventually, Alabama lost to Oklahoma 7–3 in the second game of the semifinals.[12] Fouts was named the 2019 SEC Freshman of the Year and was on the 2019 SEC All-Freshman team.[2]

In August 2019, Fouts received an invitation to try out for the United States women's national softball team competing in the 2020 Summer Olympics, but did not make the team.[13]

Sophomore year

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During the 2020 season that was eventually shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Fouts went 3–3 with a career-high 2.04 ERA and 41 strikeouts.[14]

Junior year

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During the 2021 season in her junior year, Fouts went 27–4 with a 1.61 ERA and 349 strikeouts.[15] She led Alabama to their first SEC tournament championship since 2012, defeating Florida 4–0 in the final round on May 15, 2021, and being named tournament MVP. Fouts recorded 39 strikeouts in the tournament over the course of three days, setting a new tournament record.[16]

In the 2021 Women's College World Series, Fouts led Alabama to a 5–1 victory against Arizona with a career-high 16 strikeouts.[17] Fouts pitched the sixth perfect game in Women's College World Series history, and the first since Courtney Blades in 2000 in a 6–0 victory over UCLA.[18][19][20]: 64  During the semifinal round of the tournament against Florida State, Fouts allowed seven runs before being replaced by pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl in the third inning, and Alabama eventually was eliminated after losing the game 8–5.[21] Fouts and teammate Bailey Hemphill were named by NCAA to the 2021 Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team.[22] In addition, she also won the 2021 NFCA National Pitcher of the Year, 2021 D1Softball Pitcher of the Year, and the 2021 SEC Pitcher of the Year awards.[23][24]

Senior year

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Fouts completed her bachelor's degree in psychology in December 2021 and began graduate studies in hospitality management in the spring 2022 semester.[2][25]

During the 2022 season in her senior year, Fouts appeared in 39 games, including 36 starts, posting a 24–8 record with a 2.10 ERA and 277 strikeouts. She earned four SEC Pitcher of the Week awards, the most weekly awards of any player in the conference, and led the SEC in strikeouts. Following the season, Fouts was named a top-25 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and a second-team All-American.[26]

Redshirt senior year

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During the 2023 season in her redshirt senior year, Fouts posted a 25–11 record with a 1.49 ERA and 323 strikeouts. Following the season she was named Softball America Pitcher of the Year. She finished her college softball career with the Crimson Tide ranked second in program history in strikeouts (1,181), third in shutouts (35), fourth in wins (100) and complete games (89) and fifth in ERA (1.66).[27]

In 2023, Fouts was chosen as the Honda Sports Award winner for softball, the first Alabama player to win this award.[28]

Professional career

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On April 17, 2023, Fouts was drafted, in the sixth round, 23rd overall, by the Smash It Sports Vipers in the 2023 WPF draft.[29][30]

International career

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In July 2022, Fouts played for the United States women's national softball team in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. She notched a save in the semi-final against Australia, as the USA went on to defeat Japan, 3–2, in the gold medal game.

On August 31, 2023, Fouts was again named to the United States national team for the 2023 Pan American Games.[31]

Statistics

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YEAR ERA W–L IP SO BB H R
2019 1.39 21–6 181.2 193 57 115 46
2020 2.04 3–3 37.2 41 22 38 16
2021 1.61 27–4 213.1 349 49 143 59
TOTALS 1.68 51–13 431.5 583 128 280 121

References

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  1. ^ "Botswana 0 @ United States 15". World Baseball Softball Confederation. August 11, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Montana Fouts". University of Alabama. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Stephens, Tim (April 20, 2023). "Putting the outs in Fouts: Charleston-born pitcher shines at Alabama". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Adelson, Andrea (June 6, 2021). "College softball: With WCWS perfect game, Alabama's Montana Fouts inspires past and future generations". ESPN. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  5. ^ Frakes, Jason (June 12, 2018). "Montana Fouts wins Kentucky Miss Softball as All-State teams revealed". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  6. ^ Moore, Josh (June 5, 2017). "East Carter softball star Montana Fouts repeats as Gatorade's top player". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  7. ^ Casagrande, Michael (February 25, 2019). "Alabama rookie earns another SEC honor". The Birmingham News. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  8. ^ Williams, Krystal (August 22, 2018). "Montana Fouts heads off to Alabama". Grayson Journal-Enquirer. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Mickles, Stacey (March 7, 2019). "Alabama Softball Found Their Ace, and She Might Be the Next Jennie Finch". Fanbuzz. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "Montana Fouts, the Future of Women's Softball, is Here to Stay". July 9, 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  11. ^ "Montana Fouts Could be an Olympian". August 6, 2019.
  12. ^ Hays, Graham (February 21, 2019). "Montana Fouts shows off a game to match her legendary name". ESPN. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  13. ^ "Haylie McCleney makes Olympic softball team, Montana Fouts to stay with Crimson Tide this season". Sports Illustrated Alabama Crimson Tide News, Analysis and More. October 6, 2019.
  14. ^ "Despite Ongoing Calamity, there are some Silver Linings for Alabama from Shutdown". Sports Illustrated Alabama Crimson Tide News, Analysis and More. July 2, 2020.
  15. ^ "2021 Softball Cumulative Statistics".
  16. ^ "It's All Alabama as Crimson Tide Tops Florida in SEC Tournament Final, 4-0". Sports Illustrated Alabama Crimson Tide News, Analysis and More. May 15, 2021.
  17. ^ "Alabama's Montana Fouts dominates Arizona in WCWS". June 4, 2021.
  18. ^ Greenberg, Brett (June 4, 2021). "Montana Fouts throws perfect game; No. 3 Alabama softball advances to WCWS semifinal with win over UCLA". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  19. ^ Adelson, Andrea (June 5, 2021). "Alabama's Montana Fouts blanks UCLA for fifth perfect game in Women's College World Series history". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  20. ^ Plummer III, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4. In the AIAW 1982 WCWS, Jenny Stallard of USIU pitched an 8-inning perfect game against top-seeded Texas A&M, winning 1-0.
  21. ^ "Alabama Softball: Season Ends with Loss to Florida State in Women's College World Series". June 8, 2021.
  22. ^ "Alabama Softball's Bailey Hemphill, Montana Fouts on WCWS All-Tournament Team". Sports Illustrated Alabama Crimson Tide News, Analysis and More. June 10, 2021.
  23. ^ "UCLA's Garcia, Alabama's Fouts garner Schutt Sports / NFCA DI postseason honors". nfca.org. June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "D1 Pitcher of the Year: Montana Fouts". June 28, 2021.
  25. ^ Gazzara-McKenzie, Caroline (December 2, 2021). "Fall 2021 Degree Candidates Announced". University of Alabama. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  26. ^ "Montana Fouts Earns NFCA All-America Honors". rolltide.com. June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  27. ^ "2023 NCAA Pitcher Of The Year: Alabama's Montana Fouts". softballamerica.com. June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  28. ^ Walsh, Christopher (June 12, 2023). "Alabama Pitcher Montana Fouts Wins 2023 Honda Sport Award". Sports Illustrated Alabama Crimson Tide News, Analysis and More. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  29. ^ "Seven SEC athletes selected in 2023 WPF Draft". secsports.com. April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  30. ^ "Storako Leads the Way in the 2023 WPF Draft". wprofastpitch.com. April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  31. ^ "USA Softball announces 16-player Women's National Team roster set to represent Team USA at 2023 Pan American Games". usasoftball.com. August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
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