Alabama star pitcher Montana Fouts starting Game 1 of Super Regional vs. Northwestern

Alabama star pitcher Montana Fouts will make her return to the pitching circle tonight against Northwestern as the Crimson Tide host a Super Regional, according to Mike Rodak of AL.com. It will be Fouts’ first action since she hyperextended her left leg on May 11.

Fouts is the ace on the Alabama staff. She has a 1.44 ERA and a 23-9 record this season. She’s thrown 23 complete games and shoved for 213.1 innings this season.

Opposing hitters are batting just .165 against the Alabama pitcher and she boasts 311 strikeouts to 125 hits allowed.

Fouts return to the circle is everything Alabama fans could’ve hoped for heading into the Super Regional against Northwestern — and likely to be a nadir for the Wildcats.

Fouts was expected to be available after sitting out of the regional

Alabama made its way through the Tuscaloosa regional without star player Fouts. She was not made available, by choice of head coach Patrick Murphy. But with the Crimson Tide gearing up for the Super Regional, she was set to return to the circle in some capacity.

On Thursday, Murphy confirmed Fouts would play at some point against Northwestern but did not reveal his exact plan.

“She was very excited,” Murphy said Thursday via AL.com. “She FaceTimed me this morning and has gone over to see Dr. [Lyle] Cain again and the [physical therapist], and they both are working overtime. I don’t want to possibly say miracles, but they’ve been doing great. So that was the most excited I have heard her or seen her. So hopefully she’s coming back from Birmingham with our athletic trainer and probably will throw today in the bullpen. She threw yesterday and as the days have gone along, it’s gotten better and better.”

Murphy also recapped the rehab that Fouts did to come back from the injury just a couple of weeks after it happened.

“At first it was basically on a chair — you eliminate the lower half — or on a bucket, and arm circles,” Murphy said. “And then gradually they got the brace, fitted her for this specific brace and then eventually she got to take a stride. They re-adjusted the brace, did something different — way above my pay grade and smarts — and then they asked her, ‘How did it feel?’ And based on the feedback, they re-adjusted the brace. And then the other day, she said it felt fine. That’s the first time she’s said that.”