The legend of Montana Fouts took on a new scope on Tuesday as Alabama softball confirmed that Fouts suffered a torn ACL in her left leg during the Crimson Tide’s conference tournament run last May.

Fouts, a four-time first-team All-SEC selection and one of the best pitchers in program history, slipped after delivering a pitch in the seventh inning against Arkansas. She missed the remainder of the SEC tournament, eventually hobbling into the circle at Rhoads Stadium to push UA to its 14th trip to the Women’s College World Series.

At the time, Fouts and head coach Patrick Murphy told reporters Fouts “hyperextended” her leg. She rehabbed with a physical therapist, consulted with Lyle Cain of Birmingham-based Andrew Sports Medicine and appeared in four of Alabama’s nine NCAA tournament games. The severity of Fouts’ injury was revealed by Murphy in a trailer for a video series produced by UA following this year’s team.

Admitting the nature of the injury during the season likely would’ve made Fouts an easy target for speedsters looking to bunt their way on base. Fouts eventually returned after missing the Tuscaloosa Regional wearing a knee brace. Her lone error of the season came against Northwestern in her first outing back. The next day, Fouts responded with 2 2/3 hitless innings.

After the ACL tear, Fouts pitched 15 2/3 innings, allowed five runs and struck out 12 batters. She earned a 2-2 record, ending the season with a valiant complete-game effort against Stanford in a 2-0 defeat. Fouts finished her career with a 1.66 ERA across 852 2/3 innings with 1,181 strikeouts.

“I would take any second to be out there,” Fouts said in her final postgame press conferencing with the Tide. “Home run or not, I love playing softball. I wouldn’t change a thing. I think Murph knew that before he ran out there, that I wasn’t coming out of the game. I would never take a pitch off from playing a game with these girls.”

Last November, Fouts and fellow Alabama alum Haylie McCleney went undefeated with Team USA Softball at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. Fouts pitched 4 shutout innings and won a gold medal.

Alabama’s 2024 team started the year with a 5-0 stretch in Georgia Tech’s Buzz Classic. Transfer Kayla Beaver became the first pitcher to lead Alabama to a no-hitter on opening day (last done by Fouts and Sarah Cornell in 2021).

UA opens the season at Rhoads Stadium on Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. against St. Thomas.

AL.com’s Michael Casagrande contributed to this report.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].