TUSCALOOSA | The University of Alabama softball team is among the national leaders in home attendance, but the Crimson Tide has found it can also draw a big crowd away from home when it plays within state borders.

Alabama played Mercer in front of 1,400 fans last year in Anniston and drew a record crowd of more than 1,000 at Samford. The Tide also has played in front of packed stands in Huntsville and at Troy, as well as at rival Auburn.

UAB coach Marla Towsend expects to smash the school attendance record when No. 2 Alabama visits the Blazers tonight for a 6:30 game at George Ward Park in Birmingham. Extra bleachers have been brought in and the school has added an entertainment area beyond the outfield for children.

UAB has never played at home before a crowd larger than 357, and Townsend expects more than 1,000 for this contest.

“We’ll blow the record out of the water,” Townsend said. “Just the fact that they’re Alabama, they’re a top-ranked team in the country, we’re very excited and we’re very fortunate to be hosting them here.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the air. A lot of high school and junior high teams are coming.

“It’s a win-win situation, especially being there’s no admission charge. It’s great entertainment.”

Alabama coach Patrick Murphy likes to take his team to different areas of the state to grow the fan base for the Tide, and for softball.

“It’s just a benefit for people that don’t get to see us play in Tuscaloosa,” Murphy said. “Oxford was amazing and last year at Samford ... especially on a weekday, to have so many people there was a big surprise for everybody, and then probably 1,200 were cheering for us. It was almost like a home game at their field.”

Catcher Ashley Holcombe, a junior from Fayetteville, Ga., has grown accustomed to seeing fans across the state flock to UA softball games.

“I think my freshman year it really surprised me, but over the past year and this year it’s not as surprising as maybe it was my first year,” she said. “It’s just really awesome.

“It shows how many fans we have throughout the state. It’s always great to have people cheering for you.”

Katie Johnson, a senior outfielder from New Braunfels, Texas, has learned to appreciate the in-state road games Murphy schedules to give his program exposure.

“It’s just a lot of fun to know we have that many fans,” she said.

“I wouldn’t really call this a road trip. It’s good to have that many fans so close to home and still not be in our little nest.”

Alabama’s upperclassmen have come to expect a home-away-from-home reception when they go on the road to play against in-state schools.

“It definitely is neat,” Johnson said.

“It seems like that happens quite a bit, actually. It’s an honor to have that many people want to come and not even be at our place.”

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.