Alabama Softball Embraces SEC Tournament as the Start of a New Season

The Crimson Tide finished below .500 in the SEC for the first time under head coach Patrick Murphy but puts the regular season behind them as the postseason begins.

Jenna Johnson / Alabama Athletics

The Alabama Crimson Tide softball program gets set for its 28th consecutive appearance in the Southeastern Conference Tournament this week as they'll face off against the LSU Tigers in the opening game on Wednesday morning.

The program looks for its seventh conference tournament championship in a year that didn't always go according to plan. The ninth-seeded Crimson Tide finished with its worst conference record under head coach Patrick Murphy at 10-14, but with the postseason beginning tonight in Auburn with Ole Miss and Kentucky opening the tournament all the disappointments can be erased with a deep run on the Plains.

"This is the time of the year where it's like opening day in baseball and softball. It's the coolest time because it's a clean slate for everybody, pitchers, hitters, coaches, the whole thing. Whatever you've done in the regular season - it does not mean squat. Nothing. Whether you did good, bad, or ugly, you start fresh tomorrow morning," said Murphy on Tuesday. "I think a lot of our kids are ready to go and ready to show that they can do some good stuff and we're going to stack good days upon the next and the next and the next."

The Crimson Tide has yet to play the LSU Tigers this season, but they're an experienced laden group with multiple COVID-year seniors on the roster. The Tigers are tied for second in the conference in walks drawn at 208 but are eight in the league in runs allowed with 149.

Alabama is currently projected as the No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, meaning the Crimson Tide's streak of hosting a Regional is still on the table despite going 4-8 in its last 12 games. A deep run in this weekend's SEC Tournament would go a long way to solidifying that projection, but that won't be an easy task with the competitive nature of the league.

The Tide and Tigers open Wednesday's action at 10 a.m. CT at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn. The action can be seen on the SEC Network and the victor will matchup with the top-seeded Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday.