How to Watch: Alabama Baseball at the 2021 SEC Tournament

For the first time since 2016, Alabama baseball will be playing in the SEC Tournament.

While no team was able to play in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the season before SEC play had even begun, the Crimson Tide is hoping to make a run in its return to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in order to keep its NCAA Regional hopes alive.

📍 The Met#RollTide | #GVT pic.twitter.com/PkeptDxLyc
— Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) May 23, 2021

Heading into last weekend's three-game series against No. 6 Mississippi State, Alabama was listed in most regional projections as one of the first four out. After being swept by the Bulldogs, the Crimson Tide unsurprisingly fell out of those teams just on the edge of contention.

The SEC Tournament now remains Alabama's last hope at making a regional. Should the Crimson Tide make a deep run in the tournament — and pull off some majorly impressive upsets in the process — it could be considered for a bid to a regional.

That being said, Alabama will have its work cut out for it from the get-go.

South Carolina enters the tournament as the No. 21 team in the country according to the D1Baseball Top 25. On the season, the Gamecocks amassed a 33-20 overall record and finished 16-14 in SEC play.

Even if Alabama is able to upset South Carolina in the tournament's opening round on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide would then have to face the No. 4 team in the country in Tennessee. However, a loss would still have them in the tournament until at least Thursday, where they would take on either Mississippi State, Florida or Kentucky.

The path for Alabama will be difficult, but not impossible. The Crimson Tide has played a lot of very good teams and has been able to keep many games close. While pitching remains Alabama's top concern with Preseason First Team All-American pitcher Connor Prielipp still on the mend and no timeline for fellow starter Antoine Jean to return from injury, it will still be no small task for Alabama to move on from Tuesday.

That being said, nothing's out of the realm of possibility in SEC vs. SEC matchups.

How to Watch No. 7 seed South Carolina vs No. 10 seed Alabama

Where: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, Hoover, Ala.

When: 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday, May 25

TV: SEC Network

Online: ESPN app

Alabama 2021 Review: The Crimson Tide finished the season with an overall record of 29-22, including a 12-17 record in the SEC. While pitching has been a struggle all season, the Crimson Tide bats have been fairly productive until recently. First baseman Zane Denton has frequently been a contributor on offense, leading the team with a .317 batting average and totaling 63 hits with 36 runs and 38 RBIs. In terms of power, catcher Sam Praytor leads Alabama with 13 home runs as well as RBIs with 44 on the season. While the Crimson Tide will need to bring its A-game up and down the lineup, look for these two players to heavily contribute if Alabama is able to pull of a win against South Carolina.

Crimson Tide SEC Tournament History: Prior to the SEC Tournament's inception in 1977, Alabama baseball had the league's third-most SEC Championship Series victories with four in seven appearances. In tournament play since 1977, the Crimson Tide is tied for second-most tournament championships with seven and has the third-most appearances with 27. Alabama's most recent tournament championship was in 2003, its second of back-to-back titles. This year marks the team's return to the tournament after missing the field every year since 2016.