Why this Weekend is So Important for Alabama Softball: Just a Minute

Alabama only won one SEC series last season, so opening conference play at home against Mississippi State this weekend is a big opportunity for Team 29.

Feb 21, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama second baseman Kali Heivilin snags a grounder and throws to first baseman Abby Duchscherer for an out against Virginia Tech during the Easton Bama Bash at Rhoads Stadium Friday in the home opener for the Crimson Tide. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a daily video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral's assistant editor and softball writer Katie Windham discusses the importance of Alabama softball's SEC opener against Mississippi State.

Alabama softball has a chance this weekend to match last season's SEC series win total. The No. 23 Crimson Tide opens conference play this weekend with a home series against No. 19 Mississippi State at Rhoads Stadium.

Every team in the SEC has an RPI currently in the top-40, so there are no easy series or games in SEC play this year, but starting out league play at home against Mississippi State is a great opportunity for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama only won one SEC series last season (a sweep at home against Ole Miss), but did avoid getting swept. This season, Alabama didn't suffer any bad losses in non-conference play, but the seven losses already is a little higher total than it would prefer heading into SEC play.

If the Crimson Tide is currently No. 20 in RPI. The selection committee picks the top-16 teams that get to host regionals, and Alabama will have plenty of opportunities to pick up quality wins starting with the Bulldogs this weekend.

Mississippi State opened its conference slate last weekend with a sweep over Auburn, but the Bulldogs are one of the easier opponents remaining on Alabama's schedule with series against No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 3 LSU, No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 3 Florida, No. 13 Georgia and No. 9 South Carolina still ahead.

Head coach Patrick Murphy and infielder Brooke Ellestad called conference play Alabama's second season. The Crimson Tide needs to set the tone for this second season with a series win over Mississippi State.