The Alabama Crimson Tide have a proud softball program. And while Alabama is in the midst of a pretty solid season (objectively speaking, that is), the Crimson Tide and Alabama softball fans would likely consider this to be a down year.

(It’s still a pretty good year, to be completely and totally honest).

As we get set for the 2024 SEC softball tournament, here’s what you need to know about the Alabama softball team.

2024 SEC softball tournament preview: Alabama Crimson Tide team profile

Key stats

• Record: 33-16
• Batting average: .254
• ERA: 2.06
• Homeruns: 38
• Opponents strikeouts: 314
• Runs scored per game: 4.12 (202 runs scored in 49 games)
• Opponents’ batting average: .215
• Opponents’ ERA: 3.88

Notable 2024 Alabama softball games

• Best Wins: #19/21 Arizona (2-1, 1-0), #16/12 Virginia Tech (1-0), #3/3 Tennessee (1-0)
• Worst Losses: South Alabama (0-2), Kentucky (3-6, 3-4), Auburn (0-3)

Alabama enters the 2024 SEC Tournament as the #9 seed and the Crimson Tide will be looking to prove they’re better than their conference record suggests. Alabama has, at times, shown flashes of brilliance, with key wins against ranked opponents like Arizona, Virginia Tech, and Tennessee. However, consistency has been an issue at times, and that’s especially true in SEC play.

The Crimson Tide have a lot of talent and this is not a program that can be overlooked, but this team doesn’t seem to have the same sort of power at the plate that other teams in the Southeastern Conference do. Can Alabama roll through the SEC Tournament relying heavily on its pitching staff?

3 Alabama softball players to watch during the 2024 SEC Tournament:

1. Kayla Beaver: The Crimson Tide have had several strong pitchers in recent years and Kayla Beaver has been the anchor of Alabama’s pitching staff for the majority of the 2024 softball season. Her 1.76 ERA and 156 strikeouts over 155.1 innings pitched make her a threat for opposing batters.
2. Marlie Giles: There aren’t many power hitters on this particular Alabama softball roster, but the Crimson Tide do have Marlie Giles, who has been consistent and pretty dangerous at the plate. This season, Giles is hitting .286 and has 6 home runs to go along with a .696 slugging percentage. Her .474 on-base percentage shows she’s not just a power threat, but also a pretty disciplined hitter.
3. Kali Heivilin: Right along with Giles is Kali Heivilin, who has also provided a consistent bat in the lineup. This season, Heivilin is hitting .260 and boasts 6 home runs of her own. She also has 25 RBIs and a .449 slugging percentage.

Final thoughts as Alabama softball prepares for the SEC Tournament

The Crimson Tide is good, make no mistake about that. It’s honestly hard to look around the Southeastern Conference and find a team that isn’t dangerous. But, well, this particular Alabama softball team doesn’t seem to be up to the standard that has been set in recent years.

So, what can SEC softball fans expect here?

As Alabama gears up to face the No. 8 seed LSU Tigers in the first round, the Crimson Tide will absolutely need to lean on their pitching staff as they have through much of the season. Bama is going to need to have Beaver at the peak of her game.

If she’s not there, Jocelyn Briski and Jaala Torrence are both really good options to turn to, though neither have been as proven as Beaver has this year.

We’ll see how that plays out.

To go with that stellar pitching (because no group of pitchers can just win this SEC Tournament on their own), the Crimson Tide will need to generate a consistent offense. Can that happen? I guess we’ll see.