AUBURN, Ala. – Taking a break from Southeastern Conference action, No. 19 Auburn (30-9) welcomes Niagara (11-14) for a three-game series at Jane B. Moore Field.
"This weekend is all about opportunities," said head coach Mickey Dean. "We've got to capitalize on those chances when they're presented to us. If we want to come out on top, we've got to focus on playing clean defense and getting that timely hit with runners in scoring position."
The series begins on Friday with a doubleheader scheduled for 2 p.m. CT. Graham Doty and former Auburn All-American Kasey Cooper will have the call on the SEC Network+. Saturday's finale is set for 10 a.m. CT. Doty returns to the headset with Auburn softball alum Amy Reif on the SEC Network+.
Fans attending Friday's doubleheader will receive a free Auburn softball fanny pack while supplies last.
Brit Bowen will have the radio call for the weekend series on the Auburn Sports Network.
LEADING OFF
- Continuing its stretch of six straight nonconference opponents, Auburn hosts Niagara for a three-game series at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn is facing the Purple Eagles for the first time in program history.
- Behind its shutout victory at Mercer, Auburn secured its 30th win of the 2022 season. This marks Auburn's first 30-win series since 2019.
- Allowing just 63 earned runs in over 242 career innings pitched, Shelby Lowe ranks 24th among all active and qualifying NCAA Division I pitcher with a 1.82 career ERA.
- With 19th victories to her credit, Maddie Penta leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the country in wins. She currently tied for the 10th most individual wins by an Auburn pitcher in a single season.
- Nelia Peralta is just one home run shy of joining teammate Bri Ellis in double figures. Auburn has never had two freshmen with double-digit home runs in the same season. Before 2022, Kasey Cooper was the lone Tiger to ever record double-digit homers in a freshman season. Ellis and Peralta currently rank second and third, respectively, in Auburn history for home runs by a freshman.
- Standing at 32-for-35 in career stolen base attempts, sophomore Makayla Packer enters the week tied for ninth in program history for career stolen bases.
- Turning in one of the best individual pitching performances in school history, Maddie Penta currently ranks in the top 10 in five Auburn single-season pitching records: wins, strikeouts per seven innings, opponent batting average, earned run average and walks allowed per seven innings.
- Auburn and Alabama are the only two pitching staffs in the SEC to combine for over 300 strikeouts this season. Auburn leads the SEC with 328 total strikeouts. Auburn is the only program with two pitchers with over 100 strikeouts to their credit. Maddie Penta is second in the SEC with 177 while Shelby Lowe is fifth with 112.
- At the plate, Auburn has slugged 66 home runs through its first 39 games this season. The 66 homers are tied for the fifth most recorded in a single season at Auburn.
- Auburn ranks third in the SEC with a .588 team slugging percentage. The Tigers rank tied for second in the league in triples and third in both home runs and doubles.
- Thirty-two of Auburn's 66 total home runs in 2022 have been slugged by the Tiger freshmen class. Three Auburn freshman have hit at least seven home runs this season.
ON DECK
Auburn continues nonconference action on Tuesday with a midweek tilt versus Jacksonville State. First pitch on the SEC Network+ is set for 6 p.m. CT.