AUBURN, Ala. – Postseason softball has arrived as No. 17 Auburn softball (39-14) kicks off the 2022 SEC Tournament against No. 24 Missouri (33-19) Wednesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.
"Missouri has been on a great run as of late," said head coach Mickey Dean. "We are going to have to come out aggressive at the plate early. Missouri has great power and speed at the plate, so we are going to need to work ahead in counts. We got ourselves in trouble in the circle at Tennessee when we were working behind."
Earning the 10th-seed at the tournament, Auburn is facing seventh-seeded Missouri for the third time at the Tournament. Auburn took wins over Missouri in both the 2015 and 2019 SEC Tournaments.
First pitch Wednesday is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT. Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough and Andraya Carter will have the call on the SEC Network. The winner of Wednesday's contest will advance to the quarterfinals to face two-seed Alabama on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. CT.
JJ Jackson and Brit Bowen will have radio coverage throughout the SEC Tournament on the Auburn Sports Network.
LEADING OFF
- For the 21st time in program history, Auburn softball is set to compete in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers hold a 21-25 (.457) record at the conference tournament and has won the tournament title in 2015 and 2016.
- Auburn is facing Missouri for the third time at the SEC Tournament. Auburn earned victories over Mizzou in both 2015 and 2019 tournaments. Auburn has never lost to Missouri in a neutral site contest, standing a perfect 3-0 in the series history.
- The Tigers closed the regular season with 11 victories in Southeastern Conference action, the most wins in league play for Auburn since 2018.
- In a complete-game effort to open the series against Georgia, Maddie Penta brought her SEC-leading victories total to 23. She is now tied with Beth DiPietro for the fifth most wins by a Tiger pitcher in a single season. Penta ranks fifth nationally in total victories.
- Behind a pair of home runs at Mississippi State, Bri Ellis has tied Kasey Cooper for the program's freshman home run record at 18. Ellis currently stands tied for fifth in Auburn single-season history in home runs and is just four shy of shattering the single-season record.
- Entering postseason play with 39 wins, Auburn is one shy of recording its first 40-win season since 2018.
- Continuing to rack up the strikeouts this season, Maddie Penta is just four shy of surpassing Holly Currie for the program's sophomore strikeout record. Penta currently stands seventh in Auburn single-season history.
- Turning in one of the top slugging performances in the SEC, Bri Ellis was honored as one of 25 finalists for the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year award.
- Standing at 34-for-37 in career stolen base attempts, sophomore Makayla Packer enters the weekend tied for seventh in program history for career stolen bases.
- Behind 12 different Tigers going yard this season, Auburn has totaled 82 home runs in 2022, the third most in a single season in program history.
- For the first time in program history, Auburn has two freshman players with at least 10 home runs in the same season as Nelia Peralta has joined Bri Ellis in double-digit homers. Jessie Blaine is one home run shy of joining the duo.
- Forty of Auburn's 82 home runs in 2022 have been slugged by the Tiger freshmen class. Four Tiger freshmen have recorded multiple home runs this season with three hitting at least eight.
ON DECK
Following the conclusion of the SEC Tournament, the Tigers will await its NCAA Regional fate. The NCAA Selection Show is set for Sunday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2. NCAA Regionals will begin on Friday, May 20.