AUBURN, Ala. – Returning to non-conference action, No. 21 Auburn softball (29-12) welcomes in-state foe Troy (28-10-1) to Jane B. Moore Field for a Wednesday midweek tilt.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT. Lyn Rollins and former Auburn softball student-athlete and assistant coach Amy Reif will have the call on the SEC Network+. Fans can also hear the action on the Auburn Sports Network.
"We jumped out to an early lead against Troy during our earlier meeting," said head coach Mickey Dean. "The game got out of hand quickly, but they are a good team. Leanna Johnson leads the country in wins in the circle. We can expect to see her Wednesday. We have to understand that our game in March didn't mean anything, but it meant something to them. It was on their home field. We have to make sure that we're ready."
Auburn leads the all-time series 21-7-1 and have taken wins in the last nine meetings, including an 11-0 victory at Troy in March. Auburn holds an 11-3 record against the Trojans at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn is searching for its 30th win of the season to secure the fourth season with at least 30 victories in the Dean era.
Wednesday is also 80's Night at Jane B. Moore Field. Fans will receive a free '80's-inspired Auburn softball t-shirt while supplies last. Fans can also purchase a "Meal Deal" ticket to Wednesday game that includes a ticket and voucher for a hot dog and chips for the price of $10.
Since the March meeting at Troy, the Trojans have gone on to open Sun Belt Conference play with a 9-2-1 conference record with four straight series wins. The Trojans' seven-game win streak was snapped on April 7 as Coastal Carolina shut out the Troy for a 4-0 win.
Auburn is coming off a series loss at No. 15 Florida, but the Tigers salvaged a win in the series finale by shutting out the Gators, 7-0. It was Auburn's first win at Gainesville since 2017.
The victory was a historic one for Tiger ace Maddie Penta as she secured her 50th win of her collegiate career. She is just the eighth Auburn pitcher in program history to record at least 50 wins in the circle. Penta struck out double-digit batters in her two appearances at Florida to surpass 200 strikeouts for the second consecutive season. Penta ranks third in the country with 205.
Auburn's pitching staff has totaled 17 shutouts this season, the second most in the league and the fourth most in the country. The Tiger staff leads the country with 313 total strikeouts and a 6.38 strikeout-to walk ratio. Penta, Shelby and Annabelle Widra all rank in the top 10 in the SEC with individual strikeout-to-walk ratios.
The Tigers continue to slug a big bat as Auburn knocked four during its trip to Gainesville. Auburn ranks second in the conference with 49 home runs, the eighth most recorded in a single season on the Plains.
Thirteen different Tigers has knocked a home run this season with nine slugging at least two. Bri Ellis currently ranks seventh in the SEC with 10 home runs, having secured back-to-back seasons with at least 10 homers to begin her collegiate career.
Midway through her sophomore campaign, Ellis already stands tied for 10th in Auburn career history with Alyssa Rivera (2017-21) for career home runs with 30. Tracking towards another program record, Ellis needs just nine homers throughout the remainder of the season to shatter the program's sophomore record held by Kasey Cooper.
Nelia Peralta has reached base safely in 38 of Auburn's 41 contests and ranks seventh in the SEC with a .507 on-base percentage, a mark that ranks as the 10th highest by a Tiger in a single season. Peralta leads the team with 32 walks as she averages 0.78 walks per game, which ranks sixthin the SEC.
Auburn has turned the page defensively, committing just one error in its last 10 contests. Auburn has raised its fielding percentage to .974, the sixth best in the conference.
The Tigers return to Southeastern Conference play this weekend, hosting No. 13 LSU for a three-game series. The series begins Friday at 5 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Auburn will continue its Friday Night Lights promotion with a light-up baton giveaway.
