AUBURN, Ala. – In its final road series of the Southeastern Conference slate, No. 17 Auburn softball (35-14, 11-7 SEC) treks to South Carolina for the first time since 2017 to face the Gamecocks (32-15, 7-11 SEC) in a three-game series at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
"We're at the point of the season where we really have to focus on taking care of our bodies," said head coach Mickey Dean. "It is beneficial to not have a midweek contest. We are heading on the road again to face another conference opponent. It isn't going to be easy. South Carolina has a really good team this year. They lead the conference in defense. They are getting great pitching right now. That's the combination we're looking for, and that's the combination they are currently getting. It makes for a tough road series."
The series begins Friday at 5 p.m. CT. Game two of the weekend is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. Sunday's series finale is set 12 p.m. CT. All three games are available on the SEC Network+. Brit Bowen will have the radio call on the Auburn Sports Network.
Auburn leads the all-time series 38-31, but the Gamecocks have the slightest edge of late after winning six of the last 10 meetings. In a series that featured a pair of extra-inning battles, Auburn took two games from the Gamecocks at Jane B Moore Field last season. In Columbia, the all-time head-to-head record is tied at 14-14. Auburn is searching for two straight SEC road series wins for the first time since 2019.
South Carolina is returning to Columbia after being swept in Athens by No. 12 Georgia. This season the Gamecocks have picked up four wins over ranked opponents, including taking the series versus then No. 11 Florida. South Carolina ranks 10th in the country with a .979 fielding percentage. The Gamecocks also lead the SEC in total stolen bases (97) and stolen bases per game (2.06)
Gamecock ace Donnie Gobourne was recently selected 17th overall in the Women's Professional Fastpitch Draft. She leads South Carolina in earned run average (2.49), strikeouts (140) and wins (8).
After taking down Alabama in Tuscaloosa for the first time since 2017, Auburn enters the weekend series tied with Arkansas for third in the SEC standings. Both teams hold a one-game advantage over fifth-place Alabama and LSU. The top four finishers earn a bye into the quarterfinals at the 2023 SEC Tournament in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Tossing two gritty complete games to earn the series win over the Crimson Tide, Maddie Penta enters the weekend with a 21-5 record. She is the first Tiger pitcher since Kaylee Carlson (2017, 2018) to record at least 20 wins in back-to-back seasons. Penta leads the SEC in victories while ranking second in ERA (1.03), innings pitched (170.0) and strikeouts (242) and third in shutouts (5). Penta is just eight strikeouts shy of recording her second consecutive seasons with 250 strikeouts to her credit.
Auburn's pitching staff has totaled 19 shutouts this season, tying Tennessee for the SEC lead while ranking third in the country. Auburn's 19 shutouts are tied for the fourth most ever recorded in a single season on the Plains. Auburn's staff also tops the nation with 391 total strikeouts. Issuing just 60 walks, Auburn also boasts a 6.52 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which leads the country. Penta, Shelby Lowe and Annabelle Widra all rank in the top seven in the SEC with their individual strikeout-to-walk ratios with Lowe leading the conference (11.00).
Thirteen different Tigers have knocked a home run this season with 10 slugging at least two. Bri Ellis currently ranks eighth in the SEC with 12 home runs. Ellis enters the weekend 10th in Auburn career history with 32 homers. She is seven shy of shattering the program's sophomore record held by Kasey Cooper. Auburn is currently 12-0 this season when Ellis slugs a home run.
As a team, the Tigers rank tied for second in the conference with 58 home runs, the seventh most recorded in a single season on the Plains.
Nelia Peralta has reached base safely in 46 of Auburn's 49 contests and ranks seventh in the SEC with a .506 on-base percentage, the 10th highest mark by a Tiger in a single season. Peralta leads the team with 36 walks, which is tied for the third most ever recorded by a Tiger sophomore. She averages 0.73 walks per game, which ranks fifth in the SEC.
Recording multiple hits in all three games in Tuscaloosa last weekend, Peralta leads the team with 14 multi-hit contests. She has totaled a team-leading 44 hits and tops the club with a .349 batting average.
Two Tiger hits are on milestone alert heading into the weekend as Makayla Packer and Carlee McCondichie and inching towards the 100th hit of their respective careers.
Despite a rare defensive struggle in game two of the Alabama series, Auburn enters the series with a .975 fielding percentage, the fourth best percentage in the league.
Auburn concludes the regular season next weekend, hosting Mississippi State at Jane B. Moore Field. The series begins Friday, May 5 at 5 p.m. CT on the SEC Network+. In Auburn's last "Friday Night Lights" giveaway of the season, fans will receive free Auburn softball light-up sunglasses while supplies last.