AUBURN, Ala. – Prepping for its first true road test of the 2023 season, No. 19 Auburn softball (15-1) treks to Troy (10-5) to face the Trojans Wednesday at the Troy Softball Complex.
First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. CT with the midweek tilt airing on ESPN+. Jacob Hillman will have the radio call on the Auburn Sports Network.
"Troy is a quality team, quality program," said head coach Mickey Dean. "They have a kid in the circle that has been in the top five over the last four years in strikeouts. They are a feisty team. They are an aggressive team when it comes to offense. They are getting good work in the circle. It's our first true road game of the spring. We're looking forward to that challenge."
Shutting out opponents over its last five games, Auburn's pitching staff leads the country with an 0.81 earned run average and 10 shutouts through the first 16 games. Junior Maddie Penta and sophomore Annabelle Widra has anchored the staff through the first three weeks as the duo tossed back-to-back no-hitters over the Plainsman Invite, the first Auburn pair to do so since Marcy Harper and Lexi Davis in 2014.
Add junior Shelby Lowe to the mix and the Tigers have three of the seven lowest earned run averages in the Southeastern Conference on staff with Penta leading the charge as the only qualifying pitcher in the SEC to not allow an earned run this season.
Auburn has proved to have one of the most dynamic offenses in the SEC through the first three weeks of the season, leading the league in team batting average (.377), slugging percentage (.637), runs scored (135), hits (154), home runs (24), RBI (123) and total bases (260).
Slugging four home runs over Auburn's last six games, sophomore Bri Ellis was tabbed the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Player of the Week and SEC Player of the Week. Ellis enters the fourth week of the season ranking second in the SEC in RBI (20), fifth in slugging percentage (.974) and sixth in home runs (5).
The only player on the roster to reach base in all 16 games to start the season, Nelia Peralta is thriving in the top spot of the lineup. Peralta ranks second in the SEC with a .500 batting average and third in on base percentage with a .604 mark. Striking out just once in 49 at bats, Peralta ranks as the toughest batter in the league to strike out.
Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field this weekend, hosting Bowling Green, South Alabama and Tennessee Tech for the Jane B. Moore Memorial Tournament. Auburn opens its five-game slate with a doubleheader against Bowling Green and South Alabama on Friday. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. CT.
