AUBURN, Ala. – Postseason begins on The Plains as Auburn (27-18-1) softball hosts the 2024 SEC Tournament at Jane B. Moore Field and opens competition Wednesday versus No. 14 Georgia (38-15).
"It's one pitch, one game at a time," said head coach Mickey Dean. "The middle eight teams in the league are all separated by two games. If you show up and play well, you've got a chance."
First pitch between the 10th-seeded Tigers and fourth-seeded Georgia is set for 4 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza and Holly Rowe will have the call. The game can also be heard locally on WEGL 91.1 FM and online via the Auburn Sports Network as Brit Bowen and JJ Jackson have the call.
The winner of Wednesday's contest advances to Thursday to face two-seeded Florida at 4 p.m. CT.
Auburn trails in the all-time series to Georgia with a 26-40 record. The mark moves to 13-20 in games played at Jane B. Moore Field. The series has been even as of late as the head-to-head stands at 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
The two teams did not meet in the regular season but did square off last season in Athens. The series came down to an extra-inning rubber game that Georgia walked off in the 10th inning, 5-4. Auburn and Georgia have faced off in the SEC Tournament just twice with the Bulldogs winning both games. The teams last met in 2005 in Gainesville, Florida.
Auburn is making its 23rd SEC Tournament appearance and holds a 22-27 record in the event. The Tigers won the 2015 and 2016 tournaments and are hosting for the first time since 2007.
The Tigers enter the postseason after taking down No. 17 Alabama twice to claim their first home series win over the Crimson Tide since 2018. Auburn has now won back-to-back series over Alabama for the first time since the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Auburn clinched the series behind a phenomenal effort in the circle by Annabelle Widra. In her first complete game shutout in SEC play, Widra limited Alabama to four hits and struck out seven. The SEC strikeout leader, Maddie Penta, is hunting down another historic feat. She enters the postseason just 26 strikeouts shy of recording her third straight season of 250 or more strikeouts, something no Auburn pitcher has ever done.
Anna Wohlers leads the team with a .309 batting average through the regular season. She's totaled 26 runs scored and 38 hits, both ranking second on the team. Icess Tresvik is the team leader in hits with 40. She boasts a .308 average. Over half of Amelia Lech's hits this season are home runs as she stands 10th in the SEC with 12. She's added a team-leading 35 RBI.
A hot-hitting Georgia team enters the contest with seven Bulldogs hitting over .300 at the plate. Dallis Goodnight paces the offense with a .352 average behind 38 hits, and 35 runs scored. The duo of Jayda Kearney and Sara Mosley have combined for 33 home runs. Lilli Backes leads the pitching staff with a 2.37 earned run average. She posted a 15-6 record and 113 strikeouts in the regular season.
Auburn battles No. 14 Georgia in opening round of SEC Tournament
