AUBURN, Ala. – After going undefeated at the Tiger Invitational to start the 2025 campaign, Auburn softball (5-0) gears up for six games over four days during the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational Presented by EvoShield at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
“I love this tournament,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “Excited that we get to take part of it this season. The World Series field usually comes out of it. It’s so fun to be part of it.”
Auburn opens its six-game slate on Thursday facing Clemson (3-2), a familiar postseason foe, for the first time in the regular season. First pitch on ESPN2 is set for 3 p.m. CT. The Tigers’ second showdown on ESPN2 is set for Friday morning as Auburn takes on its third Atlantic Coast Conference foe of 2025 in Virginia (3-2) at 9 a.m. CT.
Friday’s action concludes at 2:30 p.m. CT when the Tigers face UCF (5-1). The two teams battled in an epic 12-inning contest into the early hours of the morning during the 2024 Tallahassee Regional.
The Tigers have another doubleheader set for Saturday. The afternoon kicks off at 12 p.m. CT versus Charlotte (2-3). Auburn follows the contest with its first ranked opponent of the season in No. 9 Oklahoma State (2-2). First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. CT.
Sunday’s finale is set for 11 a.m. CT with Auburn taking on Liberty (5-0).
The final four games of Auburn’s tournament slate will be available on ESPN+ as the network and its top softball commentators are set to provide coverage for every single game of the tournament. All six games will also be available on WEGL 91.1 FM and the Auburn Sports Network with JJ Jackson on the call from Clearwater.
Auburn last appeared in the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational in 2022. The Tigers posted a 4-1 record and earned an upset win over No. 11 Texas. The lone loss of the weekend came at the hands of No. 3 UCLA.
The Malveaux effect is already showing dividends through the first weekend of the season. Auburn is the only school to have three student-athletes ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in individual slugging percentage.
Senior Nelia Peralta tops that list as she ranks fourth in the league with her 1.222 slugging clip. Her incredible start to the season earned the shortstop SEC Co-Player of the Week honors. Peralta enters the weekend ranked in the top five in the SEC in multiple offensive categories, including hits (11), home runs (3), RBI (10), batting average (.611) and on-base percentage (.667).
Auburn’s young pitching staff turned in numerous firsts and career highs over opening weekend with sophomore duo of SJ Geurin and Chalea Clemmons leading the way. Making her collegiate debut in the circle, Clemmons closed opening weekend with a pair of wins behind a 1.05 earned run average.
Geurin also recorded two wins and enters the weekend with 13 strikeouts, which ranks 10th in the SEC.