AUBURN, Ala. – Returning to Jane B. Moore Field for the final time this season, Auburn softball (26-16, 6-12 SEC) faces another top 25 opponent in No. 18/16 Tennessee (35-8, 8-7 SEC) for a three-game series in which the Tigers will honor their 2020 and 2021 senior classes.
"They've been pitching the ball extremely well," said head coach Mickey Dean. "They have a lot of team speed and try to manipulate your defense with the various triple-threat hitters that they have, and they have kids with multiple home runs. It's a mixed bag. We just have to make sure that we are focusing on us, what we do well and the things that we can capitalize on."
The series opens on Friday with a 5 p.m. CT first pitch. Saturday the Tigers will honor seniors Jadia Jones, Abby Tissier, Tyler King, Lexie Handley and Makenna Dowell in a pregame ceremony. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CT. Sunday's series finale will also feature a pregame ceremony for Alyssa Rivera, Justus Perry, Rachel Cook and Kaylee Horton. Auburn will also welcome back Ashlee Swindle, Brittany Maresette and Tannon Snow for the senior ceremonies. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT.
All three games this weekend will be available on the SEC Network+. Brit Bowen and Amy Reif will have the call Friday night. Three-time Auburn All-American Kasey Cooper will join Bowen in the booth on Saturday and Sunday.
JJ Jackson will be on site at Jane B. Moore Field with radio coverage for the series. Fans can tune in via the Auburn Sports Network.
The Tigers ended their latest road trip at Oxford, Miss., on a high note as Auburn played spoiler in the series finale for a 3-1. The victory was head coach Mickey Dean's 600th career win as a Division I head coach.
LEADING OFF
- Returning to Jane B. Moore Field for the final time this season, Auburn wraps up its home slate in a three-game series against No. 18/16 Tennessee. Auburn is searching for its third straight series win against the Lady Vols.
- Over its final home weekend, Auburn will honor its 2021 and 2020 senior classes. The 12 seniors have helped Auburn to over 170 wins, three NCAA Regionals and one NCAA Super Regional.
- Head coach Mickey Dean reached a major career milestone as he recorded his 600th Division I career victory in Sunday's series finale against the Rebels. Dean holds a career .717-win percentage and earned his 100th victory as the head coach of the Tigers earlier this season.
- With a double in Auburn's series finale at Ole Miss, Alyssa Rivera recorded her 200th base hit. She is just the 11th Tiger in program history to ever hit the milestone. She needs six hits to jump into the top 10 in Auburn career history.
- Maddie Penta is just four strikeouts shy of joining Shelby Lowe with 100 for the season. Auburn has never had two freshmen record at least 100 strikeouts in the same season.
- Freshman Makayla Packer is a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts this season. She is tied with former Tiger and current assistant coach Emily Carosone (2013) for the second most stolen bases in school history by an Auburn freshman.
- Behind four saves this season, KK Dismukes is tied for sixth with six additional Tigers for the most saves in an Auburn single season. The last Tiger to record at least four saves in a season was Kaylee Carlson during the 2017 campaign. Dismukes currently ranks fourth in the SEC in saves.
- With just six strikeouts over 107 at-bats, Tyler King enters the week ranked as the fourth toughest player in the Southeastern Conference to strike out as she averages just one every 17.8 at-bats. King has struck out just three times in conference play and leads the team with a .315 average in league action.
ON DECK
The Tigers wrap up the regular season with one final road as Auburn treks to Baton Rouge, La., to face No. 16/14 LSU in a three-game series. The series begins on Friday, May 5 with a 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch on ESPNU.