Auburn softball’s path to a Women’s College World Series will begin in Tallahassee, Florida this week, as the Tigers claimed a spot in the Florida State Regional which begins on May 16. Other than the Tigers and the No. 5 seed Seminoles, South Florida and Robert Morris will vie for a spot in the Super Regional round at the end of May.
The Tigers finished the regular season with a 32-22 record, although conference play was filled with peaks and valleys, with Auburn winning just 6 games in 24 attempts. Head coach Mickey Dean’s squad did win five of their last six contests entering the SEC Tournament, including two against No. 15 South Carolina, before losing a heartbreaking one-run game to rival Alabama, giving the Tigers some much-needed momentum heading into north Florida.
Still, an 0-12 combined record against No. 1 ranked Texas A&M, No. 3 ranked Tennessee, No. 4 ranked Florida, and No. 5 ranked Texas show the Tigers have a long way to go if they hope to make waves in the NCAA Tournament. At least for the Regional Round, that road won’t include any programs from the conference.
Auburn’s first Regional Round contest is set for 11 AM CST on May 16 against South Florida in Tallahassee. If the Tigers can claim victory, Mickey Dean’s squad will play for a chance to make a Regional Championship appearance against the winner of Robert Morris/Florida State a day later at 2 PM CST.
An opening round loss would send the Tigers to the elimination bracket, where they would need to earn four consecutive victories to claim a spot in the Super Regional Round.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter@TheRealBHauch