Under the leadership of first-year head coach Clint Myers, the Auburn softball team has made a drastic turnaround and is out to the best start in club history.
That success, which yielded a recent 11-game win streak, comes from Myers three main principles for his team "good pitching, good defense and timely hitting."
The Tigers certainly pitched well during that streak, recording three consecutive no-hitters -- one from sophomore Lexi Davis and two from sophomore Marcy Harper.
"I didn't expect to get two," Harper said. "I didn't even expect the first one. I didn't even know until after the game was over. I just hit my spots, and everything was working."
During the streak, seven of the 11 games were called early due to the mercy rule.
"Our hitting has been a big improvement, especially since last year," Davis said. "We've been putting the ball on the ground, and keeping pressure on teams."
The Tigers have been stellar at the plate this season, scoring 10 or more runs in 15 of their 28 games.
"We've been staying pretty consistent to our plans," Myers said. "We don't have a unique formula for success."
If they want to continue their recent success, Myers said his Tigers will have to play better than they have all year over the next few series.The team kicks off a three-game series with No. 18 Kentucky in Lexington on March 28.
"At Arizona State, we played Kentucky in the super regional, so we just happen to have that scouting report," Myers said. "It's a new team and a new year. They're well coached and well disciplined. We're just going to have to play well."
After the Kentucky series, the Tigers will head to Gainesville to take on their toughest opponent of the season thus far, the No. 3 Florida Gators.
It won't get any easier after that.
When the Gainesville series ends, the Tigers will return home to face No. 11 Missouri in a three game series. Auburn will then face the No.2 and No.1 teams in the same week, with one game against Alabama at a neutral field in Montgomery and a weekend series in Athens against No. 1 Georgia.
Davis is confident that the team can play with any team in the country.
"When we play Auburn softball, all facets are coming together," Davis said. "As long as we keep playing the way we've been playing, I think we stand a chance against anybody."
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