Friday will mark the beginning of a nine-game homestand at Jane B. Moore Field for the Auburn Tigers as they host the No. 4 Tennessee Lady Volunteers. The Tigers hold a 14-17 record versus Tennessee at Jane B. Moore Field, but Auburn is looking for its series win over the Lady Vols since 2019. Tennessee has won the last six meetings
However, the Tigers enter this crucial series with news that has reverberated throughout the sport: head coach Mickey Dean announced Tuesday his decision to step down at the conclusion of the 2024 season, marking the end of his seven-year tenure. In his 17th season of collegiate softball, Dean is one victory shy of surpassing 700 wins in his head coaching career.
Under Dean's guidance, the Tigers appeared in multiple NCAA Regionals and had three 40-win seasons, culminating in a top 20 finish nationally during the 2023 campaign. Maddie Penta, a standout pitcher under Dean's guidance, made history as the program's first-ever SEC Pitcher of the Year.
Penta's continued with an impressive 2024 season, with 126 strikeouts and a 1.70 earned run average this season. She has been a force to be reckoned with, boasting an 8-5 record and demonstrating her dominance on the mound.
Despite the defensive struggles in College Station, Texas, last weekend in a sweep to No. 12 Texas A&M, Penta looks to keep up the momentum at home with a stellar 20-3 record at Jane B. Moore Field since the 2023 season.
With Saturday being declared “Makayla Packer Day” by the Tigers’ program, the senior will look to provide power in the lineup for the Auburn offense.
A career .307 hitter, Packer has recorded 99 runs scored,121 hits, including 34 career extra-base hits, and 51 RBIs. She holds the program record for highest stolen base percentage (.881) and ranks second in program history in career steals (59) and triples (9).
With an 18-game win streak and a dominant pitching staff led by graduate right-hander Payton Gottshall, Tennessee poses a significant threat.
The Lady Vols’ consecutive series sweeps against top-ranked opponents, including No. 13 Missouri and South Carolina, have propelled them to a 6-0 start in conference play for the second straight year – marking the first time in the program's history that they've opened consecutive league seasons with six straight victories.
A significant contributor to their success has been graduate right-hander Gottshall, who recently earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors for the first time in her career. Gottshall's stellar performance over the weekend, including two wins and a save without allowing a single run over 12 innings, highlights her versatility and skill on the mound.
Alongside Gottshall, sophomore Karlyn Pickens has also been a standout player, earning SEC Pitcher of the Week accolades in the preceding two weeks. Their formidable presence has solidified Tennessee's pitching staff as one of the best in the nation.
The duo of Pickens and Gottshall holds the nation's best combined ERA at 1.06 and an impressive 15 shutouts.
Auburn and No. 4 Tennessee are scheduled to start the series on Friday, March 29 at 5 p.m. CST with television coverage on the SEC Network. The following matchup on Saturday, March 30 will have first pitch at 4 p.m. CST with the series finale on Easter Sunday, March 30 beginning at 1 p.m. CST. Both Saturday and Sunday’s contests will stream on the SEC Network+ and ESPN app.
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Patrick is a sophomore from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
