Auburn Softball begins its post-season play in Jane B. Moore Field, the host site of the SEC Softball Tournament, the first time it has been on the plains since 2007.
The Tigers are riding high on the momentum from their recent series victory over rival Alabama. This win catapulted them to the number 10 seed in the tournament, setting the stage for a face-off with the number seven seed, Georgia.
"It's nice coming off a series win. They should be carrying some confidence with them. So now you're just trying to stay in your rhythm," said Auburn head coach Mickey Dean.
The two teams will meet for the first time this season, and wins have been hard to come by for both teams in this matchup historically. They have split at 5-5 in their last ten matchups.
Georgia enters this matchup with a 38-15 record, a 12-12 conference record, and a series loss to Mississippi State.
In 2023, Auburn was the third seed overall in the conference tournament hosted in Fayetteville, Arkansas. After an opening-round win against Ole Miss, they were upset by the ten-seed South Carolina Gamecocks in the semi-finals.
As the second overall seed, Georgia also suffered a loss to the Gamecocks in the 2023 tournament.
The last time the Tigers were the 10 seed, they strung together two victories: a first-round win over Missouri and an upset victory over second-ranked Tennessee on their way to a semi-final exit against Florida in 2019.
Sara Mosley, a fifth-year infielder, has been one of Georgia's most consistent players in her five seasons in Athens. Mosley is a threatening bat that drives in runs with 57 RBIs. She ranks third in total RBIs and second in the conference with 16 home runs, only behind teammate Jayda Kearney.
In the matchup against Auburn in 2023, Mosley hit a home run in all three games against the Tigers, recording four hits and three RBIs in the series victory.
Georgia will look to rely on its veteran bat, which has plenty of tournament experience, to help overpower the Tigers' pitching.
Axe Milanowski, a sophomore infielder was a pleasant surprise and a crucial part of the Tigers' triumph over the Crimson Tide. Milanowski started all three series games and had a hit each for five hits and two runs across the three-game stretch.
Auburn has struggled offensively but can do damage in post-season play with more help from its middle-of-the-order batters. In clutch moments, Auburn will surely turn to Milanowski's hot hand.
"I think we're feeling good. I think we want to keep the momentum that we've been having," said Milanowski's teammate Anna Wohlers of Auburn's offensive performance as of late. "We've been learning from mistakes, losses and things like that. So I think our last one against Alabama, we're really going to hone in on that and bring the Auburn team spirit. We're just gonna give everything we got."
The Tigers look to take down rival Georgia in the second round of the conference tournament on Wednesday, May 8 with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. CST with television coverage on the SEC Network.
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Craig Noyes is a junior from Kensington, Maryland, majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in January 2023.
Twitter: @craignoyes58
