Rebounding from a disappointing in-conference sweep with back-to-back wins, the 21-10 Tigers look to sustain their momentum against the 14-13 Rattlers after their annual SEC bye week.
“We’re shifting gears from SEC play with this midweek stretch,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “It’s important that we use these games to reset and keep that attack mindset throughout. These are important games against teams that are going to be in the conversation for their respective conference titles. It’s a great challenge for us before we dive back into conference play.”
Auburn’s offense put together 20 walks across its 11-2 and 10-3 victories against Jacksonville State and South Alabama last week, as plate discipline continues to be a major philosophy of this year’s rendition of the squad. Sophomore Kylie Shaw leads the SEC with 34 bases on balls in 31 games, and Auburn ranks fourth in the conference in total walks.
Senior outfielder McKaela Walker continues to lead the Tigers at the plate, mashing a grand slam—her third of the year—in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s game against Jacksonville State. Her 10 home runs, 32 RBIs, and .908 slugging percentage all lead the team in what has been a resurgent year for the LSU transfer.
Among their recent success at the plate, however, lies some trouble in the field. The Tigers rank last in the SEC defensively with a .947 fielding percentage, and a pair of errors in the third inning against Jacksonville State brought across an unearned run in their most recent contest.
“It’s a hard lesson of learning that these mistakes cost runs,” Malveaux said. “Until we come out ready, that’s something that we’re fighting right now. Maybe it is youth, but it can’t happen at this level. We’ve got to bring it to the field and be ready to go.”
Hoping to be the benefactor of some improved glove work, sophomore right-hander Ella Harrison continues to lead Auburn’s pitching staff. She’s earned nine wins this season while carrying a team-leading 3.87 ERA, and her 87 strikeouts are good for seventh in the SEC.
Florida A&M is led by head coach Brittany Beall, an Auburn alum who played outfield for the Tigers from 2005 to 2008. She’s led the team to a 44-33 record since being appointed head coach in October 2024.
Coming off a series sweep in which they shut out Mississippi Valley State in all three games, the Rattlers took on Alabama State in Montgomery this weekend, dropping the first game on Friday before earning the series win with two hard-fought victories on Saturday. Averaging over eight runs a game over those two series, their offense ranks fourth in the SWAC in total runs scored and third in home runs.
Florida A&M’s squad is headlined by Senior two-way player Amari Brown, who put together a pair of noteworthy performances during Saturday’s doubleheader. She went 4-for-5 with a triple and a home run in game one, the latter of which came in extra innings and ended up being the game-winner, before taking the mound in game two and delivering a complete-game shutout to secure the series. She leads the Rattlers in batting average (.407), runs (28), and hits (37) this season, and ranks second in the SWAC with 71 total bases in 29 games.
The Tigers have slipped into the bottom half of the SEC standings, but the prospect of salvaging a strong season through the bulk of conference play isn’t lost on the group as they look to reestablish themselves in the conference race.
“We’re kind of at the halfway point where the second half of the season is really getting going,” Malveaux said. “We’ve got to regroup, refresh a little and understand that we’ve got some ball to go for.”
First pitch is scheduled for Monday evening at 5:00 p.m. CDT, available to stream on SEC Network+.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
