After winning 40 games last season, the No. 19 Auburn Tigers are poised for another big season.
The Tigers return two of three key pitchers from last season and a myriad of solid bats in the lineup that will be sure to lead them to success. That is why D1Softball has listed Auburn as a “team to watch” in the SEC this season.
As part of their SEC preview, D1Softball believes that Auburn has all the pieces needed to take a step forward in 2023.
The Tigers have all the pieces to make another jump this season providing they can stay healthy, especially in the circle. [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] tried to pitch through pain for the entirety of the 2022 season and her performance understandably suffered. It put even more pressure on [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag], who threw 195.0 innings. If both are back to full strength following Lowe’s offseason surgery, there are few duos in the conference or the country that can match them. The Tigers added some pitcher/utility players to give them more depth in multiple areas. Auburn’s increased strength and conditioning work was apparent last season by the major boost in the offensive numbers. [autotag]Bri Ellis[/autotag], [autotag]Nelia Peralta[/autotag] and [autotag]Makayla Packer[/autotag] are among the players returning who can provide another jolt.
The Tigers open the 2023 slate on Friday, Feb. 11 in Clearwater, Fla. at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Auburn will compete with St. John’s, Fordham, Pittsburgh, Indiana, and Illinois during opening weekend.
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