SPORTS

Auburn confident entering first NCAA Super Regional

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
  • Tigers didn%27t have a hit during first three innings of opening two games of NCAA Regional%2C scored 11 runs in final
  • Auburn%2C Louisiana-Lafayette both top 5 in scoring and each hit .346
  • ULL has national leader in home runs

Haley Fagan is hitting .349 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI entering the NCAA Super Regional.

AUBURN – Clint Myers has been here before, his team has not.

The second-year Auburn coach appeared in eight NCAA Super Regionals in as many years during his tenure at Arizona State, with seven trips to the Women's College World Series, including two national championships.

But this weekend will be the first time Auburn (52-9) appears on this big a postseason stage, as the No. 4 seed Tigers host No. 13 seed Louisiana-Lafayette in a best-of-three series, starting at 1 p.m. today, with a trip to Oklahoma City on the line and a national television audience able to watch every moment from what will be another packed house at Jane B. Moore Field.

"Are they going to be a little excited? I hope so," Myers said. "I hope they get real excited, but again, it needs to be a controlled emotional excitement. If they remember what we've been trying to get through them in practice – Auburn softball – it's not about playing ULL, it's about playing the game.

"We know what we need to do for us to be successful in the game. Whether it's their first time or their fifth time, it's about going out there and doing it between the lines."

What went on between the lines, particularly in the batter's box, in last weekend's regional was not entirely characteristic for Auburn.

The Tigers didn't get a hit during the first three innings of their first two games, an 0 for 18 span with three walks, before finally breaking things open with seven runs on 11 hits and eight walks in the regional final, though they left the bases loaded three times.

All told Auburn, which set new single-season team records in hits, home runs, RBI, runs scored and walks, was held to .233 with 17 hits, including one home run, against Tennessee Tech and two games with South Alabama.

Like Auburn, ULL is another top-five scoring team. The Ragin' Cajuns are batting .346, same as Auburn, average over eight (8.19) runs per game, like Auburn (8.03), and feature national home-run leader Lexie Elkins (31).

Auburn does not think offense will be an issue this weekend.

"I don't think we've lost our hitting at all," said first baseman Jade Rhodes, who broke out of a 0 for 23 slump with an RBI triple on Sunday. "I think if we come out and do what we need to do, it's just another game, another series and another two wins we're going to have."

Myers attributed last weekend's lack of early offense to the postseason stage but didn't want to put too much stock in the setting having an impact on this weekend, saying some the early game jitters is simply "human nature" as players experience the postseason for the first time.

"You never can tell with this club," Myers said. "They may come out in the first inning and be extremely loose and just go crazy."

The Ragin' Cajuns are well acquainted with the Super Regional as they make their fourth straight appearance and sixth in eight years, advancing to the WCWS twice (2008, 2014).

"It's good that our kids have experienced missing it, experienced the World Series last year, experienced the Super Regional on the road before," ULL coach Michael Lotief said. "It's a lot of tougher for us to play (at Auburn) than it is for (Auburn) to be a first-timer playing in your own venue."

Myers likes his team's "resiliency" to pull through in games whether the bats are hot or if Marcy Harper, Lexi Davis or Rachael Walters have to toss a gem.

"This team has been a lot of firsts for them and I believe that they have the capability of continuing that trend of having a lot of firsts," Myers said. "First time to go to Oklahoma City, the first time possibly to win a national championship. This team could do that.

"As we told them (Wednesday), it's time to stop talking and start doing so we need to do that (Friday)."

No. 4 seed Auburn (52-9) vs. No. 13 seed Louisiana-Lafayette (42-10)

WHEN: 1 p.m. today

WHERE: Jane B. Moore Field, Auburn

ON THE AIR: TV – ESPNU

NOTEWORTHY: Auburn is 20-7 against ranked opponents this season. Second baseman Emily Carosone is hitting .483 with five home runs and 31 RBI to lead a Tigers team hitting .306 in those games. … Auburn is 30-3 at Jane B. Moore Field this season. … Tigers shortstop Haley Fagan went 2 for 11 with two home runs and six strikeouts against ULL during her freshman season at South Alabama in 2013, with a three-run home run against ULL's Jordan Wallace. … ULL catcher Lexie Elkins leads the country with 31 home runs and designated player Shellie Landry is tied for 17th with 20. … Game 2 is 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN with ULL as the home team. If necessary, Game 3 will be 2 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.