Auburn softball has been building its team and now is ready for its season opener. Auburn softball’s 2020 season got canceled, like other spring sports due to COVID-19. The Tigers were able to play in 27 games going 16-11 overall. Now they’re looking forward to the 2021 season and taking it one step at a time. “We wanted to improve in every area,” said head coach Mickey Dean. “We knew this was going to be a big year for us as far as really putting things together. We had everything we wanted in this class, pitching, speed, power and that’s what we did. We tried to put together a better class that would have a huge impact not just on this season but on this program for years to come.”
Auburn has a diverse team this year with players spanning from the ages of 17 to 23. This culture has created a friendly competition and a fun dynamic according to Dean. Senior players are now on a team with previous high schoolers they met at camp. One of the veteran players is graduate student Alyssa Rivera. Rivera opted to utilize her extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA. Rivera led the team in 2020 with 29 hits averaging .358. She also led the team in runs at 24. She was an anchor for the Tigers and could hit homers to seal the win.
“It’s really all about discipline,” Rivera said. “Discipline is a huge attribute to me right now. I’m really just trying to have the best at-bat like Eugene [Lenti] and Dean both say. Every bat I go up there I don’t want to be an easy out. I think over time that’s really helped me become a disciplined hitter.” On the other side of the spectrum are the freshman. Auburn was able to pick up highly regarded freshman pitchers in the recruiting season. One of those pitches is freshman Maddie Penta. Penta was named the No. 2 recruit by FloSoftball and No. 3 by ExtraInnings Softball.
“They’re going to be some dang good pitchers let me tell you that,” Rivera said. “It’s only going to get better for them in their years here. I’m really excited to see what they’re going to do. They’re wicked. They’re going to be dangerous that’s for sure.” A bonus for Auburn softball has been the new indoor facility. The new 11,000 square-foot Gregg E. Heim Player Development Center has been an asset for the Tigers. It features six batting tunnels, a netting system, a meeting space, pitching machines and a place to keep players dry and warm during the colder season months. The facility is a place players will sometimes have a regular practice, but it is open all the time. It has become a place for these athletes to come in during their free time and work on their craft. “[Players use it] anywhere from two to three times a day,” Dean said. “It’s a big benefit. The weather doesn’t become a factor. It doesn’t matter how cold it is or if it’s raining, they can go in on their own. Anything they want to work on is there. Every morning I go in there and every evening I go out of there and I see the doors open and kids in there working on their game.” Now the Tigers are preparing for their season opener versus Southeastern Missouri State. Pitching rotations and official lineups haven’t been released but Dean said the team is in a good position pitching-wise. Auburn will take on Southeastern Missouri State in a doubleheader Saturday at home for its season opener. “We’re getting better every day,” Rivera said. “We’re showing up to practice and we’re leaving knowing something we didn’t know when we got there. Every day we’re just striving to be the best athletes we can be and be the best team out there. We’re here with a chip on our shoulder and we’re going to prove ourselves right.”
*Article was first published with The Auburn Plainsman
*Photos belong to Auburn Plainsman
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