Yahoo Sports Scouting Auburn Softball’s Plainsman Invite opponents
The No. 20 Auburn Tigers are set to host another full weekend of games at Jane B. Moore Field.
This weekend, Auburn welcomes a trio of northern programs in Merrimack, Brown, and North Dakota State for the annual Plainsman Invite that will begin Friday when the Merrimack Warriors face Brown at 11:30 a.m. CT.
Auburn’s run in the round-robin-style weekend series begins at 3 p.m. CT on Friday by taking on Merrimack. The Tigers will hit the field again on Friday to face Brown at 5:30. Before the weekend ends, Auburn will play North Dakota State twice, and Merrimack once more.
As Auburn prepares for its’ third weekend of action, two of Auburn’s opponents are just getting their seasons’ underway. Merrimack played in one game of the Charleston Southern kickoff last weekend before the tournament was postponed. As for Brown, the Bears begin their season in Auburn on Friday.
North Dakota State, a 30-game winner from a year ago, enters the weekend at 4-6 after playing a total of ten games in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Mexico.
Auburn is 9-1, with its lone loss coming to Pittsburgh during the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida on Feb. 11. Bri Ellis and Icess Tresvik each hit two-run blasts in Auburn’s most recent win, a 10-1 victory over UAB on Wednesday.
This weekend’s Plainsman Invite will only be broadcasted Saturday on SEC Network+. Each game of the weekend can be heard on the Auburn Sports Network through the mobile app, or locally on 99.9 FM.
Get to know Auburn’s Plainsman Invite opponents ahead of this weekend’s action by checking out each team’s profile below.
Merrimack
2023 record: 0-1
Series History: Never Met
Key Hitter: Ellen Hubbard
Key Pitcher: Bri Mitchitson
Brown
2023 record: 0-0
Series History: Never Met
Key Hitter: Brianna Rodriguez
Key Pitcher: Erin Elgas
North Dakota State
2023 record: 0-0
Series History: Auburn leads, 5-1
Last Meeting: Auburn 10 North Dakota State 2 (Feb. 23, 2019- Auburn)
Key Hitter: Carley Goetschius (.448/HR/6 RBI)
Key Pitcher: Paige Vargas (34.1 IP/1.63 ERA/31 K)
Weekend Schedule
FRIDAY
Auburn vs. Merrimack, 3 p.m. CT
Auburn vs. Brown, 5:30 p.m. CT
SATURDAY
Auburn vs. North Dakota State, 3 p.m. CT
Auburn vs. Merrimack, 5:30 p.m. CT
SUNDAY
Auburn vs. North Dakota State, noon CT
