HOOVER – Auburn plated three runs in the first inning off South Carolina starter Michael Roth in the first game of the SEC Tournament at Regions Park on Wednesday, equaling the highest number of runs any opponent had mustered against the Gamecocks ace in his 14 previous starts.

Just one more win against the last-place team in the SEC and Auburn would be the No. 2 seed at the SEC Tournament for the second year in a row, preparing for a morning date with rival Alabama, a team the Tigers beat three of four times during the course of the season.

Auburn sports teams received no penalties from the NCAA as a result of their multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores, which were released Tuesday.

On the eve of the SEC Tournament, two of Auburn’s players were recognized as some of the best the conference has to offer.

If not for one catastrophic, nine-run ninth inning against Georgia, Auburn would not be in this position.

Auburn had the lead, a shot at a share for the SEC West title, an all-but-assured spot in the NCAA Tournament and three outs to go, but couldn’t close it out against the last-place team in the SEC.

Auburn overcame an early deficit with eight unanswered runs in a 13-4 win over Tennessee on Friday, clinching a spot in the SEC Tournament.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee handed Auburn an unexpected setback in its postseason plans, tripping up the Tigers, 5-2, in the series opener Thursday night.