It’s not everyday you host the fourth-ranked team in the county out of conference.

But the Auburn softball team will do just that today at Jane B. Moore Field when the Tigers host Michigan at 6 p.m.

The Tigers are 9-6 on the season and are coming off a 2-1 win over North Carolina State in the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Michigan is 9-4 this season and is coming off a 9-0 win over Maryland, also in the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

“We are excited and looking forward to the challenge of playing Michigan,” Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. “They are a very good team and a program with a lot of tradition. They have excellent pitching and have hit 13 home runs as a team.

“But, I feel like we have a pitching staff that can hold their own with anybody.

“We are looking forward to playing Michigan on our field in front of our fans.”

Auburn senior pitcher Anna Thompson leads the Southeastern Conference in strikeouts with 90 and in lowest opponent batting average at .084.
Thompson has the fourth-best ERA in the league at 0.62.

Sophomore Amber Harrison leads the Tigers and is tied for third in the SEC with 15 RBI.

Harrison leads the SEC with six doubles.

Volleyball signs 3 for next year
Joining the Tigers for the 2010 season is Alabama product Chelsea Wintzinger, Kansas native Margaret Clark and Caroline Adams of Georgia.

“These three players have potential to impact Auburn volleyball at a high level,” head coach Wade Benson said.  “They all possess the experience and competitive level to elevate Auburn to the next stage in collegiate volleyball.”

Wintzinger is a 5-7 setter from Huntsville, and built an extensive list of accolades during her high school career. She is a high school All-American for Huntsville, 2009 Gatorade Alabama Volleyball Player of the Year and a three-time state 6A tournament Most Valuable Player.
Wintzinger led her team to four state championships (2005-07, 2009) and holds the Alabama state record in career assists with 7,655 assists in
five varsity seasons.

Clark is a 5-11 right-side attacker from Leawood, Kan., and led her 2009 St. Thomas Aquinas squad to a 38-4 overall mark and a Class 5A Kansas State runner-up finish. She was a two-time captain for her squad that recorded three-straight sub-state championships.

Adams, a 6-1 middle blocker, hails from Lilburn, Ga., finished this season with 393 kills and 156 blocks.