Auburn softball signed three players for the 2011 season, including in-state players Hilary Mavromat of Scottsboro High School and Morgan Estell of Mortimer Jordan High School in Morris.

The Tigers also signed Alyssia Palomino of Kaiser High School in Fontana, Calif.

“I am extremely happy with the overall quality of players that we have coming in for 2011,” Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. “We are very excited to have two high-caliber players, Morgan and Hilary, from our home state and, with Alyssia coming from California, she has experience in a highly competitive area that will certainly help her in the Southeastern Conference.”

A junior in 2009 who pitches and plays first, Mavromat was named first team all-state by The Birmingham News. Mavromat led Scottsboro in hits, home runs, RBI, doubles and triples and was named to the Alabama Sports Writers’ All-State Team as a first baseman in 2009.

Mavromat began varsity play in the eighth grade and, as a pitcher, has amassed a 66-34 record with a 0.67 ERA, 1,023 strikeouts and 12 no-hitters. As a sophomore in 2008, Mavromat hit .528 with 10 home runs, 29 doubles and 53 RBI and was named to the Alabama Sports Writers All-State Team as a pitcher.

“Hilary has helped put Scottsboro High School softball on the map,” Deese said. “She is a 2010 NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete and we are extremely happy to have such a quality student-athlete join our program. Hilary has the ability to contribute offensively and on the mound for Auburn in the future.”

Junior catcher Morgan Estell was also named all-state by The Birmingham News as s second-team selection in 2009. Estell hit .439 with 53 RBI at Mortimer Jordan High School last season and helped lead Mortimer Jordan to the 5A state championship. Estell was also named to the Alabama Sports Writers’ All-State Team in 2009 and 2008 as a catcher.

“Morgan has got it all from an offensive perspective,” Deese said. “She has speed and power from the left side of the plate. Morgan has won two 5A state championships and her ASA team has experienced much success over the last few summers, so she knows what it takes to compete at a very high level.”

In three years at Mortimer Jordan High School, Estell has 231 hits in 459 at-bats for a .503 batting average with 147 RBI, 21 home runs, 38 doubles, 38 stolen bases and 17 triples.

A right-handed pitcher, Palomino helped lead the Kaiser High Cats to the 2008 Sunkist League championship.

“Alyssia has been very successful at the high school level and with her ASA team over the past few summers,” Deese added. “I believe Alyssia will fit nicely into our pitching staff in the next four years.”

The Tigers open the 2010 season by playing defending national champion Washington in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

Gymnastics holds 2nd intra-squad meet
The Auburn gymnastics team had the second of three intra-squad meets Tuesday afternoon in the team’s training center, the McWhorter Center.

The meet served as the second time this season that the Auburn gymnasts were scored by a judge.

“Today went well because the girls took it more seriously than the first intra-squad,” said head coach Jeff Thompson. “The girls that are true competitors and performers really stepped up today, and the ones that put pressure on themselves made it more difficult for them.”

Seven competitors on each event participated for the Tigers, down from eight from the first intra-squad as the Tigers search for a steady lineup for the 2010 season.

“We’re still trying to figure out who can be a gamer, who can have a bad warm up and still rise to the top and get a 9.9 routine,” said Thompson, who will continue his search for a solid lineup prior to the Jan. 8 season opener.

Overall, Auburn’s top six competitors hit 23-of-24 routines, a positive sign with the season less than two month away.

“If we can hit our routines now, there is no reason that we can’t do that at the beginning of the season against Alabama,” Thompson said. ”We still have a long way to go before we start scoring 9.85’s and 9.9’s, but the fact that we’re still in November and the girls are able to hit their routines is a good sign.”

Auburn will hold its final intra-squad meet Dec. 18, which will also serve as the final team workout prior to Christmas break. The Tigers open up the 2010 campaign Jan. 8 as they host the Alabama Crimson Tide at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

AU baseball holding academy in Mobile
The Auburn Baseball Academy Road Show is coming to St. Paul’s High School in Mobile from Dec. 5-6.

The camps are for youth grades 1-8 on Dec. 5 and high school grades 9-12 on Dec. 6.

Check-in time on each day is 8-9 a.m. and the camps run from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break (campers are to provide their own lunch).

All campers will receive a limited edition Auburn Baseball Academy Road Show hat as part of their participation in the camp.

All campers are strongly encouraged to pre-register online at http://www.AuburnBaseballAcademy.com. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Campers must bring the required forms to check in on the day of camp. Walk-ups will be accepted only if the camp does not reach its capacity during the pre-registration period.