---

Auburn Softball Opens NCAA Regional Play Friday In Atlanta

Tigers and Hawkeyes Open Atlanta Regional at 4 p.m. CT

May 13, 2009

Auburn, Ala. - The third-seeded Auburn softball team will open the NCAA Atlanta Regional against the second-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes Friday at 4 p.m. CT at Shirley Clements Mewborn Field on the campus of Georgia Tech University.

"I am excited about playing in a NCAA Regional so close to home," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "It gives our fans a chance to see us play. Our seniors are looking forward to playing this weekend. This is their third trip to regionals. For our freshmen, this is a great experience that will stay with them throughout their careers."

Auburn is making its sixth trip to an NCAA Regional and the fifth in the last six years. The Tigers enter the regional with a 29-27 overall record and finished at 9-19 in the Southeastern Conference. Iowa finished the 2009 regular season with a 42-14 overall record and a 13-7 record in the Big Ten Conference.

"Iowa is a very good team with an excellent pitching staff," Deese said. "This is tough regional with three teams having 40 wins or more. The SEC got nine teams in NCAA Regionals this year and I feel like playing against those teams helped prepare us for the caliber of teams we will see in the Atlanta Regional."

Host and No. 1 seed Georgia Tech (43-13) will take on No. 4 seed Boston University (41-16) in the second first-round game Friday.

Auburn is 1-2 all-time against Iowa, with the last meeting coming in 2005 at the Buzz Classic Tournament in Marietta, Ga. The teams split a pair of games that year, with Auburn winning 2-1 and Iowa winning 16-1. The Hawkeyes won the first-ever meeting against the Tigers 7-5 in eight innings in 1997 at the Arizona State Classic tournament in Tempe, Ariz.

The Tigers are 3-5 all-time against Georgia Tech, but have won two of the last three meetings against the Yellow Jackets. In the last meeting, Auburn defeated Georgia Tech 3-2 at the 2008 NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. Current junior pitcher Anna Thompson picked up the win last year against Georgia Tech, allowing two runs, both earned, on five hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk.

Auburn has never played Boston University.

Tickets for the Atlanta Regional can be purchased by calling 1-888-TECH-TIX or online at www.ramblinwreck.cstv.com.

All of Auburn's game in the Atlanta Regional will have radio coverage on WZMG AM 910 in Auburn and on the web at www.auburntigers.com. Live stats will be carried by www.ramblinwreck.cstv.com.

Game Schedule:
Friday, May 15
Game 1: No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 3 Auburn - 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET
Game 2: No. 1 Georgia Tech vs. No. 4 Boston University - 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET

Saturday, May 16

Game 3: Winner Game 1 v Winner Game 2 - Noon CT / 1 p.m. ET
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 2:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 p.m. ET
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3 - 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET

Sunday, May 17

Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 - Noon CT / 1 p.m. ET
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 - 2:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)