BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the first time since 2016, the Samford softball team will play host to the No. 19 Auburn Tigers on Wednesday at Samford Softball Stadium
  
The first pitch between the in-state foes is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday and can be streamed on ESPN+. Samford's game notes can be found here. 
 
Tickets can be found here. 
  
After sweeping Mercer to open Southern Conference play for the second-straight season, Samford brings a 14-18 record into the midweek matchup. 
  
The nationally ranked Tigers sit at 25-9 on the year after sweeping following a weekend sweep of Mizzou at home. 
 
Samford and Auburn are meeting for the 20th time in program history. The Tigers lead the all-time series 14-5 and have won the last eight meetings. Wednesday marks the first time since 2021 that Samford has hosted an SEC team. 
  
During the 2022 season, the Bulldogs went 2-5 against in-state foes. Entering the midweek, Samford is 2-3 against Alabama teams this season. 
  
Reigning SoCon Pitcher of the Week McKenzie Newcomb is once again leading the Bulldog pitching staff as the sophomore ranks eighth nationally with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.73. Newcomb has also accumulated 107 strikeouts which ranks 29th nationally and an ERA of 1.57, good enough for 55th in the country. 
  
Newcomb leads a pitching staff that ranks 52nd in the country with 181 strikeouts on the season. The Bulldog team ERA ranks 87th at 2.87. Bulldog pitchers enter the midweek ranked 30th nationally with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.11.
  
 On the offensive side of things, the power-hitting duo of Logan Champion and Grier Bruce pace the Bulldog offense. Champion has collected a team-best 11 doubles on the season, which ranks 12th nationally. Bruce leads the team with seven home runs and ranks third in the SoCon and 75th nationally. The sophomore duo had a combined 38 at-bats as freshmen in 2022 and in 2023 they have a combined 39 RBIs.
  
Champion enters the midweek game against Auburn riding a having reached base in season-high 13-straight games. 
  
Bruce's seven home runs on the year have already tied Mary Katherine Tedder and Timberlyn Shurbutt's team-leading home run total from last year in 24 fewer games.
  
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