Auburn softball will not host NCAA regional for first time since 2014; Tigers will play Kennesaw State in Tallahassee

AUBURN — For the first time since 2014, the Auburn softball team will not be playing an NCAA regional at Jane B. Moore Field.

After losing five of its last six Southeastern Conference games including a crushing opening-round game to Alabama in the league tournament this week, Auburn (40-15, 11-13 SEC) was not awarded one of the 16 hosting assignments by the NCAA selection committee.

"We knew that you don't get to win a national championship playing in Auburn, Alabama, so we knew at some point we were going to have to go on the road," Tigers head coach Mickey Dean said. "For our fans, we'd love to get to host a regional. Didn't work out. But now we get to ready to show people what we can do and who we really are." 

Auburn will play Kennesaw State at 11 a.m. Friday on ESPN3.com in the Tallahassee Regional hosted by No. 6 overall seed Florida State. Kennesaw State (39-15), the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament champion, lost 2-1 at Auburn on April 4 but has won 14 of 16 games following that matchup.

Florida State will face Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champion Jacksonville State at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN3.com

Getting to host the four-team regional would’ve obviously been a major advantage for Auburn, which is 29-3 at home this season and has won nine straight regional games at Jane B. Moore Field.

"I think when it comes to postseason, you kind of don't know where you stand, especially since we didn't perform like we wanted to this year," Auburn catcher Courtney Shea said. "I'm not really disappointed. It is what it is and we've got to keep moving forward."

Auburn had hosted NCAA regionals under Clint Myers in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The last time Auburn went on the road for a regional, the Tigers played at Minnesota and pushed the host Gophers to a winner-take-all elimination game after losing the opening game to North Dakota State.