No. 2 Auburn’s pitching 'much better'

AUBURN | No. 2 Auburn’s dynamic pitching duo is back and better than ever.

Clint Myers is expecting big things from junior Kaylee Carlson and sophomore Makayla Martin in their second season with the Tigers.

“They're much better. They're much more confident,” said Myers, Auburn’s fourth-year head coach. “They're both starting to rise a little bit in maturity and attack the zone a little bit and rely on their defense. I would say the defense is getting a little bit better. Those are things we've got to keep striving for.”

Martin was 15-4 with a 1.57 ERA as a true freshman last season. She struck out 64 in 116.0 innings.

“Mack can control a ball that goes up a little bit better this year. You'll see her a little more higher in the zone. Her changeup is so much better, especially than it was this time last year,” Myers said.

Martin was named to the WCWS All-Tournament team. In four appearances she allowed just one run in 13.1 innings. She held Oklahoma without an earned run in a 2-1 loss in game three of the championship series.

“I don't have to rely on just my drop now. I can throw my changeup and it can be effective more consistently than last year,” Martin said.

Carlson was 19-2 with a 2.36 ERA in her first season at Auburn after transferring from North Carolina. She struck out 71 in 130.2 innings.

“Kaylee is getting the ball going up a lot better and is a lot more consistent with that strike rise than she was last year. That's a great thing for us,” Myers said.

Talented freshman Ashlee Swindle, senior Jenna Abbott and freshman Alexa Nemeth round out the Tigers' 2017 staff.

Martin will start Auburn’s season-opener against No. 1 Oklahoma Thursday at 1 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Carlson will get the nod against No. 13 Washington Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Tigers will also play Nebraska at 2 p.m. Friday and BYU at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Triple Crown Tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Martin called it a business trip for her and her teammates.

“I'm not nervous or anything because I faced (Oklahoma) last year. I'm just going to go out there and do my best and whatever happens happens,” Martin said. "We play the game, not the team. Whoever we're put in front of we're doing the same thing that we do with any other game. We're just doing what we do best.”