Auburn competed in California last weekend without knowing exactly what to expect.

The team went 3-1 during its appearance in the Judi Garman Classic, which included a run-rule victory over No. 20 Oregon and an extra-innings loss to No. 5 Washington. The trip wasn't flawless, but ace Makayla Martin says that wasn't the expectation — or the point.

"It put us in a really good place," said Martin, who went 2-1 with a 1.67 earned run average in California. "After that Washington game, I think a lot of us were like, ‘OK, we can compete with this team, so we can compete with any team in the nation and do well.' Last weekend was really awesome all around.”

The Tigers (16-4) resume play at home this weekend with a busy schedule that includes six games. The first will be played tonight against Michigan State beginning at 6 o'clock.

Four of the six games — including tonight's contest — will be available via streaming on WatchESPN.com.

Auburn has started strongly during coach Mickey Dean's second season at the helm. The team pitched quite well last season, finishing with the nation's fourth-lowest ERA, but scoring runs was a problem from start to finish. The Tigers finished 57th in runs last season. They finished 27th the year before.

Dean and his assistants spent this past offseason tweaking, and in some cases reconstructing, almost every player's swing in a search for added effectiveness. Early returns are exceptional — Auburn currently ranks among the Top 15 in runs, batting average and slugging.

Seven of the Tigers' nine positional starters are batting at least .330 this season. Six of them have tallied at least 13 RBIs apiece. Dean's goal was to piece together a lineup that provides something at the plate from top to bottom.

He got that in California. And he thinks it'll continue.

"Everybody contributed. When you go play on the road, you really have to have that and I thought our players did a nice job of everyone contributing," Dean said. "I see people competing and continuing to compete. Heathy competition is always good; it makes you better as a player and as a team."

The remainder of Auburn's weekend schedule includes a Friday game against Radford (6 p.m.), a Saturday double-header against Louisville and Radford beginning at 2 p.m. and a Sunday double-header against Michigan State and Mercer beginning at 11:30 a.m.