BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN —
With just one regular-season tournament left to play, Auburn High School softball has won 27 (update after Tuesday’s game) games — 15 more than its 2022 season — with a record of 27-7-1.
According to head coach Matthew Hendricks, the turnaround has come as a result of a more cohesive team that has played unselfishly. At the head of it all, the senior class of seven has made sure team bonding is a priority, and Hendricks is all for it.
“This was Allie’s (Roberts) quote: ‘Your days will go by slow, but your years will go by fast. So enjoy the time that you have with your team,’” Hendricks said. They’ve really embraced that, and they’ve enjoyed being around each other this year. They have a team dinner every Sunday night; there’s no coaches invited. They’ve hosted a different one every week since the beginning of the season.
“They have another one scheduled for this week. I had to move practice to fit that in, and I don’t mind doing that. I like to see them spend time together.”
Hendricks said team bonding has become an intentional habit and has changed the team culture. This cohesion has showed itself through the team’s fight all season and willingness to play team ball.
The seniors helped instill the team’s values of playing selflessly and overcoming adversity, and it all came to fruition on senior night in a win over Benjamin Russell last Tuesday. After two lead changes, Benjamin Russell hit a solo homer to go up 4-3 in the top of the seventh. Then, the Tigers’ two through six hitters, all seniors, managed to manufacture two runs to walk it off, 5-4.
“Your leadership starts with your philosophies and coaches, but if you’re a coach-led-only team, you’re only going to go so far,” Hendricks said. “Our senior class has embraced their leadership roles and done it through action. They have phenomenal work ethics, they do the things the right way and they’re intentional in their actions.”
According to Hendricks, the seniors have helped the team become more versatile and play smarter ball. However, it all starts with character.
“Our seniors have set the precedence by just being great people, and then translating that into their work ethic and caring about their teammates. You really can’t say enough about them. They’ve had to be unselfish at times because some of them have had to accept smaller roles than they probably want. But the ones who have been in the spotlight are humble about it, and that’s really, really nice to see as a coach.”
The team bonding is paying off individually as well. Roberts committed to Huntingdon College last Thursday after being awarded the Chuck Furlow Memorial Scholarship on senior night. The scholarship was started by former AHS athletic director Chuck Furlow’s family in 2020 and is given to one softball and one baseball player each year.
Roberts has put on a show from both sides of the plate this season, posting a 17-1 record in the circle with two saves, 109 strikeouts, a 1.71 ERA, .354 batting average and seven home runs as of the beginning of this week, all of which lead the team.
With six players hitting for an average above .300 and boasting two 10-game winners in Roberts and Abigail Helms (10-6), the Tigers feel confident passing the baton, something that Hendricks said he values highly in the big moments going to the postseason.
After the regular season wraps up with a tournament at Tallassee this weekend, Auburn will begin postseason play in the area tournament at Central on Monday, May 1. The Tigers are the No. 2 seed in that tournament, facing No. 3 seed Smiths Station first, while No. 1 Central opens with No. 4 Opelika in a double-elimination tournament.
Following that is the region tournament, beginning on May 11 in Montgomery followed by the state tournament in Oxford, Alabama, a week later. Currently ranked the No. 9 team in 7A, Auburn will look to knock off Central, who defeated Auburn twice in the regular season, before vying for a path past reigning champion Thompson in its chase for its first 7A state title.