Both teams have plenty to play for in the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament, which begins Wednesday at the Hoover Met outside Birmingham.
Auburn coach Steve Renfroe points to his team's 18-12 league mark and high power ratings as making the Tigers worthy of hosting a regional.
``And we'll put in a heck of a bid,'' Renfroe said. ``I don't know what else we can do.''
The Tigers (38-17) open with sixth-seeded Vanderbilt (27-26, 14-16) on Wednesday.
The seventh-seeded Crimson Tide (33-22, 14-16) opens with No. 2 South Carolina (38-18, 19-11) after barely slipping into the tournament.
Alabama had to snap a seven-game losing streak to get in, beating Mississippi State 15-7 on Saturday.
The team's most consistent starter, Brent Carter, pitched a complete game in the win.
``We managed to win a game at the end that got us in,'' coach Jim Wells said. ``That's what we've done the last few weeks, winning the game that Carter wins.
``We're trying to win another game. We're fortunate to be in it. It's been a long season.''
Alabama won the SEC tournament last season by beating South Carolina in the championship game. Wells feels the Tide must win at least one game to get into a regional.
``We definitely can't go 0-2,'' he said. ``We need to win a couple of games. I don't know if that's a fact. Maybe one would do it. I think two would definitely do it, and none would not get it done.
``But that depends on what happens in the other conference tournaments.''
The Tigers will likely be without catcher Josh Bell, who broke a finger on his throwing hand on Saturday against Mississippi.
Chuck Jeroloman (high ankle sprain), Karl Amonite (bruised foot) and Bobby Huddleston (ankle sprain) are also nursing injuries but are expected to play.
Renfroe doesn't expect his players to get caught up in what they have to do to receive a host site.
``Our guys just show up and play, and they'll do that this week,'' he said.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/5/178961