AUBURN — It’s a simple fact: This weekend’s series at Alabama is a big one for the Auburn baseball team.
The Tigers trail the Crimson Tide by one game in the Southeastern Conference’s Western Division standings. Alabama (23-20, 8-10 SEC) is in second place in the SEC West and eighth place overall.
The conference’s top eight teams qualify for the SEC Tournament.
Auburn (23-19, 7-11) hasn’t played in an SEC Tournament since 2003 and is desperate to qualify for this season’s tourney.
But time is running out. Only 12 SEC games remain, including this weekend’s three-game series. All 12 games are against SEC West opponents.
But none is bigger than this weekend’s series. And it isn’t all about the standings.
This weekend, it’s about the state.
Six of Auburn’s regular position players and the Tigers’ top five pitchers all hail from the state of Alabama. Five Bama regulars and four pitchers are Alabama natives.
Most players on both sides were recruited by both in-state schools.
Auburn head coach Tom Slater, who has made in-state recruiting the center of his program-building strategy, knows this weekend’s series is important to his players.
“I think to the kids on both rosters that have grown up in the state of Alabama it’s always big,” Slater said. “Any time Auburn and Alabama play, it’s huge.
“The number of kids on their roster and our roster from the state who grew up knowing and hearing about this rivalry, it’s always special.”
With the SEC schedule entering the homestretch, every game becomes more important. Auburn needs every win it can get.
With that in mind, Slater is adjusting his pitching rotation. Freshman Bradley Hendrix, the usual Sunday starter, will spend Friday and Saturday in the bullpen. The right-hander was one of AU’s most reliable relievers before he entered the rotation.
Alabama coach Jim Wells may not be in attendance this weekend. Wells missed Bama’s two mid-week games this week to be with his ailing mother in his home state of Louisiana.
Assistant Mitch Gaspard filled Wells’ shoes this week and could be at the helm this weekend.
“We don’t know at this point if Jim will be back or not,” Gaspard said Thursday.
Auburn first baseman Hunter Morris is recovering from a deep bruise suffered during Tuesday’s loss to Samford. Morris, who was pulled from the game after colliding with a brick wall Tuesday, is day-to-day.
The series begins at 6:30 p.m. today. Saturday’s game will be televised on Fox Sports Net  while Sunday’s game will be televised on Comcast Sports Southeast.

Auburn at Alabama
When: 6:30 p.m. today, 3 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Tuscaloosa
Records: Auburn 23-19 (7-11 SEC); Alabama 23-20, (8-10 SEC)
TV / Radio: WKKR 97.7 FM / Fox Sports Southeast (Channel 27, Saturday only) / CSS (Channel 26, Sunday only)
Projected Pitching Matchups: Friday — AU LHP Grant Dayton, rFr. (5-1, 3.81 ERA) vs. Bama LHP Miers Quigley, Jr. (4-3, 3.99); Saturday — AU LHP Cory Luckie, Fr. (4-4, 4.23) vs. Bama RHP Austin Hyatt, Jr. (3-3, 4.85); Sunday — AU TBA vs. Bama RHP Robert Phares, Jr. (1-3, 6.31)