Two years ago, Triple Crown set up an invitation-only softball tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico that included historical powerhouse programs. The addition of the Auburn Tigers might have been a gamble on a fledgling program, but it paid off. The first game of the 2017 softball season featured a rematch of the 2016 Women’s College World Series with No. 1 Oklahoma taking on No. 2 Auburn.
Auburn breezed through its fall schedule despite playing multiple lineups. During this period, there was a feeling that this Auburn team would be different from the WCWS runners-up simply because of player turnover.