AUBURN | Despite losing five of its last six SEC games and entering the final weekend of the regular season with an 8-19 conference record, Auburn remains in the driver’s seat for a berth in the 2016 SEC Tournament.

Auburn is tied with Missouri for 11th in the SEC, a game ahead of both Arkansas and Tennessee. The top 12 teams in the standings will qualify for next week’s SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

Auburn holds the tiebreaker over Tennessee but both Missouri and Arkansas hold tiebreakers over AU.

“We should all be fighting to get more pitches, more games to play. It’s a very good goal and something we should all be striving for,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “I think it’s the second-highest attended event outside of Omaha. It’s something you want to be a part of representing your school.

“I want these guys to get an opportunity to do that but they’ve got to play their way in. We’re not going to be able to back our way in. We have to go win a ballgame or two or however many it takes on the road at a tough place.”

The Tigers will have to win their way into the Tournament at No. 7 Vanderbilt. Auburn is 2-10 in road SEC games this season.

“Anytime you’ve got your fate in your hands it’s a good feeling,” Auburn senior Jordan Ebert said. “We want to go to the SEC Tournament. As optimistic as I am, I want to go there and try to win it. We still have a Regional in grasp. We’ve just got to go there and take care of business.”

Vanderbilt, 38-15 overall and 15-12 in the SEC, is led by two of the best starting pitchers in the conference in right-hander Jordan Sheffield (7-4, 2.34 ERA) and right-hander Kyle Wright (7-3, 1.67). The pair have combined to strikeout 180 batters in 160.2 innings.

The Commodores third starter, right-hander Patrick Raby, is 6-1 with a 3.08 ERA.

“I’m not sure we can do what we need to do to get to that tournament without playing offense against three really good starters,” Thompson said. “We’re going to need our offense to pick it up a little bit.”

Auburn may be without its leading hitter again this weekend. The wrist injury, which forced Joshua Palacios to miss 18 games, flared up Sunday and he missed Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over UAB.

“After his last at-bat (Sunday) he said it was really bothering him. It’s right back to the day-to-day status,” Thompson said.

Auburn will go with senior Justin Camp (3-4, 4.36) Thursday and TBA Saturday and Sunday.

“We’re going to try to win a game as early in the weekend as we possibly can. If we do, we’ll think about two. If we don’t, we’re still trying to chase that one,” Thompson said.

Due to expected inclement weather Friday, Auburn and Vandy will play a doubleheader Thursday at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. CT. Game 3 will be Saturday at 2 p.m. All three games will be available on SECN+ and WatchESPN. The SEC Tournament begins Tuesday.