It had a playoff-like atmosphere and a sold-out crowd that didn’t stop cheering from the first pitch to the final out.

It just didn’t mean anything, both in the standings nor as a means of foreshadowing, when Alabama and Auburn’s baseball teams met at the Capital City Classic in Montgomery last year.

The Tigers beat the Crimson Tide in dramatic fashion, scoring two runs in the ninth inning before then-freshman Zach Blatt earned his first career win to close out Auburn’s 8-7 victory.

Two months later, Alabama was in the SEC Tournament and Auburn was not.

Despite its failure to predict the future, tonight’s rematch at Riverwalk Stadium will be beneficial, first baseman Hunter Morris said, even if it might not bring immediate satisfaction to the Tigers’ untouched conference record.

“It’s bigger for the fans than it is for us,” Morris said. “It’s good for us to get out there and see possibly the best competition we’ve seen this year thus far.

“But it’s important for the fans, both our fans and the Alabama fans. It’s something exciting and something I’m glad we get to do and be a part of.”

The biggest short-term benefit that might come as a result of tonight’s happenings will center on how Cory Luckie performs in his second start of the season.

Luckie, who missed all of 2009 with an arm injury, started the season out of the bullpen, but picked up a start last Wednesday against Davidson. Restricted to a pitch count, Luckie went just 4 1/3 innings, but was brilliant, striking out nine batters and allowing just one run.

With the way Jon Luke Jacobs has struggled to open the season, and the inconsistency displayed by Grant Dayton, it’s not out of the question Luckie could find himself in Auburn’s starting rotation by the time conference play opens March 19 against Georgia.

Coach John Pawlowski said he’ll likely have to finalize the rotation before this weekend’s series at Arizona State.

“If we want to get him in the rotation,” Pawlowski said, “it’s going to have to happen this weekend.”

Like the majority of the SEC, Auburn is off to a hot start, winning nine of its first 11 games. Alabama didn’t pick up its first loss until Sunday, when it fell, 7-6, at the College of Charleston.

Only four teams in the SEC have three or more losses in their first 12 games.

When Auburn beat Alabama at the Capital City Classic last year, it was the Tigers’ eighth win in what ended up becoming an 11-game winning streak. The Tigers then won just 18 (nine SEC) of their final 39 games, missing out on the SEC Tournament for the sixth consecutive season.

“Anytime you get Auburn and Alabama together, it doesn’t matter what sport, it makes an intriguing matchup,” Pawlowski said. “Last year, the stadium was absolutely packed, it was a great ballgame and we were very fortunate to come out with the win. I know our kids are excited about it and looking forward to it.

“If you want to be the best and compete at the highest level, you’ve got to play good teams and Alabama is certainly one of the top teams.”

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