The last month has been good to the Auburn baseball team.

The Tigers have been among the Southeastern Conference’s hottest teams in the last three weekends. AU has won eight of its last 11 games, including three in a row.

It’s safe to say Auburn (22-12, 6-6 SEC) has bounced back from an 0-3 start in conference play. Last weekend’s series win at Arkansas gave the Tigers three consecutive series wins in SEC play for the first time since 2003.

But this weekend brings a new challenge. And it’s a tougher one than any the Tigers have faced so far.

Longtime Auburn nemesis South Carolina comes to Plainsman Park this weekend. USC (22-10, 6-6) was swept last week at Georgia, but Auburn coach Tom Slater isn’t taking the Gamecocks lightly.

“Since we’ve been in this new millennium, South Carolina’s been the team in our league,” Slater said. “They’ve been to more World Series than anybody else.

“They’ve been at the top of our league more than anybody else. They’ve been in the top 10 (nationally) more than anybody else.”

And they’ve beaten Auburn more than anybody else, at least in the SEC.

The Tigers’ list of struggles with USC is a long one. AU hasn’t won a series against the Gamecocks since 1997. In 12 meetings under Slater, Auburn is 3-6 against USC.

“We’ve talked a lot here about how, since ’97, Auburn hasn’t beaten them,” Slater said. “My guess is, based on the numbers, a lot of people haven’t beaten them.”

Auburn certainly won’t be a pushover this weekend. The Tigers are second in the SEC in hitting, despite an SEC-low 25 home runs.

AU makes up for a lack of home-run power with a deep lineup and plenty of power to the gaps. As a team, Auburn has 120 extra-base hits, the highest total in the SEC.

“We have good hitters,” Slater said. “We have a good lineup. Up and down the lineup, there’s some danger in about every spot.”

A deep pitching staff helps, too. With the return of right-hander Luke Greinke — who pitched well Tuesday against Georgia State — AU has six SEC-ready relievers behind freshman starters Grant Dayton, Cory Luckie and Bradley Hendrix.

Pitcher Paul Burnside, who made his second appearance of the season on Tuesday, won’t join that group this weekend. The right-hander broke his collarbone in December and is gradually regaining velocity on his fastball. Slater says the rehabbing Burnside is still a work in progress.

“His stuff’s not close to what it needs to be to be a weekend starter yet,” Slater said. “It’s been a continuing process of building up the arm strength and trying to get him back to the form he was in a year ago.”

Burnside was Auburn’s ace in 2007, going 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA.

AU will honor the 1958 team, which won the school’s first SEC title, in pre-game ceremonies Saturday. Pitcher Red Roberts, who starred on the ’58 team, will throw the ceremonial first pitch.

The series begins today at 6 p.m.

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