AUBURN, Ala. – Having won its three previous home series in conference play, No. 11 Auburn (28-13, 9-9 SEC) hosts Mississippi State (24-17, 6-12 SEC) in a three-game series at Plainsman Park this weekend. First pitches are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. CT and Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.
“We’re excited to be back home against Mississippi State this weekend,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “The last couple of series at home have been good. It’ll be a great series for us to try to get engaged and bounce back.
“Everybody in our league right now is going for wins,” Thompson added. “It’s a critical time in the year for every team in our league, but we have to stay on the process and do some things. We have to keep growing and hopefully figure out how to hook it up offensively.”
All three games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. The games will also be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – Sr. RHP Samuel Dutton (5-2, 2.43) vs. Jr. LHP Pico Kohn (4-1, 3.29)
Saturday – Jr. LHP Cade Fisher (1-1, 4.71) vs. Jr. RHP Evan Siary (0-1, 4.00)
Sunday – TBA vs. Sr. RHP Karson Ligon (4-4, 5.63)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn is 19-5 at Plainsman Park this season, including 7-2 in SEC play.
The Tigers have held league opponents to a .203 batting average at home while turning in a .308 average of their own.
The team wrapped up a stretch of 20 of the last 24 games coming against ranked opponents with a 1-0 win vs. No. 21 Georgia Tech Tuesday.
Auburn went 11-9 during the 20-game stretch and is 13-9 against ranked opponents this season.
The team has the second highest opponent winning percentage (.544) in SEC play, trialing only Missouri (.556), who is 0-18.
Samuel Dutton leads the SEC with a 2.43 ERA and is eighth with a 3.09 ERA in league play.
In three SEC starts at Plainsman Park, he is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in 20.0 innings pitched.
Ike Irish is hitting 23 points higher (.417) and slugging 166 points higher (.950) than any other player in the league in SEC play.
He is also tied for the league lead with eight home runs in conference play.
Auburn trails the all-time series against Mississippi State, 96-119-1, but the Tigers are 53-44 against the Bulldogs at home.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Mississippi State enters the weekend with a 24-17 overall record and a 6-12 mark in SEC play. The Bulldogs are 3-6 in league play on the road, coming off a series win in its last road trip at Alabama.
Offensively, Mississippi State is hitting .302 as a team, good for the fifth best mark in the SEC, and is second in the league with a .285 average in conference play. Senior infielder Gehrig Frei leads the team with a .388 average in 80 at-bats, while sophomore infielder Ace Reese leads the way with 13 home runs and 48 RBI.
On the mound, the Bulldogs are turned in a 4.24 staff ERA with 456 strikeouts and 135 walks in 343.2 innings pitched. The team ranks fifth in the league in strikeouts and have allowed the fourth fewest walks.
PROMOTIONS – TIGERDEGA NIGHTS
Friday – Beverage hat giveaway*
Saturday – Tigerdega Nights poster giveaway + NASCAR ticket raffle
Sunday - Tigerdega Nights t-shirt giveaway* + junior trading cards and autograph session
*Vouchers for giveaways will be given upon entry and can be redeemed in the 5th inning
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Plainsman Park now features two new premium club areas in the Broadway Club at Plainsman Park and 984 Club along with the return of the Hall of Fame Club, which opened in 2024. Additionally, the ballpark now has expanded general admission areas in the War Eagle Wall, Tiger Terrance and Plainsman Patio.
Pregame road closures: Event staff will assist fans using crosswalks up until 15 minutes prior to first pitch, at which time there will be a full closure of Donahue Drive between the right field gate and intersection of Heisman Drive for fans to enter Plainsman Park. Donahue will re-open shortly after first pitch.
Postgame egress road closures: Donahue Drive will again be fully closed from right field to Heisman Drive starting between the 7th and 8th innings. It will remain closed until the stadium has cleared of fans, roughly 30 minutes after the final out of the game.
New entrances: In an effort to expedite fan entry to Plainsman Park, two new entrances have now been introduced on the lower First Base Concourse, along Donahue Drive. The traditional Home Plate Concourse and Tiger Terrace gates will continue to provide stadium admission, as well as the premium entrance outside of the Hall of Fame Club for those with reserved seats inside the Hall of Fame Club.
Metal detecting: Consistent with other Auburn Athletics venues, fans entering any gate at Plainsman Park this season will be asked to walk through a metal detector upon entry.
For a complete overview of gamedays at Plainsman Park for 2025, click here.