BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After earning a pair of wins against Samford and No. 7 Tennessee last week, Christian Chatterton has been named the Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
It marks the fifth weekly award for an Auburn player this season, including the fourth Freshman of the Week award. All five weekly awards have gone to Auburn freshmen, and the five honors are the most in a season since 2018.
Chatterton was the only pitcher in the league to earn a pair of wins last week. He turned in 6.0 scoreless innings Tuesday vs. Samford before turning around on four days rest and making a designated start of 3.0 scoreless innings in the series finale at Tennessee.
The freshman right hander struck out a season high 10 batters and retired 18 of 19 batters faced against Samford. His 10 strikeouts were tied for the most by an Auburn pitcher this season and were the most by an Auburn freshman since Keegan Thompson in 2014.
Five days later with the series on the line in a top-10 matchup at Tennessee, Chatterton faced just one batter over the minimum with a pair of clean innings against the Volunteers. He sat down 26 of the 29 batters faced and faced just two batters over the minimum in the week.
Dating back to his first midweek start at Georgia Tech on Apr. 8, the Killen, Alabama, native has allowed an earned run in 20.1 innings pitched. He has turned in a 0.41 ERA and .085 average against with 28 strikeouts and four walks in 22.0 innings in his last five starts.
Chatterton and the No. 5 Tigers (33-15, 13-11 SEC) will take care of final exams in the classroom before hosting South Carolina (26-23, 5-19 SEC) Thursday through Saturday at Plainsman Park.