Auburn Travels to Arkansas for Top-15 Showdown

Auburn Travels to Arkansas for Top-15 ShowdownAuburn Travels to Arkansas for Top-15 Showdown

April 5, 2018

AUBURN (23-7, 4-5 SEC) vs. ARKANSAS (21-9, 5-4 SEC)



AUBURN, Ala. -- No. 13 Auburn (23-7, 4-5 SEC) continues its daunting Southeastern Conference schedule with its second straight road trip against a top-10 team as the Tigers take on No. 5 Arkansas (21-9, 5-4 SEC) this weekend. The series opener is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT followed by game two Saturday at 6 p.m. and the series finale Sunday at 4 p.m.

Games one and two will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and can be found online at WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. The series finale will air on national TV on SEC Network. The games will also broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network. You can listen on the radio on WTGZ-FM (93.9), online at AuburnTigers.com, or on a mobile device via the TuneIn app.

Probable Starters

  • Friday -- Jr. RHP Casey Mize (6-0, 2.11) vs. Jr. RHP Blaine Knight (5-0, 2.01)
  • Saturday -- So. RHP Davis Daniel (2-1, 3.34) vs. Jr. LHP Kacey Murphy (3-2, 2.25)
  • Sunday -- TBA vs. TBA

QUICK HITTERS

  • The Tigers have surpassed last season's home run total with 31 in the first 30 games of the year. The team ranks 24th in the country in the category and has five different players with five or more home runs for the first time since 2010.
  • Auburn's weekend rotation has posted a 2.56 ERA in 112.2 innings this season and has allowed 84 hits with 35 walks and 135 strikeouts. The trio has been even better in SEC play, posting a 2.34 ERA in 50 innings while allowing 38 hits and issuing 19 walks with 60 strikeouts.
  • Edouard Julien went 3-for-3 with two doubles, one home run, three RBI and a program-record-matching five runs scored vs. Alabama A&M. He leads the team with three home runs and seven RBI in the last five games.
  • Conor Davis leads the Tigers with a .438 batting average (7-for-16) over the last five games. He has turned in a pair of hits in three games during the stretch.
  • Auburn is 10-0 when scoring in the first inning this season, 17-0 when scoring five or more runs and 18-0 when out-hitting an opponent.

SCOUTING THE RAZORBACKS

  • Arkansas enters the weekend with a 21-9 overall record and 5-4 mark in conference play. The Razorbacks swept Kentucky to open SEC action but have lost two of three in each of their last two series at Florida and Ole Miss.
  • Offensively, Arkansas ranks second in the SEC and eighth in the country with a .311 batting average and are hitting a league best .337 in conference play. The Razorbacks have hit 55 home runs this season, which ranks first in the SEC and second in the NCAA. Twenty-four of the team's home runs have come in the first nine league games.
  • On the mound, Arkansas boasts a 3.38 ERA, led by Friday-night starter Blaine Knight (5-0, 2.01). Matt Cronin has been the team's most-used arm out of the bullpen and has a 2-0 record, 2.62 ERA and five saves.

SERIES HISTORY vs. ARKANSAS

  • Auburn leads the all-time series against Arkansas, 46-41, and took two of three from the Razorbacks at Plainsman Park last season.
  • Arkansas leads the all-time series in Fayetteville, 21-18. However, prior to its last trip to Baum Stadium in 2016, Auburn had won four straight road series against the Razorbacks.