'Kick the door in': Auburn departs for Chapel Hill Super Regional

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'Kick the door in': Auburn departs for Chapel Hill Super Regional'Kick the door in': Auburn departs for Chapel Hill Super Regional
Wade Rackley

AUBURN, Ala. – Needing two wins to advance to the College World Series for the first time since 1997, Auburn departed Plainsman Park Thursday for the 485-mile bus ride to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

"It's huge," said third baseman Edouard Julien. "We come here to go to Omaha and our goal is to go there, and we've made it to two super regionals. Especially this year, we had a younger team, and to do it with lots of injuries, it means a lot to the program."

"Something really came together at Georgia Tech in the regional," Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. "Our best three games probably of the entire season."

Neither of Auburn's announced starting pitchers against the Tar Heels, Jack Owen and Bailey Horn, were part of the Tigers' weekend rotation at the start of the season, but both lefties have played key roles in helping the Tigers reach a super regional.

"We're in a really good spot with the way we're playing right now," said Owen (4-2, 2.45), who will pitch Saturday's first game at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2. "It'll be a good contest. Try and get us in a good spot because I know winning game one is super important in a super regional."

Horn (4-0, 6.10) has earned two postseason victories, vs. Tennessee in the SEC Tournament, and against Georgia Tech in Sunday's Atlanta Regional clincher.

"I knew I had that in me," Horn said. "I had to believe and I had to go out there and do it."

In those two outings, Horn pitched 10 innings, allowing only three hits and one run while striking out 10. Against the Yellow Jackets, Horn pitched three scoreless innings, then endured a two-hour rain delay before pitching three more shutout innings.

"It was just one of those things I talked with my coaches about, knowing that there was going to be a break, not really knowing how long," he said. "Just kind of staying loose, stretching, making sure I was in the best shape possible to go back out there."

After missing the 2018 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Horn struggled earlier this season while regaining his form.

"Arm's been feeling good," he said. "I've been doing what I need to. It's been feeling great. Just takes a little bit of time to get your feel back and get where you want to be."

Horn will pitch game two on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. CT on ESPN.

"It's a good opportunity for me to help out my team," Horn said. "It's not just about a one-man crew, it's about the whole team. It's an awesome opportunity to get our team where we want to go. Always maintain confidence, and mainly have confidence in our team that we can get it done."

Last season, the Tigers came within one run of winning the Gainesville Super Regional.

"These memories never leave you," Thompson said. "They don't have to define you, either. That's what's really neat about how it ended last year in Gainesville. Another great opportunity to do something special."

"A lot of the older guys on the team have been there before, and I think this year we're really ready to kick the door in," said shortstop Will Holland. "We're a really gritty team. You can tell everyone on the team really wants it. We're playing with a chip on our shoulder knowing we've been there so close so many times. I think this is the year for us."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer