AUBURN, Ala. – In a rematch of last year's regional opener, No. 11 Auburn (11-1-1) hosts Southeastern Louisiana (9-4) in the team's final non-conference series of the season.
Up Next:
Southeastern Louisiana
Mar. 10-12, 2023
6 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 1 p.m. CT
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
First pitches at Plainsman Park are scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. CT, Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Limited reserved seating tickets for Friday and Sunday and Tiger Terrace tickets for the entire weekend remain available at aubtix.com.
"It's good. We haven't played a team that's going to run this much and present some different challenges standing in the box the way they have," head coach Butch Thompson said. "It's been four weekends, and this will be the fourth different opponent that will teach us a lot."
All three games this weekend will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on 93.9 FM or 95.9 FM. The final two games of the weekend will be streamed on SEC Network+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – Jr. LHP Tanner Bauman (1-0, 3.60) vs. R-So. RHP Brennan Stuprich (0-1, 7.45)
Saturday – Fr. LHP Zach Crotchfelt (0-0, 6.35) vs. Jr. RHP Will Kinzeler (0-0, 3.38)
Sunday – TBA vs. TBA
QUICK HITTERS
Wednesday's win at Jacksonville State marked Auburn's sixth comeback win this season.
The team's 10-game unbeaten streak is its longest since winning 15 games in a row in 2019.
The pitching staff has held the opponent to three or fewer runs in three straight games, turning in a 2.00 ERA - six earned runs in 27.0 innings - during the span.
Starting pitching has turned in 10.2 scoreless innings with two hits, three walks and 14 strikeouts in two games this week.
Auburn's offense has double digit hits in seven of the last 10 games and is hitting .335 with 93 runs on 114 hits during the stretch.
Cole Foster, Ike Irish and Bryson Ware are hitting a combined .482 (54-for-112) in the last 10 games.
This weekend's matchup marks a rematch of the 2022 Auburn Regional opener in which Auburn scored 11 runs with four homers in the first inning and ultimately won 19-7.
The Tigers are 3-0 all-time against Southeastern, outscoring the Lions 46-14 in the series.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Southeastern enters the weekend with a 9-4 overall record, coming off a midweek win at Alabama A&M after a series loss at Jacksonville last week.
The Lions lead the country in hit by pitches (56) and rank top 10 in the country in stolen bases (47), on-base percentage (.458) and walks (92).
Fifth-year outfield Tyler Finke leads the team with a .375 average and ranks third in the country with 15 stolen bases. He tied the program record for stolen bases this week.
On the mound, the Lions have turned in three shutouts this season, good for the second most in the country, and have posted a 4.55 ERA in 110.2 innings.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Gates open one hour prior to first pitch.
Fans are encouraged to park in the athletics complex parking deck, coliseum lot and stadium parking deck this weekend. The Neville Arena lot will be limited Friday due to the Auburn gymnastics meet.
All transactions for concessions, merchandise and tickets will be contactless and cashless (credit/debit and Tiger Cards only).
In addition to the home plate concessions, Chick-fil-A will be available on the patio located down the first base line and in the Tiger Terrace down the left field line, excluding Sundays.
A pop-up Auburn Team Shop will be located inside the gates behind home plate.
Auburn Athletics will continue to provide digital tickets for the 2023 baseball season. Digital tickets help to increase convenience, flexibility and safety for fans on gamedays. Click here for more information on digital tickets.