‘Strength in numbers’: Auburn hosts No. 4 Tennessee to start homestand

‘Strength in numbers’: Auburn hosts No. 4 Tennessee to start homestand‘Strength in numbers’: Auburn hosts No. 4 Tennessee to start homestand
Grayson Belanger/Auburn Tigers

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn (17-11, 1-8 SEC) starts its eight-game homestand over the next two weeks with a three-game series against No. 4 Tennessee (24-5, 5-4 SEC) this weekend at Plainsman Park.
 

Up Next:

vs. No. 4 Tennessee
Friday-Sunday, Apr. 5-7, 2024 
TV: SEC Network+
Radio: Auburn Sports Network

 
First pitches are scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. CT, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. following Auburn football's A-Day game, and Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
"We're excited about A-Day weekend. There's a lot going on around campus," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We've been on the road two of these first three weeks, so it's going to be awesome to be home this weekend and next week and try to make the most out of trying to scratch and claw and get back in the middle of things in this league.
 
The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. They will also be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
 PROBABLE STARTERS 
Friday – So. RHP Dylan Watts (0-0, 2.77) vs. Jr. RHP AJ Causey (5-1, 3.53)
 
Saturday – TBA vs. Jr. RHP Drew Beam (3-1, 4.06)
 
Sunday – TBA vs. TBA
 QUICK HITTERS 
Tuesday marked Auburn's fifth win this season when trailing entering the sixth inning or later.
 
Auburn's last seven SEC games have been decided by a combined 14 runs, including three one-run games and two two-run games.
 
Ike Irish and Cooper McMurray have combined to drive in 87 runs through 28 games, tied for the second most combined RBI in the country this season.
 
The duo is hitting .500 (24-for-48) with 17 runs, seven homers and 30 RBI in the last six games.
 
As a team, the Tigers are hitting .321 with 55 runs on 71 hits, including 16 homers, in the span.
 
The team has homered multiple times in six straight games for the second time this season and has homered multiple times in 19 of 28 games this year.
 
Tennessee marks Auburn's fourth straight top-10 opponent to start SEC play, including its third opponent ranked No. 4 or higher.
 
Auburn leads the all-time series against Tennessee 97-41, including a 51-19 mark at home.
 
The Tigers are 9-3 against the Volunteers under head coach Butch Thompson.
 SCOUTING THE VOLUNTEERS 
Tennessee enters the weekend with a 24-5 overall record and 5-4 mark in SEC play.
 
The Volunteers are coming off back-to-back series wins vs. Ole Miss and Georgia.
 
Offensively, Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks sixth in the country with a .332 average, led by Kavares Tears' .413 clip. Blake Burke ranks second in the country in doubles (16) and is one of four Volunteers with 10 homers.
 
On the mound, Tennessee is fifth in the league and 12th in the country with a 3.73 ERA. The staff has registered 262 strikeouts with 90 walks in 241.0 innings.
 PROMOTIONS 
Vault pop-up shop located in the Plainsman Park parking lot.

  • Friday: opens at 2 p.m.
  • Saturday: opens at 9 a.m.

 
Sophomore trading card giveaway and postgame autograph session Sunday.
 A-DAY PARKING INFORMATION 
Parking is free for the 2024 A-Day game. In addition to the normal Auburn football gameday public parking, the following lots are available for the general public: South Donahue Hayfields, AG Heritage Park, South Deck, Lowder Business Lot and Campus Safety Lot. 
 
The following lots will be reserved for permit parking starting at 9 a.m. Saturday: Woltosz Football Performance Center, Athletic Complex Lot, Plainsman Park Homeplate (baseball only), Stadium Deck, Neville Arena, East Coliseum, McWhorter Center (softball only), Softball Homeplate (softball only).
 
Fans planning to bring an RV to the weekend's activities may park in the hayfields along South Donahue Drive at anytime Friday. All RV's must vacate the hayfields by 5 p.m. Sunday.  
 
The baseball lot and ADA spaces in that lot will not be available to fans on Saturday. Fans needing ADA parking may utilize the ADA spaces in the coliseum lot, located directly across from the east side of Beard-Eaves Coliseum (facing baseball). Auburn Athletics will have a golf cart providing transport from those spaces to the front gates of Plainsman Park before and after Saturday's game. The Coliseum lot opens for baseball parking at 2 p.m. Fans must enter from the Samford Ave. and Biggio Drive intersection.
 
Donahue Drive will be closed to all traffic beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. Fans wishing to find parking for Saturday's baseball game may park in the Coliseum lot by accessing the entrance at Samford Ave. and Biggio Drive beginning at 2 p.m. Fans may also park in the Campus Safety lot along Magnolia Ave. at anytime Saturday. The Stadium Parking Deck accessible from Samford Ave. to Duncan Drive will be available for baseball parking at 2 p.m.
 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 
New for 2024, gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch.

  • Fans must enter Plainsman Park via the main gates located behind home plate or Tiger Terrace.
  • The gate located off Donahue Drive near the right field foul pole is closed due to construction.
  • Those with a reserved ticket or add-on access to the Hall of Fame Club may enter via the exterior glass door located off Donahue Drive.

Outside of A-Day, fans are encouraged to park in the athletics complex parking deck, coliseum lot, Neville Arena lot and stadium parking deck.

  • For 2024, Donahue Drive from the Josh Donaldson Hitting Lab to the Tiger Walk corner of Donahue and Heisman Drive will be shut down from two hours before first pitch through the middle of the first inning and from the top of the seventh inning until the stadium has been cleared of fans.

Student seating inside Plainsman Park is in section 111 and Tiger Terrance on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can also access the new Back Forty Deck sponsored by Outdoor Alabama on a first-come, first-served basis via the walkway between the Josh Donaldson Hitting Lab and South Donahue Dorms.
 
For 2024, several concession locations have changed due to construction.

  • There will be no concessions available along the first base side of the ballpark, including Curveball Café and the food vendors located at Plainsman Patio.
  • Ben's Soft Pretzels has moved to the exterior concourse next to the ADA ramp on the third base side of the ballpark.
  • The Sweet Treats stand previously located at Plainsman Patio is now located at the main entry gate next to the ticket booth.
  • The Chick-fil-A stand previously located next at Plainsman Patio is now located in the former promotions booth on the exterior concourse. Chick-fil-A is available for all home games, excluding Sundays.

For all Auburn baseball gameday information, click here.