AUBURN, Ala. – Prior to hitting the road for seven straight games, No. 16 Auburn (16-4, 2-1 SEC) hosts Alabama State (9-12, 2-1 SWAC) Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.
The game will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. It will also be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday – So. RHP Alex Petrovic (1-0, 2.25) vs. Jr. RHP Esaid Peña (0-3, 3.86)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn is 14-3 in non-conference games this season and 33-7 since the beginning of last year.
The Tigers are hitting. 329 and outscoring their non-conference opponents 144-68 in 17 games.
The team has won seven straight weekends dating back to the last two series of 2024, marking the longest series winning streak since also winning seven straight to start the 2017 season.
The Tigers pitching staff enters the week ranked in the top 25 in the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.10), strikeouts per game (10.8), WHIP (1.23) and shutouts (two).
Petrovic is set to make his second straight midweek start after retiring the first 16 batters he faced and recording career highs in innings (5.1) and strikeouts (eight) vs. UT Martin.
Andreas Alvarez was named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Week after turning in 4.0 scoreless innings and earning the win in his SEC debut vs. No. 13 Vanderbilt Sunday.
Alvarez joins Bub Terrell (Feb. 24) and Chris Rembert (Mar. 3) as three Tigers to earn the distinction in the first five weeks of the season.
Auburn leads the series against Alabama State 13-2 but last year dropped its first game against the Hornets since 2014.
Last year’s loss is the team’s only home midweek loss in the last two seasons.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Alabama State enters the week with a 9-12 overall record under ninth-year head coach Jose’ Vazquez. The Hornets opened SWAC play last weekend by taking two of three high-scoring games against Southern University.
Offensively, the Hornets are hitting .300 with 137 runs scored on 224 hits. First baseman Juan Cruz leads the team in nearly every offensive category, including average (.462), home runs (6) and RBI (28). Two-way shortstop Kyler McIntosh’s .329 average, .859 OPS, and four homers are all second on the team.
Alabama State has a 6.69 team ERA with 148 strikeouts and 124 walks in 179.0 innings pitched. Junior right hander Esaid Peña has posted a 3.86 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 23.1 innings and will make his sixth start Tuesday.
PROMOTIONS
Diamond Deal Days - $2 hot dogs and $5 16 oz. domestic brews
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Plainsman Park now features two new premium club areas in the Broadway Club at Plainsman Park and 984 Club along with the return of the Hall of Fame Club, which opened in 2024. Additionally, the ballpark now has expanded general admission areas in the War Eagle Wall, Tiger Terrance and Plainsman Patio.
Pregame road closures: Event staff will assist fans using crosswalks up until 15 minutes prior to first pitch, at which time there will be a full closure of Donahue Drive between the right field gate and intersection of Heisman Drive for fans to enter Plainsman Park. Donahue will re-open shortly after first pitch.
Postgame egress road closures: Donahue Drive will again be fully closed from right field to Heisman Drive starting between the 7th and 8th innings. It will remain closed until the stadium has cleared of fans, roughly 30 minutes after the final out of the game.
New entrances: In an effort to expedite fan entry to Plainsman Park, two new entrances have now been introduced on the lower First Base Concourse, along Donahue Drive. The traditional Home Plate Concourse and Tiger Terrace gates will continue to provide stadium admission, as well as the premium entrance outside of the Hall of Fame Club for those with reserved seats inside the Hall of Fame Club.
Metal detecting: Consistent with other Auburn Athletics venues, fans entering any gate at Plainsman Park this season will be asked to walk through a metal detector upon entry.
For a complete overview of gamedays at Plainsman Park for 2025, click here.