AUBURN, Ala. – Starting the second half of its eight-game homestand, No. 10 Auburn (22-10, 6-6 SEC) hosts Kentucky (24-8, 6-6 SEC) Friday through Sunday at Plainsman Park. First pitches this weekend are set for 6 p.m. CT Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
“If you want to find pressure, it’s readily available if you’re in the arena. It’s just how you learn how to deal with it and grow from it,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Every year we get to this point, and hopefully Tuesday will be a moment we can look back on and we can put our best foot forward and start figuring out strategies.”
The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. Friday’s game will be streamed digitally on SEC Network+, and Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network.
A limited number of general admission single-game tickets remain available and can be purchased here.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – So. RHP Andreas Alvarez (5-1, 0.96) vs. Jr. RHP Jaxon Jelkin (6-0, 2.96)
Saturday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (3-1, 1.29) vs. So. RHP Nate Harris (4-2, 5.40)
Sunday – R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (5-1, 3.12) vs. Jr. LHP Ben Cleaver (1-2, 3.51)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn enters the weekend having won 13 of its last 14 home series dating back to 2024.
The Tigers have won the opener in eight straight SEC home series dating back to 2024 and are a combined 17-7 in conference play at home during the span.
The team has lost back-to-back regular season home games just once in the last two years.
The weekend rotation of Andreas Alvarez, Jake Marciano and Alex Petrovic is a combined 13-3 with a 1.78 ERA and 164 strikeouts compared to 28 walks in 126.2 innings pitched.
In weekend series on the season, Auburn starters are 11-3 with a 2.45 ERA and 170 strikeouts compared to 27 walks in 132.0 innings pitched.
Starting pitchers on the weekend have turned in 5.0 or more innings in 20 of 24 games with one instance occurring because of a rain delay.
The offense is hitting .300 and scoring 7.1 runs per game at home this season.
The Tigers are 83-55 all-time against Kentucky, including 39-26 against the Wildcats at home. However, the team is looking for the first home wins in the series since 2016.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Kentucky enters the weekend with a 24-8 overall record and 6-6 mark in SEC play. The Wildcats opened league play with a sweep of Alabama but have dropped three straight conference series.
Offensively, Kentucky is hitting .284 as a team, including .243 in league play, while leading the league in HBPs (87), stolen bases (94) and sacrifice bunts (19). Hudson Brown leads the team with a .358 average, while Ethan Hindle leads the way with six homers and 31 RBI.
On the mound, the Wildcats have a 4.23 staff ERA with 301 strikeouts and 141 walks in 279.0 innings pitched. Game one starter Jaxon Jelkin is 6-0 with a 2.96 ERA and 54 strikeouts to 10 walks in 48.2 innings pitched, tied with Marciano for the league lead.
PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS
Par-Tee at Plainsman Park Weekend
Friday – Head cover giveaway
Saturday – Tee holder giveaway
Sunday – Sophomore trading cards giveaway and postgame autographs
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
For a one-stop show for all things surrounding an Auburn baseball game at Plainsman Park, visit the revamped Auburn baseball gameday page.
Plainsman Plaza, the new pregame block party that debuted prior to the middle game against Texas on Mar. 21, returns this Saturday.
- Located along Donahue Drive, the space features food trucks, live music and a DJ, inflatables for kids, videoboards for watching live games across the country, and more.
- Plainsman Plaza will open at 4 p.m. Saturday with the main seating area of the ballparking opening as usual at 5:30 p.m. In preparation for Plainsman Plaza’s opening, Donahue Drive from Heisman Drive to Samford Avenue will be shut down beginning at 11 a.m.
- With the closure of Donahue Drive, fans are encouraged to use the following routes to access parking
- Coliseum: Samford Drive to Biggio Drive
- Neville Arena: Wire Road to Heisman Drive or Donahue Drive north of the intersection with Heisman Drive
- Stadium Deck: Samford Avenue to Duncan Drive
- Fans should access Plainsman Plaza through the entry gates near the intersection of Heisman and Donahue Drives. The space will be considered part of the ballpark, and a game ticket is required for entry. Once inside, fans will not need to scan again for entry into the seating bowl. Similar to regular gamedays, fans will not be permitted to leave and re-enter.
Fans with general admission tickets are invited to visit the following links to familiarize themselves with the layout of some of our seating/standing-room-only areas.
- Plainsman Patio: Located down the first base line, this expanded space features seating, high-top tables, and a Fast Flight Grab-N-Go concessions market with an upgraded menu.
- War Eagle Wall: A one-of-a-kind, two-tiered standing-room-only viewing area in left field, accessible by stairs or ramp off the left field concourse.
- YETI Yard: YETI Yard (previously known as Tiger Terrace) includes three paved general admission terrace levels plus a large green space with enhanced concessions. Fans may bring tailgate chairs in this area only.