No. 10 Baseball hosts SEC West leader Arkansas

No. 10 Baseball hosts SEC West leader ArkansasNo. 10 Baseball hosts SEC West leader Arkansas

April 20, 2017 LEADING OFF

  • After posting a 5-3 road trip mark, Auburn returns home for its first action at Plainsman Park since April 4 and a three-game SEC series with No. 16 Arkansas. First pitch Friday is set for 6 pm CT and will be broadcast on SECN+/WatchESPN. Saturday's game is scheduled for 1 pm CT on SECN+/WatchESPN. Andy Burcham and former Auburn pitcher Mark Fuller will call both SECN+ games. The Sunday finale will begin at 3 pm CT on SEC Network with Taylor Zarzour and Auburn All-American Gabe Gross describing the action.
  • Radio coverage from the Auburn Sports Network is available on Tiger 93.9 in the Auburn/Opelika area. The radio feed is also available on AuburnTigers.com, the TuneIn Radio app and the Auburn Athletics app on your smart phone. The Voice of the Tigers Rod Bramblett will be joined by Paul Ellen for the Friday and Saturday games. Burcham will be in the booth with Bramblett for the Sunday finale.

Auburn vs. Arkansas









Weekend Schedule

Fri.6 p.m.
RHP Keegan Thompson (4-1, 1.29) vs. RHP Blaine Knight (6-1, 1.89)
Sat.1 p.m.
RHP Davis Daniel (3-2, 4.00) vs. RHP Trevor Stephan (4-2, 2.96)
Sun.3 p.m.
TBA vs. TBA

QUICK HITTERS

  • Jonah Todd is batting .543 with 13 R, 3 SB, 4 XBH and 4 RBI in last 10. He's batting .422 in Auburn's 28 wins.
  • Auburn starting pitchers allowed only one run in 20 innings pitched during Tennessee series.
  • The Tigers are 11-3 on the season in one-run games after going 1-11 in those games in 2016.
  • Auburn is one of six teams with two players (Mize and Keegan Thompson) on Golden Spikes watch list.
  • Frosh Conor Davis is batting .419 (13-for-31) with four doubles, one HR, 6 R and 10 RBI over the last 10.
  • Auburn is second in the SEC with a .233 opponent batting average and a 3.13 ERA through five league series.
  • Casey Mize (1.23) and Keegan Thompson (1.29) rank 1st and 2nd in the SEC in ERA.
  • Auburn hitters rank 21st in the NCAA and 2nd in the SEC with 80 doubles, including 35 in the last 19 games.
  • With 28 wins (10 SEC) on the season, Auburn has surpassed its overall and conference win totals.
  • Sophomore right-hander Casey Mize leads the SEC and ranks third nationally with 82 strikeouts.
  • After not hitting a grand slam in 276 games, Auburn has two in the last five games (Ingram and Jarvis).
  • RHP Casey Mize was named a D1Baseball Midseason All-American, Butch Thompson was named top coach.
  • The Tigers have won eight of nine series played in 2017 with the only loss at Texas A&M.
  • Auburn's 4-0 win over UAB on March 14 gave the Tigers their NCAA-leading seventh shutout.

SERIES HISTORY

Auburn leads the all-time series with Arkansas 44-39, including a 21-15 mark at Plainsman Park. Arkansas has won the last two series following a five-series win streak by Auburn from 2010-14. The Razorbacks have won three of the last five series at Auburn. The Tigers have won 14 of the last 25 series, while holding a slim 39-36 edge in regular-season games in that span. Auburn won seven of 10 series between 1992-2001, including three sweeps.

LOOKING AHEAD

  • Auburn hosts Troy Tuesday at 6 pm (SECN+). The Trojans are 19-17 on the season. Auburn leads the all-time series 55-2 including a 34-8 mark at Plainsman Park. The two programs split a pair of games in 2016 with the Tigers earning a 7-2 win at Hitchcock Field on May 10 behind homers from Niko Buentello and Anfernee Grier.
  • Troy is led at the plate by Brandon Lockridge with a .342 average, 11 doubles and 24 RBI. Trevor Davis is batting .311 with three homers and 26 RBI. Matt Sanders (12) and Steven Whitaker (15) both have double digit stolen base totals.
  • RHP Houston Mabray (2-2, 4.35 ERA) and LHP Max Newton (1-0, 3.38 ERA) are the most likely candidates to start on the mound. Marc Skinner is Troy's relief with a 1.33 ERA and eight saves in 17 appearances.

FYI

  • Gates open one hour prior to first pitch.
  • The East Coliseum Lot, Athletics Complex lot and top two levels of the Stadium Deck are available for baseball parking on Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday. All lots are available on Saturday and Sunday.
  • The stadium deck is available for parking and game viewing. Parking is limited to top two levels.
  • Fans are permitted to bring empty plastic bottles in for free water refills.
  • A cell phone charging station is available to fans near the front gate adjacent to the promotions booth.
  • Grass areas around the park and adjacent parking lots are open and available for tailgating.