No. 22 Tigers Finish Off Regular Season vs. LSU

No. 22 Tigers Finish Off Regular Season vs. LSUNo. 22 Tigers Finish Off Regular Season vs. LSU

May 16, 2018

AUBURN (35-18, 13-14 SEC) vs LSU (32-21, 14-13 SEC)



AUBURN, Ala. -- No. 22 Auburn (35-18, 13-14 SEC) finishes off Southeastern Conference play with a three-game series vs. LSU (32-21, 14-13 SEC) Thursday through Saturday. Thursday's series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be followed by game two Friday at 6 p.m. and the series finale Saturday at 1 p.m.

The eight senior members on the Auburn roster will be recognized during a Senior Day ceremony held prior to Friday night's game.

Games one and two of the series will be broadcast on national TV on ESPNU and SEC Network, respectively. The series finale will also be broadcast on SEC Network+ and can be found online at WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. Fans can also listen to the broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network, which is available on the radio on WTGZ-FM (93.9), online at AuburnTigers.com, or on a mobile device via the TuneIn app.

Probable Starters

  • Thursday -- Fr. RHP Tanner Burns (4-4, 3.36) vs. So. RHP Zack Hess (6-4, 4.24)
  • Jr. RHP Casey Mize (9-3, 2.73) vs. Fr. RHP Ma'Khail Hilliard (8-4, 3.66)
  • TBA vs. TBA

QUICK HITTERS

  • Auburn is 27-5 at Plainsman Park this season and riding a seven-game home winning streak dating back to Apr. 15. The Tigers are hitting .291 as a team and have turned in a 2.78 ERA in home games this season.
  • Brendan Venter has matched an Auburn season high with a 10-game hitting streak. He is 17-for-36 (.472) with 13 runs, five doubles, five home runs and 10 RBI during the span.
  • Jay Estes is riding a career-long, eight-game hitting streak and is 17-for-30 (.567) during the span. He has multiple hits in seven of the last eight games and has raised his average 47 points during the streak.
  • Will Holland is 3-for-5 with one double and two home runs when leading off the last five games.
  • Casey Mize is 8-0 with a 1.71 ERA in home games this season. He has struck out 82 batters and issued only three walks in 58.0 innings pitched and is holding opponents to a .144 batting average.
  • Auburn is a game behind LSU for third place in the SEC West standings. A series win this weekend would give the Tigers their best finish in the division since 2011.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

  • LSU enters the weekend with a 32-11 overall record and 14-13 mark in SEC play. The visiting Tigers sit a game ahead of Auburn in the SEC standings and are in third place in the SEC West.
  • Offensively, LSU boasts the fourth best offense in the SEC with a .293 team batting average. The Tigers are led by junior outfielder Antoine Duplantis, who has played and started in every game and is hitting a team-best .340 this season. Duplantis also leads the way with a .348 batting average in league games.
  • On the mound, LSU holds a 4.51 staff ERA and ranks 12th in the SEC in the category. In league games only, the Tigers are giving up 5.04 earned runs per game, which ranks 11th in the conference.

SERIES HISTORY vs. LSU

  • LSU holds a 103-71 advantage in the all-time series against Auburn that dates back to 1907, including a 42-39 advantage in games played in Auburn.
  • The homestanding Tigers will be looking for their first series win vs. LSU since 2012.

FYI

  • Gates open one hour prior to first pitch.
  • Plainsman Patio, a new gameday hospitality service inside the ballpark, is open and available on the concourse level down the right-field line. Stop by and see a hospitality service member for more information.
  • 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 for tailgating.