NASHVILLE – Coming off an offensive outburst in the midweek, No. 21 Auburn (27-14, 10-8 SEC) continues conference play with a three-game series against No. 4 Vanderbilt this weekend.
First pitch is the series opener Thursday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. Game two is set for Friday at 7 p.m. CT and the series finale will take place Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.
Thursday and Friday will be broadcast on ESPNU and SEC Network, respectively. Saturday's game will also be available for streaming on SEC Network+. The action this weekend can be heard locally on WTGZ-FM (93.9), online at AuburnTigers.com, or on a mobile device via the Auburn Athletics app.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday – So. RHP Tanner Burns (4-2, 2.32) vs. Jr. RHP Drake Fellows (8-0, 3.39)
Friday – Fr. RHP Richard Fitts (3-2, 4.55) vs. Fr. RHP Kumar Rocker (4-4, 4.61)
Saturday – Fr. LHP Brooks Fuller (2-1, 2.78) vs. Sr. RHP Patrick Raby (6-1, 2.94)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn's 14 runs on 16 hits at Jacksonville State Tuesday were both the third most in a game this season. The team's 12-run margin of victory was also its largest this year.
Conor Davis is 6-for-13 with two runs, two home runs and seven RBI in the last three games. Davis went 4-for-9 with four runs, two home runs and 10 RBI against Vanderbilt last year.
Matt Scheffler has a hit in eight straight SEC games and is 10-for-30 during the span. Scheffler leads the team with a .283 average in conference play.
Edouard Julien has eight RBI in the last five games. He is the first Auburn player since 2010-11 with 40 or more RBI in back-to-back seasons.
Brooks Fuller is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA in two starts on the road this season. He pitched 6.0 scoreless innings and handed Texas A&M its first shutout loss of the season in his last road start.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Vanderbilt enters the weekend with a 31-9 overall record and is second in the SEC East with a 12-6 mark in conference play.
Offensively, Vanderbilt ranks second in the conference with a .311 batting average. The Commodores lead the league in on-base percentage (.408) and slugging (.508) and rank tied for second in the conference in runs (321).
Junior outfielder JJ Bleday leads the league in home runs (20) and RBI (53). Fourteen of Bleday's home runs have come in the last 17 games.
On the mound, the Commodores are sixth in the league with a 3.70 ERA. Game one starter Drake Fellows leads the SEC with an 8-0 record and has posted a 3.39 ERA.
SERIES HISTORY
Auburn holds a 96-60 advantage in the all-time series vs. Vanderbilt, but the Tigers trail the Commodores, 30-35, in games played in Nashville.
Auburn swept Vanderbilt for the first time since 2002 a season ago. The Tigers outscored the Commodores 29-6 in the three-game series.
The Tigers are looking for the first series win in Nashville since 2001.