Auburn baseball notebook – Feb. 20

Opens in a new window 2023 Stats (PDF) Opens in a new window This Week in Auburn Baseball
Auburn baseball notebook – Feb. 20Auburn baseball notebook – Feb. 20
Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

WEEK AT A GLANCE
Overall: 2-1
Last Week: 2-1
SEC: 0-0
Non-Conference: 2-1
Streak: L1

Last Week's Results:
Friday – vs. Indiana: W, 8-4
Saturday – vs. Indiana: W, 6-1
Sunday – vs. Indiana: L, 2-11

This Week's Schedule:
Tuesday – vs. North Alabama (6 p.m.) – at Toyota Field (Madison, Ala.)
Friday – at Southern Cal (8:30 p.m.) – USC Live Stream
Saturday – at Southern Cal (8:30 p.m.) – USC Live Stream
Sunday – at Southern Cal (2 p.m.) – Pac-12 Los Angeles
 OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ike Irish – Fr. – DH – Hudsonville, Mich.

3 GP/GS, .500/.571/.750, 6-for-12, 3 R, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB

  • Recorded a hit and a double in all three games, including multiple hits in two of three against Indiana.
  • Legged out an infield single in his first career at-bat and finished his Auburn debut 3-for-5 with two runs, a double and a RBI.
  • Picked up where he left off in game one by getting the scoring started with a two-RBI double in the third inning of game two.
  • Ultimately reached base three times for the second straight game to start his career.
  • Turned in multiple hits for the second time of the weekend by going 2-for-4 and scoring a run in the finale.

Bryson Ware – Sr. – IF – Madison, Miss.

3 GP/GS, .583/.615/.833, 7-for-12, 1 R, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 1 HBP

  • Led Auburn with seven hits during the weekend and recorded multiple hits in all three games.
  • His seven hits were tied for the fourth most in the SEC and his .583 average was tied for eighth best in the league during Opening Weekend.
  • Recorded a hit in his first two at-bats of the season, including a game-tying RBI single in the third inning of the comeback win.
  • Matched a career-best with two doubles in the series-clinching win against the Hoosiers and followed it up by matching a career-best with three hits in the finale.

 

PITCHERS OF THE WEEK
John Armstrong – So. – RHP – Marietta, Ga.

0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 AP, 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

  • Turned in a career best 3.1 innings and struck out three batters, one shy of his career high.
  • Entered the game with two runners on and struck out the first batter he faced on four pitches to preserve a two-run lead.
  • Retired the first seven batters he faced and allowed just one baserunner.

Joseph Gonzalez – Jr. – RHP – Humacao, PR

1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

  • Turned in 5.0 scoreless innings and allowed just three baserunners in his first start of the season, marking his fifth scoreless start of 5.0+ innings since the start of last season.
  • Retired eight straight batters on 23 pitches after allowing a leadoff single to start the game.
  • Needed just 41 pitches, including 32 strikes, to get through the fifth inning.
  • Ultimately faced just one batter over the minimum and induced 11 ground balls that resulted in 13 of his 15 outs.

 

TEAM NOTES
Auburn improved to 8-0 in home openers under head coach Butch Thompson with a 8-4 win against Indiana on Opening Day … the Tigers have outscored the opponent 76-18 in the eight home openers under Thompson … Auburn has now won at least two games on Opening Weekend in seven straight seasons … Justin Kirby became the first Auburn newcomer to homer in a season opener since Brett Wright did so against Longwood in 2018 … Kirby was one of 11 SEC player to hits multiple homers during Opening Weekend … 17 players made their Auburn debuts Opening Weekend, including eight position players and nine pitchers … five recorded their first hits in an Auburn uniform while another five recorded their first strikeouts.