AUBURN, Ala. – Even when Bryson Ware wasn't hitting the way he wanted to, he still found a way to help Auburn win baseball games.
Now that his bat has come around, look out, opposing pitchers.
Through Auburn's first seven games, Ware leads the Tigers with seven extra-base hits, including three home runs and four doubles, and a team-best 1.125 slugging percentage. His .583 batting average ranks No. 2 in the SEC and No. 3 in the NCAA behind teammate Ike Irish's .586.
Primarily an outfielder his first two seasons on the Plains, Ware won the third base job during preseason practice, a position he last played during middle school travel ball.
"I'm very blessed to get the opportunity to get a few starts and contribute as much as I can," Ware said. "It's really awesome seeing some of this hard work pay off. It was cool to get back out there and perform decently well."
Bryson Ware attributes his improved hitting to preseason preparation, both physical and mental
That's how it's going. Here's how it started.
"It's kind of been a bumpy first two years for me," said Ware, who batted. 254 as a sophomore in 2021 and .234 last season as a junior.
Ware did not carry his struggles at the plate to the field, earning a defensive replacement role and helping Auburn advance to the 2022 College World Series by throwing out the potential tying run at home plate for the final out at Mississippi State, then making a difficult catch to record the penultimate out of Auburn's super regional championship series-clinching win at Oregon State.
"Toward the end of the year, I realized that was going to be my role," Ware said. "I had a decent arm, I could move pretty well."
Heading into his senior season, Ware prepared mentally and physically, visualizing his responses to situations he expected to encounter, shortening his swing and taking hours of batting practice using machines that simulate breaking pitches in the Josh Donaldson Hitting Lab in Auburn's Player Development Center.
"That's a huge benefit for us," Ware said. "That's as close as you're going to get to live looks."
Hot corner: Bryson Ware won Auburn's starting job at third base, a position he last played in middle school
Ware attributes his work ethic to his father's instruction.
"I wasn't the most talented player growing up," said Ware, who did not earn a starting position in high school until his senior year. "I've got tools, but I've gotten that from working through the years and that's what I'm going to keep trying to do."
"He's stayed in the fight," Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. "If he can hold up and have this look in his eye and keep playing the way he's playing, it's going to help us reach a higher level because he's such an athletic ballplayer."
When it wasn't working for Bryson Ware at the plate, he contributed defensively. Whether he goes 0-for-4 or 4-for-4, he relies on his faith and an even-keel approach to navigate both the mountaintops and valleys that come with playing SEC baseball.
"That's been my main focus whenever I'm going through tough times, even now when I'm seeing the ball pretty well, I'm trying to stay level-headed," he said. "I'm just trying to stay in the fight like Coach Thompson says, not get too high, not get too low. I'm trying to stay consistent and keep it going hopefully."
Staying in the fight.
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) February 24, 2023
Last season, @bryson_ware helped @AuburnBaseball get to CWS as a defensive OF.
Now, he's playing 3B for the first time since middle school.
Off to a 🔥 start, Bryson is batting .667 (10-15, 5 XBH)
Relying on his faith & even-keel approach. #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/N8E4TgnjhV
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer