AUBURN, Ala. – Winners of four of its last five games, Auburn (25-25) begins the last week of the regular season with a matchup against Samford (33-18) Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
Up Next:
vs. Samford
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
"This is always huge," head coach Butch Thompson said of the matchup vs. Samford. "They're at the top of their conference. They'll be playing (Wofford) this weekend at home, hopefully trying to win a share of their conference championship. They played in our regional here that we hosted last year at Plainsman Park. Tony David has done an amazing job and he absolutely has his team in position again."
The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday – Jr. RHP Conner McBride (3-3, 6.11) vs. Jr RHP Brooks Rice (4-3, 5.26)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn has won four of its last five games dating back to the series finale vs. Ole Miss.
The Tigers are 10-1 in midweek games this season and have outscored the opponent 92-33.
The pitching staff has held the midweek opponent to three or fewer runs in eight of 11 games and has turned in a 2.94 ERA in midweek competition.
Auburn led the league with 12 home runs last week while tying for the league lead with 39 runs and tying for second with 44 hits.
Seven players homered last week, including four players who hit multiple home runs.
Auburn enters the week one of 14 teams in the country, including the only team in the SEC, that has hit at least 75 home runs and stolen at least 75 bases this season.
Six players who started at least three of the four games hit .300 or higher.
The starting rotation at Missouri went 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 14.0 innings.
Conner McBride is 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 innings in four midweek starts this season.
Auburn leads the all-time series against Samford 78-25-1, including a 12-3 win against the Bulldogs at Plainsman Park on Feb. 27.
The two teams have split the two previous meetings at the Hoover Met in 2021 and 2022.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Samford enters the final week of the regular season with a 33-18 overall record and sits atop the Southern Conference standings with a 13-5 record in league play.
Offensively, Samford ranks 19th in the country with a .312 team average, led by six players hitting .314 or higher. Senior infielder Garrett Howe leads the team in average (.383), runs (68) and hits (75).
On the mound, the Bulldogs have turned in a 6.09 ERA with 396 strikeouts and 227 walks in 424.1 innings. Midweek starter Brooks Rice is 4-3 with a 5.26 ERA.