Baseball News: 5-14-2026
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Dudley Dent
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Auburn Baseball News: 5-13-2026
Bristol Carters earns spot on SEC Community Service Team:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/13/bristol-carters-earns-spot-on-sec-community-service-team
How Auburn baseball's loss to Jax State affects its RPI standing:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/baseball/2026/05/13/auburn-baseball-rpi-standing-jax-state-sec/90057942007/
'Resilient' Tigers ready for next challenge vs. Georgia:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-baseball-takes-on-georgia-in-a-fourth-consecutive-top-10-series-for-the-tigers-285180476/
‘The summit’: No. 4 Auburn wraps up regular season with showdown vs. No. 5 Georgia:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/13/the-summit-no-4-auburn-wraps-up-regular-season-with-showdown-vs-no-5-georgia
Auburn baseball faces another 'Super Regional' weekend with SEC best Bulldogs in town:
Auburn sets pitching rotation for high-stakes series vs. Georgia:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/baseball/2026/05/13/auburn-pitching-rotation-georgia-series-sec-baseball/90062795007/
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Bristol Carters earns spot on SEC Community Service Team
By Estela Munoz
Junior outfielder Bristol Carter has been named to the 2026 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team for the second straight season, the league office announced Wednesday.
In a continuing effort to recognize the accomplishments of student-athletes beyond the field of competition, the SEC names a Community Service Team for each of its 22 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community through superior service efforts.
For the second straight season, Cater has headed up the Hits and Sits campaign through his BC5 Foundation. The campaign gives supporters the opportunity to monetarily sponsor hits and/or strikeouts for an Auburn baseball game. In the last two seasons, Carter and his teammates have helped raise approximately $10,000 benefitting Children’s of Alabama.
He has also participated in team volunteer activities such as World Read Aloud Day and Beds for Kids of Tupelo, MS, an organization that builds and provides beds for children of need in North Mississippi.
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How Auburn baseball's loss to Jax State affects its RPI standing
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The latest trend for college baseball teams is to cancel midweek games in the name of saving their RPI standing. Auburn, however, went off the beaten path this week and played its road contest at Jax State as scheduled. Although the Tigers dropped the game to the Gamecocks, playing the game ended up benefiting Auburn's postseason picture.
The latest RPI update from D1Baseball lists Auburn as the No. 2 team in the nation, up one spot from its post-Mississippi State series despite its 4-1 loss to the Gamecocks. The Tigers trail only UCLA in the RPI update, and lead other notable national seed hopefuls Georgia Tech, Texas, and North Carolina.
One of the reasons for Auburn's RPI bump is Jax State's place in the category. The Gamecocks were No. 31 entering Tuesday's contest, which gives Auburn another Quad 1 game. The win bumped Jax State to No. 28, which adds another tough game to Auburn's No. 1 strength of schedule. Georgia Tech's loss to Mercer also contributed to Auburn's jump. The Yellow Jackets 12-9 loss to the Bears at home is considered a Quad 2 loss for Georgia Tech, which forced Auburn and Georgia Tech to swap places in the latest RPI update.
Auburn will get one more shot to enhance its RPI standing this weekend when it hosts Georgia for a three-game series at Plainsman Park beginning Thursday. Auburn is 13-13 against Quad 1 competition, and the Bulldogs will enter the series ranked No. 16 in the RPI.
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'Resilient' Tigers ready for next challenge vs. Georgia
By Jason Caldwell
All season the No. 4 Auburn baseball Tigers have been faced with challenge after challenge. From early season games against teams like Cincinnati, Florida State and Louisville, a series against Nebraska, and midweek games against Georgia Tech and Jacksonville State, coach Butch Thompson's team has been tested time and time again, and that's just in the non-conference.
Thursday night the Tigers (35-16, 16-11) will have one final test in the regular season when the Georgia Bulldogs (41-11, 21-6) come to Plainsman Park for the final series of the SEC schedule. It will be the fifth straight Top 10 series for Auburn to finish out the season, something that Thompson said his team has been preparing for, both mentally and physically.
"I just think them being young has been a challenge at times," Thompson said. "I always think they're trying, for the most part. We lost a game last night against a very good team. This week also is two of seven teams in the country who were playing. Disappointing night for us last night. We tried to stay away from being focused on the results so much. I do think they've been resilient in that.
"As recently as Mississippi State, losing game one, and coming back and being able to win a series. So some of this youth is a challenge here or there, and you stump your toe and don't get what you want, and kind of scratch your head. But then some of it is kind of a blessing to be young in some of these big places and venues and environments and teams that we played, for them to just play ball."
One of the keys for his team this season has been the ability to just keep moving forward and not get caught up in the highs and lows that invariably come during the year. At one time 4-5 in SEC play with three of those wins over Missouri, the Tigers have kept their heads down. That will be the message again this week with the powerful Bulldogs coming to town.
"It's really important," sophomore Chris Rembert said of just staying focused on the task at hand. "After a loss, it can be hard to not dwell on that loss, but we've done a great job of overcoming it and learning from it mostly; just moving forward and learning from our losses."
Game times for the Georgia series are 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday (both games SEC Network) with Saturday's game scheduled for 2 p.m.
Injury updates:
On Wednesday, Thompson used the words 'banged up and beat up' to describe his team heading into the Georgia series. Catcher Chase Fralick missed the Jacksonville State game with a bruised heel, but took batting practice before the game and practiced on Wednesday. First baseman Ethin Bingaman fouled a ball off his foot and is dealing with a bruise. He's listed as 'day to day' but is expected to be available.
Big weekend at Plainsman Park:
In addition to honoring the seniors this weekend, there will also be two more ceremonies that will take place. The first will be on Friday when Josh Donaldson's number will be retired. He joins Bo Jackson, Gregg Olson, Frank Thomas and Tim Hudson on the War Eagle Wall.
Auburn will also name the home radio booth in honor of Rod Bramblett. The longtime voice of Auburn baseball before getting the job calling football and basketball following the death of Jim Fyffe, Brambell and wife Paula were killed in an auto accident late in the 2019 baseball season.
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‘The summit’: No. 4 Auburn wraps up regular season with showdown vs. No. 5 Georgia
Finishing up a stretch of five straight series against top-10 teams, No. 4 Auburn (35-16, 16-11 SEC) hosts No. 5 Georgia (41-11, 21-6 SEC) to wrap up the regular season Thursday through Saturday at Plainsman Park.
First pitches are scheduled for Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m.
“We’ve been fighting like crazy. I think our guys have done an amazing job. What a journey this has been,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “We’re excited to host these guys, the national leaders in home runs, top five in about every offensive category. We’ll have our work cut out for us. We’ve played some of the best teams, and now we’re seeing the summit. The best team in our league is coming here to finish so we’re excited about that.”
The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. The first two games will also be broadcast nationally on SEC Network, while Saturday’s game will be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
A limited number of general admission single-game tickets remain available and can be purchased here.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (4-4, 2.71) vs. Jr. RHP Joey Volchko (7-2, 4.41)
Friday – So. RHP Andreas Alvarez (8-2, 2.66) vs. Jr. RHP Dylan Vigue (4-1, 2.79)
Saturday – R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (8-2, 3.15) vs. TBA
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn enters the weekend with six straight SEC series wins in a single season for the first time since 1995, marking two more consecutive series wins than anyone else in the league.
Georgia represents Auburn’s fifth straight top-10 opponent to end the regular season.
The Tigers are 8-4 against those top-10 teams in the last four weeks.
Auburn is coming off a stretch of 12 of the last 15 games since Apr. 16 being played away from home. The Tigers went 8-4 in those road games, with 10 of the games against ranked teams.
Auburn is 14-13 against ranked team this season, tied for the most ranked wins in the league.
The Tigers are 32-1 when outhitting the opponent this season and 136-17 in the last five years.
The team is also 25-2 when scoring six or more runs this season and 147-29 in the last five years.
The starting rotation remains the same three guys for the seventh straight week.
The trio is a combined 20-8 with a 2.85 ERA and 249 strikeouts in 205.1 innings pitched.
Auburn leads the series against Georgia that dates back to 1896, 183-173-4, including an 88-65-4 record against the Bulldogs at home.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Winners of eight straight SEC games, Georgia enters the weekend having clinched the SEC regular season title with a 41-11 overall record and 21-6 mark in league play.
Offensively, the Bulldogs lead the country with 140 home runs and rank top five in the country in average (.328), on-base percentage (.445), slugging percentage (.628) runs (502) and hits (584). Catcher Daniel Jackson leads the team and league in multiple offensive categories including average (.384), home runs (25) and RBI (74).
On the mound, Georgia has turned in a 4.91 staff ERA with 544 strikeouts and 233 walks in 442.0 innings. Game one starter Joey Volchko leads the team with 81 strikeouts, while dual-role pitcher Caden Aoki leads the way with an 8-0 record and 3.20 ERA.
PREGAME RECOGNITIONS
Thursday – Senior Day at 6:30 p.m. honoring Abe Chancellor, Todd Clay, Logan Gregorio, Mason Koch and Lucas Steele along with student assistant Sonny DiChiara and student manager Drew Wren.
Friday – Josh Donaldson Wall of Fame Induction at 6:45 p.m.
Saturday – On-field graduation ceremony at 1:30 p.m. honoring Trevor Booton, Chancellor, Clay, Gregorio, Koch and Steele along with DiChiara.
PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS
Thursday – Orange rally towel giveaway
Saturday – Senior trading cards giveaway and postgame autographs
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
For a one-stop show for all things surrounding an Auburn baseball game at Plainsman Park, visit the revamped Auburn baseball gameday page.
Specific to this weekend, fans should be mindful of the Donahue Drive road closure north of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Plainsman Plaza, the new pregame block party that debuted prior to the middle game against Texas on Mar. 21, returns this Saturday.
Located along Donahue Drive, the space features food trucks, live music and a DJ, inflatables for kids, videoboards for watching live games across the country, and more.
Plainsman Plaza will open at 11 a.m. Saturday with the main seating area of the ballparking opening as usual at 12:30 p.m. In preparation for Plainsman Plaza’s opening, Donahue Drive from Heisman Drive to Samford Avenue will be shut down beginning at 8 a.m.
With the closure of Donahue Drive, fans are encouraged to use the following routes to access parking
Coliseum: Samford Drive to Biggio Drive
Neville Arena: Wire Road to Heisman Drive
Stadium Deck: Samford Avenue to Duncan Drive
Fans should access Plainsman Plaza through the entry gates near the intersection of Heisman and Donahue Drives. The space will be considered part of the ballpark, and a game ticket is required for entry. Once inside, fans will not need to scan again for entry into the seating bowl. Similar to regular gamedays, fans will not be permitted to leave and re-enter.
Fans with general admission tickets are invited to visit the following links to familiarize themselves with the layout of some of our seating/standing-room-only areas.
Plainsman Patio: Located down the first base line, this expanded space features seating, high-top tables, and a Fast Flight Grab-N-Go concessions market with an upgraded menu.
War Eagle Wall: A one-of-a-kind, two-tiered standing-room-only viewing area in left field, accessible by stairs or ramp off the left field concourse.
YETI Yard: YETI Yard (previously known as Tiger Terrace) includes three paved general admission terrace levels plus a large green space with enhanced concessions. Fans may bring tailgate chairs in this area only.
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Auburn baseball faces another 'Super Regional' weekend with SEC best Bulldogs in town
By Jason Caldwell
When Auburn and Georgia face off this weekend in a Top 5 showdown at Plainsman Park, it will be good vs. good with the pitching for the Tigers (35-16, 16-11) among the best in the country while the Bulldogs (41-11, 21-6) are the top offensive team in the land. Heading into the final SEC series of the regular season, Auburn is third nationally, allowing just 3.8 runs per game. Georgia comes into the series averaging 9.7 runs per game at the plate.
"We're definitely a battle-tested rotation and team," Auburn reliever Sanders said. "I think we're going to stick to our same plan and go after them the same way we would any other team. We're going to definitely give them credit, but not fear them. Respecting them, but we're going to kind of keep the same attack, and we're going to get into the scouting report later on today and kind of see what we see and, you know, go after them."
That's the plan as Auburn goes with the starting rotation of Jake Marciano, Andreas Alvarez and Alex Petrovic against the Bulldogs. It's a group that has been consistent this season despite facing some of the best offenses in the country. Thompson said the goal is to continue to compete and throw strikes against a powerful Georgia offense this weekend.
"We were able to keep A&M at five runs or less for three consecutive games," Thompson said. ". Nobody had done that to that point. Mississippi State beat the hell out of us when we thought we were caught a little bit short there, you can't make excuses. The best thing you can do is come back out, give up four runs and two runs, and give yourself a chance to come back and win a series.
"So we gotta just absolutely reset, like these young people have the capability to do, the coach kind of wears it longer and more than they do to their benefit, and they need to be ready for a real opportunity, and they need to be as fired up as they can and as engaged as they can."
After going on the road to beat Texas A&M and Mississippi State the last two weeks, after winning series at Florida earlier in the stretch and also beating Kentucky and Oklahoma at home with a series win over Arkansas kicking things off, Thompson said it's just another week to challenge this team and he's excited to see how they respond.
"It does feel like these last five weeks, we played a super regional, and this will be the best training we could ever get in trying to build some confidence and find that growth and find that training to prepare you as much as any team," Thompson said. "I want them to feel that after this weekend. I'd love for Marciano to have this full rest. He did that for the team last week and I'd love him to be rewarded. But he's gonna have to come out and compete. Nobody's throwing that ball for him. Nobody's hitting this ball for our guys. You're asking a tall order, but again, you're gaining confidence if you can walk through this door."
First pitches are scheduled for Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m. The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. The first two games will also be broadcast nationally on SEC Network, while Saturday's game will be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (4-4, 2.71) vs. Jr. RHP Joey Volchko (7-2, 4.41)
Friday – So. RHP Andreas Alvarez (8-2, 2.66) vs. Jr. RHP Dylan Vigue (4-1, 2.79)
Saturday – R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (8-2, 3.15) vs. TBA
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Winners of eight straight SEC games, Georgia enters the weekend having clinched the SEC regular season title with a 41-11 overall record and 21-6 mark in league play.
Offensively, the Bulldogs lead the country with 140 home runs and rank top five in the country in average (.328), on-base percentage (.445), slugging percentage (.628) runs (502) and hits (584). Catcher Daniel Jackson leads the team and league in multiple offensive categories including average (.384), home runs (25) and RBI (74).
On the mound, Georgia has turned in a 4.91 staff ERA with 544 strikeouts and 233 walks in 442.0 innings. Game one starter Joey Volchko leads the team with 81 strikeouts, while dual-role pitcher Caden Aoki leads the way with an 8-0 record and 3.20 ERA.
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Auburn sets pitching rotation for high-stakes series vs. Georgia
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The No. 6 Auburn Tigers have revealed their pitching rotation for its pivotal SEC series with No. 4 Georgia beginning Thursday evening at Plainsman Park in Auburn.
For the second weekend in a row, Auburn will use the combination of Jake Marciano, Andreas Alvarez, and Alex Petrovic as its pitching rotation. The trio will be tasked to cool off the hot Georgia sticks that lead the SEC in average (.328), hits (584), home runs (140), and RBI (480).
Marciano experienced the shortest outing of his season in his return to the series-opening role last week at Mississippi State. He lasted two innings in Auburn's 10-3 loss to Mississippi State last Thursday, where he allowed four runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. The Tigers' bats will look to provide Marciano with more run support on Thursday, as three of Auburn's last four losses with Marciano starting have been by one run.
Andreas Alvarez will start his seventh SEC game this Friday against Georgia. Auburn is 5-1 in games Alvarez has started since his move to the weekend rotation, and has scored 10 runs or more in three of those games. He lasted 4 2/3 innings in Auburn's thrilling 5-4 win over Mississippi State last Friday, where he allowed two earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
The regular season finale will see Alex Petrovic take the mound for the Auburn Tigers on Saturday. Auburn has won its last five rubber games with Petrovic as the starter, winning every game by at least three runs and scoring at least 10 runs in three of those games. He enters Sunday's start with 48 strikeouts against SEC competition and 71 strikeouts overall.
SEC Network will carry the first two games of Auburn baseball's pivotal series against Georgia, both games starting at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Saturday's regular-season finale is set for 2 p.m. CT, with SEC Network+ streaming the game live.
Bristol Carters earns spot on SEC Community Service Team:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/13/bristol-carters-earns-spot-on-sec-community-service-team
How Auburn baseball's loss to Jax State affects its RPI standing:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/baseball/2026/05/13/auburn-baseball-rpi-standing-jax-state-sec/90057942007/
'Resilient' Tigers ready for next challenge vs. Georgia:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-baseball-takes-on-georgia-in-a-fourth-consecutive-top-10-series-for-the-tigers-285180476/
‘The summit’: No. 4 Auburn wraps up regular season with showdown vs. No. 5 Georgia:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/13/the-summit-no-4-auburn-wraps-up-regular-season-with-showdown-vs-no-5-georgia
Auburn baseball faces another 'Super Regional' weekend with SEC best Bulldogs in town:
Auburn sets pitching rotation for high-stakes series vs. Georgia:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/baseball/2026/05/13/auburn-pitching-rotation-georgia-series-sec-baseball/90062795007/
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Bristol Carters earns spot on SEC Community Service Team
By Estela Munoz
Junior outfielder Bristol Carter has been named to the 2026 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team for the second straight season, the league office announced Wednesday.
In a continuing effort to recognize the accomplishments of student-athletes beyond the field of competition, the SEC names a Community Service Team for each of its 22 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community through superior service efforts.
For the second straight season, Cater has headed up the Hits and Sits campaign through his BC5 Foundation. The campaign gives supporters the opportunity to monetarily sponsor hits and/or strikeouts for an Auburn baseball game. In the last two seasons, Carter and his teammates have helped raise approximately $10,000 benefitting Children’s of Alabama.
He has also participated in team volunteer activities such as World Read Aloud Day and Beds for Kids of Tupelo, MS, an organization that builds and provides beds for children of need in North Mississippi.
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How Auburn baseball's loss to Jax State affects its RPI standing
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The latest trend for college baseball teams is to cancel midweek games in the name of saving their RPI standing. Auburn, however, went off the beaten path this week and played its road contest at Jax State as scheduled. Although the Tigers dropped the game to the Gamecocks, playing the game ended up benefiting Auburn's postseason picture.
The latest RPI update from D1Baseball lists Auburn as the No. 2 team in the nation, up one spot from its post-Mississippi State series despite its 4-1 loss to the Gamecocks. The Tigers trail only UCLA in the RPI update, and lead other notable national seed hopefuls Georgia Tech, Texas, and North Carolina.
One of the reasons for Auburn's RPI bump is Jax State's place in the category. The Gamecocks were No. 31 entering Tuesday's contest, which gives Auburn another Quad 1 game. The win bumped Jax State to No. 28, which adds another tough game to Auburn's No. 1 strength of schedule. Georgia Tech's loss to Mercer also contributed to Auburn's jump. The Yellow Jackets 12-9 loss to the Bears at home is considered a Quad 2 loss for Georgia Tech, which forced Auburn and Georgia Tech to swap places in the latest RPI update.
Auburn will get one more shot to enhance its RPI standing this weekend when it hosts Georgia for a three-game series at Plainsman Park beginning Thursday. Auburn is 13-13 against Quad 1 competition, and the Bulldogs will enter the series ranked No. 16 in the RPI.
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'Resilient' Tigers ready for next challenge vs. Georgia
By Jason Caldwell
All season the No. 4 Auburn baseball Tigers have been faced with challenge after challenge. From early season games against teams like Cincinnati, Florida State and Louisville, a series against Nebraska, and midweek games against Georgia Tech and Jacksonville State, coach Butch Thompson's team has been tested time and time again, and that's just in the non-conference.
Thursday night the Tigers (35-16, 16-11) will have one final test in the regular season when the Georgia Bulldogs (41-11, 21-6) come to Plainsman Park for the final series of the SEC schedule. It will be the fifth straight Top 10 series for Auburn to finish out the season, something that Thompson said his team has been preparing for, both mentally and physically.
"I just think them being young has been a challenge at times," Thompson said. "I always think they're trying, for the most part. We lost a game last night against a very good team. This week also is two of seven teams in the country who were playing. Disappointing night for us last night. We tried to stay away from being focused on the results so much. I do think they've been resilient in that.
"As recently as Mississippi State, losing game one, and coming back and being able to win a series. So some of this youth is a challenge here or there, and you stump your toe and don't get what you want, and kind of scratch your head. But then some of it is kind of a blessing to be young in some of these big places and venues and environments and teams that we played, for them to just play ball."
One of the keys for his team this season has been the ability to just keep moving forward and not get caught up in the highs and lows that invariably come during the year. At one time 4-5 in SEC play with three of those wins over Missouri, the Tigers have kept their heads down. That will be the message again this week with the powerful Bulldogs coming to town.
"It's really important," sophomore Chris Rembert said of just staying focused on the task at hand. "After a loss, it can be hard to not dwell on that loss, but we've done a great job of overcoming it and learning from it mostly; just moving forward and learning from our losses."
Game times for the Georgia series are 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday (both games SEC Network) with Saturday's game scheduled for 2 p.m.
Injury updates:
On Wednesday, Thompson used the words 'banged up and beat up' to describe his team heading into the Georgia series. Catcher Chase Fralick missed the Jacksonville State game with a bruised heel, but took batting practice before the game and practiced on Wednesday. First baseman Ethin Bingaman fouled a ball off his foot and is dealing with a bruise. He's listed as 'day to day' but is expected to be available.
Big weekend at Plainsman Park:
In addition to honoring the seniors this weekend, there will also be two more ceremonies that will take place. The first will be on Friday when Josh Donaldson's number will be retired. He joins Bo Jackson, Gregg Olson, Frank Thomas and Tim Hudson on the War Eagle Wall.
Auburn will also name the home radio booth in honor of Rod Bramblett. The longtime voice of Auburn baseball before getting the job calling football and basketball following the death of Jim Fyffe, Brambell and wife Paula were killed in an auto accident late in the 2019 baseball season.
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‘The summit’: No. 4 Auburn wraps up regular season with showdown vs. No. 5 Georgia
Finishing up a stretch of five straight series against top-10 teams, No. 4 Auburn (35-16, 16-11 SEC) hosts No. 5 Georgia (41-11, 21-6 SEC) to wrap up the regular season Thursday through Saturday at Plainsman Park.
First pitches are scheduled for Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m.
“We’ve been fighting like crazy. I think our guys have done an amazing job. What a journey this has been,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “We’re excited to host these guys, the national leaders in home runs, top five in about every offensive category. We’ll have our work cut out for us. We’ve played some of the best teams, and now we’re seeing the summit. The best team in our league is coming here to finish so we’re excited about that.”
The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. The first two games will also be broadcast nationally on SEC Network, while Saturday’s game will be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
A limited number of general admission single-game tickets remain available and can be purchased here.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (4-4, 2.71) vs. Jr. RHP Joey Volchko (7-2, 4.41)
Friday – So. RHP Andreas Alvarez (8-2, 2.66) vs. Jr. RHP Dylan Vigue (4-1, 2.79)
Saturday – R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (8-2, 3.15) vs. TBA
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn enters the weekend with six straight SEC series wins in a single season for the first time since 1995, marking two more consecutive series wins than anyone else in the league.
Georgia represents Auburn’s fifth straight top-10 opponent to end the regular season.
The Tigers are 8-4 against those top-10 teams in the last four weeks.
Auburn is coming off a stretch of 12 of the last 15 games since Apr. 16 being played away from home. The Tigers went 8-4 in those road games, with 10 of the games against ranked teams.
Auburn is 14-13 against ranked team this season, tied for the most ranked wins in the league.
The Tigers are 32-1 when outhitting the opponent this season and 136-17 in the last five years.
The team is also 25-2 when scoring six or more runs this season and 147-29 in the last five years.
The starting rotation remains the same three guys for the seventh straight week.
The trio is a combined 20-8 with a 2.85 ERA and 249 strikeouts in 205.1 innings pitched.
Auburn leads the series against Georgia that dates back to 1896, 183-173-4, including an 88-65-4 record against the Bulldogs at home.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Winners of eight straight SEC games, Georgia enters the weekend having clinched the SEC regular season title with a 41-11 overall record and 21-6 mark in league play.
Offensively, the Bulldogs lead the country with 140 home runs and rank top five in the country in average (.328), on-base percentage (.445), slugging percentage (.628) runs (502) and hits (584). Catcher Daniel Jackson leads the team and league in multiple offensive categories including average (.384), home runs (25) and RBI (74).
On the mound, Georgia has turned in a 4.91 staff ERA with 544 strikeouts and 233 walks in 442.0 innings. Game one starter Joey Volchko leads the team with 81 strikeouts, while dual-role pitcher Caden Aoki leads the way with an 8-0 record and 3.20 ERA.
PREGAME RECOGNITIONS
Thursday – Senior Day at 6:30 p.m. honoring Abe Chancellor, Todd Clay, Logan Gregorio, Mason Koch and Lucas Steele along with student assistant Sonny DiChiara and student manager Drew Wren.
Friday – Josh Donaldson Wall of Fame Induction at 6:45 p.m.
Saturday – On-field graduation ceremony at 1:30 p.m. honoring Trevor Booton, Chancellor, Clay, Gregorio, Koch and Steele along with DiChiara.
PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS
Thursday – Orange rally towel giveaway
Saturday – Senior trading cards giveaway and postgame autographs
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
For a one-stop show for all things surrounding an Auburn baseball game at Plainsman Park, visit the revamped Auburn baseball gameday page.
Specific to this weekend, fans should be mindful of the Donahue Drive road closure north of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Plainsman Plaza, the new pregame block party that debuted prior to the middle game against Texas on Mar. 21, returns this Saturday.
Located along Donahue Drive, the space features food trucks, live music and a DJ, inflatables for kids, videoboards for watching live games across the country, and more.
Plainsman Plaza will open at 11 a.m. Saturday with the main seating area of the ballparking opening as usual at 12:30 p.m. In preparation for Plainsman Plaza’s opening, Donahue Drive from Heisman Drive to Samford Avenue will be shut down beginning at 8 a.m.
With the closure of Donahue Drive, fans are encouraged to use the following routes to access parking
Coliseum: Samford Drive to Biggio Drive
Neville Arena: Wire Road to Heisman Drive
Stadium Deck: Samford Avenue to Duncan Drive
Fans should access Plainsman Plaza through the entry gates near the intersection of Heisman and Donahue Drives. The space will be considered part of the ballpark, and a game ticket is required for entry. Once inside, fans will not need to scan again for entry into the seating bowl. Similar to regular gamedays, fans will not be permitted to leave and re-enter.
Fans with general admission tickets are invited to visit the following links to familiarize themselves with the layout of some of our seating/standing-room-only areas.
Plainsman Patio: Located down the first base line, this expanded space features seating, high-top tables, and a Fast Flight Grab-N-Go concessions market with an upgraded menu.
War Eagle Wall: A one-of-a-kind, two-tiered standing-room-only viewing area in left field, accessible by stairs or ramp off the left field concourse.
YETI Yard: YETI Yard (previously known as Tiger Terrace) includes three paved general admission terrace levels plus a large green space with enhanced concessions. Fans may bring tailgate chairs in this area only.
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Auburn baseball faces another 'Super Regional' weekend with SEC best Bulldogs in town
By Jason Caldwell
When Auburn and Georgia face off this weekend in a Top 5 showdown at Plainsman Park, it will be good vs. good with the pitching for the Tigers (35-16, 16-11) among the best in the country while the Bulldogs (41-11, 21-6) are the top offensive team in the land. Heading into the final SEC series of the regular season, Auburn is third nationally, allowing just 3.8 runs per game. Georgia comes into the series averaging 9.7 runs per game at the plate.
"We're definitely a battle-tested rotation and team," Auburn reliever Sanders said. "I think we're going to stick to our same plan and go after them the same way we would any other team. We're going to definitely give them credit, but not fear them. Respecting them, but we're going to kind of keep the same attack, and we're going to get into the scouting report later on today and kind of see what we see and, you know, go after them."
That's the plan as Auburn goes with the starting rotation of Jake Marciano, Andreas Alvarez and Alex Petrovic against the Bulldogs. It's a group that has been consistent this season despite facing some of the best offenses in the country. Thompson said the goal is to continue to compete and throw strikes against a powerful Georgia offense this weekend.
"We were able to keep A&M at five runs or less for three consecutive games," Thompson said. ". Nobody had done that to that point. Mississippi State beat the hell out of us when we thought we were caught a little bit short there, you can't make excuses. The best thing you can do is come back out, give up four runs and two runs, and give yourself a chance to come back and win a series.
"So we gotta just absolutely reset, like these young people have the capability to do, the coach kind of wears it longer and more than they do to their benefit, and they need to be ready for a real opportunity, and they need to be as fired up as they can and as engaged as they can."
After going on the road to beat Texas A&M and Mississippi State the last two weeks, after winning series at Florida earlier in the stretch and also beating Kentucky and Oklahoma at home with a series win over Arkansas kicking things off, Thompson said it's just another week to challenge this team and he's excited to see how they respond.
"It does feel like these last five weeks, we played a super regional, and this will be the best training we could ever get in trying to build some confidence and find that growth and find that training to prepare you as much as any team," Thompson said. "I want them to feel that after this weekend. I'd love for Marciano to have this full rest. He did that for the team last week and I'd love him to be rewarded. But he's gonna have to come out and compete. Nobody's throwing that ball for him. Nobody's hitting this ball for our guys. You're asking a tall order, but again, you're gaining confidence if you can walk through this door."
First pitches are scheduled for Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m. The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. The first two games will also be broadcast nationally on SEC Network, while Saturday's game will be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (4-4, 2.71) vs. Jr. RHP Joey Volchko (7-2, 4.41)
Friday – So. RHP Andreas Alvarez (8-2, 2.66) vs. Jr. RHP Dylan Vigue (4-1, 2.79)
Saturday – R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (8-2, 3.15) vs. TBA
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Winners of eight straight SEC games, Georgia enters the weekend having clinched the SEC regular season title with a 41-11 overall record and 21-6 mark in league play.
Offensively, the Bulldogs lead the country with 140 home runs and rank top five in the country in average (.328), on-base percentage (.445), slugging percentage (.628) runs (502) and hits (584). Catcher Daniel Jackson leads the team and league in multiple offensive categories including average (.384), home runs (25) and RBI (74).
On the mound, Georgia has turned in a 4.91 staff ERA with 544 strikeouts and 233 walks in 442.0 innings. Game one starter Joey Volchko leads the team with 81 strikeouts, while dual-role pitcher Caden Aoki leads the way with an 8-0 record and 3.20 ERA.
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Auburn sets pitching rotation for high-stakes series vs. Georgia
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The No. 6 Auburn Tigers have revealed their pitching rotation for its pivotal SEC series with No. 4 Georgia beginning Thursday evening at Plainsman Park in Auburn.
For the second weekend in a row, Auburn will use the combination of Jake Marciano, Andreas Alvarez, and Alex Petrovic as its pitching rotation. The trio will be tasked to cool off the hot Georgia sticks that lead the SEC in average (.328), hits (584), home runs (140), and RBI (480).
Marciano experienced the shortest outing of his season in his return to the series-opening role last week at Mississippi State. He lasted two innings in Auburn's 10-3 loss to Mississippi State last Thursday, where he allowed four runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. The Tigers' bats will look to provide Marciano with more run support on Thursday, as three of Auburn's last four losses with Marciano starting have been by one run.
Andreas Alvarez will start his seventh SEC game this Friday against Georgia. Auburn is 5-1 in games Alvarez has started since his move to the weekend rotation, and has scored 10 runs or more in three of those games. He lasted 4 2/3 innings in Auburn's thrilling 5-4 win over Mississippi State last Friday, where he allowed two earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
The regular season finale will see Alex Petrovic take the mound for the Auburn Tigers on Saturday. Auburn has won its last five rubber games with Petrovic as the starter, winning every game by at least three runs and scoring at least 10 runs in three of those games. He enters Sunday's start with 48 strikeouts against SEC competition and 71 strikeouts overall.
SEC Network will carry the first two games of Auburn baseball's pivotal series against Georgia, both games starting at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Saturday's regular-season finale is set for 2 p.m. CT, with SEC Network+ streaming the game live.
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