A couple of weeks into the season, Auburn baseball's roster has been downsized three positions.
"We're going to have to continue to push the elements, and ultimately we'll win the battle," head coach Sunny Golloway said after a rough 5-0 loss to California Feb. 22. "I don't want it to take all year, but if we've got to minimize our roster then we'll do that."
Golloway announced Monday, Feb. 24, that seniors Hunter Kelley and Patrick Savage and junior Chase Williamson are no longer members of the Auburn baseball team. Philip Marshall from AuburnTigers.com reported that Kelley was dismissed from the team hours after the ETSU game and then Savage and Williamson left the team.
"If we're going to end up having some cancer in our clubhouse we're going to end up having to cut that out and move forward," Golloway said after the 3-2 extra innings loss to East Tennessee State Feb. 23.
The baseball team is now moving forward without three veteran players.
Kelley played a few innings in left field and Savage started at designated hitter in Sunday's 3-2 extra innings loss against ETSU, which featured many mistakes that cost the Tigers runs throughout the game.
Golloway was upset in the postgame interview Feb. 23 and pointed out Kelley's mistake in left field that turned a single into a triple to set up the winning run in the 10th inning.
"You can't dive for a single and turn it into a triple in a tie ballgame. That's just a cardinal rule and again it's a returning veteran player that does that," Golloway said. "That's disheartening because they wouldn't have scored with two more pop ups after it with our closer in the game."
Golloway also noted after the game how he has been impressed with the freshmen class' attitude and effort but has seen a "lack of work ethic and a lack of team-first" attitude from some of the returning veteran players.
Looking back at Kelley's career playing outfield for Auburn, he played his junior year here last season after transferring from junior college and batted .246 with 28 hits and nine runs batted in. Kelley was also drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 34th round in 2011.
Another senior, Savage, had a longer career at Auburn having been here since his 2010 freshman season, when he hit .333 in nine games with two doubles and one home run. After receiving a medical redshirt in 2011, he hit .260 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 2012. Last year Savage started at designated hitter in 34 games and hit .290 on the season with 40 hits and 19 RBIs.
In Williamson's freshman year in 2012 he went 0-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four relief appearances. He saw more action on the mound last season and went 3-0 with a 3.46 ERA in 15 relief appearances.
Now that Golloway's team is moving forward without these three players, he said he is confident that things will change.
"Players have to understand that we are a part of something that is much greater than we are individually. We are going to play for what is on the front of our jerseys and not on the back," Golloway said. "Be proud of your name, but play for Auburn."
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