Casey Mize looked like a pitcher that was eager to get back on the mound on Tuesday night to help his team.
After missing a home start this past weekend versus Ole Miss due to a forearm issue, Mize took the mound in relief on Tuesday night at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, and would not be denied.
“His last two starts he's been trying to comeback and just has not commanded the ball as well,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. “I thought he had much more command tonight. I think that was a jolt in the arm for our ball club to see Casey go out there and pitch that way tonight.”
Auburn, who picked up its third win in six days over Ole Miss, started Keegan Thompson on the hill to begin the game. After struggling to find a rhythm, and giving up two quick runs to the Rebels, Mize entered the game.
The Tigers never looked back.
The right-hander pitched six dominant innings for the Tigers, and pushed Auburn into the double-elimination portion of the tournament. Mize struck out nine on just three hits, and did not walk a Rebel on the way to his seventh victory of the year.
“We know it’s a big game,” Mize said. “That’s a good ball club we just got done playing. We knew it’d be tough. Putting us into double elimination play is big. Winning this game is big for us, and I think we set ourselves up nicely for the rest of the tournament.”
With Auburn up two runs in the ninth inning, Mississippi’s Ryan Olenek homered to bring the Rebels within one. The solo shot was one of only two runs given up by Mize in his six innings pitched.
Mize would settle back in, and strikeout the next two batters he faced to push the Tigers into Wednesday.
“Casey came in, and you can tell why he’s so special,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “We weren’t able to do much, other than the double by Golson and the home run from Olenek. In between that, a lot of strikeouts.”
Auburn will return to SEC Tournament action on Wednesday night versus Florida at The Hoover Met. The Tigers swept the No.1 seed Gators earlier this year at Plainsman Park. Auburn and Florida will get things started after the conclusion of the LSU-Missouri game, which is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. CST.
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