The last time Auburn and Mississippi State met on the baseball diamond was in Omaha, Nebraska, in the 2019 College World Series. In that game, the Bulldogs four-run bottom of the ninth handed a 5-4 loss to the Tigers, who were eliminated a game later.
But this weekend’s series against Mississippi State isn’t about revenge. It’s not about erasing a bitter memory from the biggest stage in college baseball. It’s about playing great baseball.
“I don’t think we’re looking for revenge. We’re looking to play a great series,” said head coach Butch Thompson.
Cody Greenhill will take the mound in the series opener on Friday, followed by Jack Owen on Saturday and Joseph Gonzalez to finish out the series on Sunday. Owen will be making his second start of the season following his two-hit, scoreless first start against Arkansas last weekend.
“Jack was incredible last week. It was fun to watch,” Thompson said. “It was typical Jack and for the reduced innings that he had thrown, to be able to go out and do that against a team like Arkansas at their place was pretty impressive.”
Owen had missed the majority of the season due to an injured finger and is beginning to return to the form Auburn fans have seen out of the Californian. Over the last seven innings of work, Owen has given up five hits and one run after allowing five runs in his season debut against Ole Miss.
“I feel good,” Owen said. “It was tough missing the first six weeks. I feel confident going into this weekend and the rest of the season right now.”
Auburn’s pitching has suffered from injuries this season, with several starters and relievers going down. Thompson is hopeful to regain a key piece of his bullpen though, Hayden Mullins, later in the series.
“I think it’s more of the back end of the weekend, Saturday and most likely Sunday in game three,” Thompson said. “We feel like he needs a couple of hitters. This Thursday practice is kind of devoted to that to let him see a couple of hitters.”
Mullins has not pitched since the Little Rock game, missing time with an arm injury, which Thompson said has to deal with forearm tightness.
His 0.82 ERA is the third-lowest on the team, in 11 innings of work this season. The sophomore has yet to make an appearance against an SEC opponent in his career, but that could change come Saturday or Sunday.
Thompson said it's doubtful that Mullins will be ready for the series opener, but after Thursday’s session more will be known about the southpaw’s status.
“If he passes what's required today, then we think he could be a potential piece for us in game three,” Thompson said. “We want the confidence of him seeing hitters and for him to feel good coming out of one more session. I’m hopeful that we put him on that 30-man roster tomorrow to be able to help in this series.”
The Tiger’s pitching staff will face a challenge in the No. 5 Bulldogs, who are the third top-five team in the last four series the Tigers will face. Mississippi State has won four in a row, including a sweep against Kentucky last weekend.
The Bulldogs’ pitching staff has not allowed more than three runs in a game during their four-game win streak.
“It’s in the starters. You’ve got left-handed, you’ve got right-handed, you’ve got power stuff and swing and miss,” Thompson said about Mississippi State’s pitching staff. “Pretty good track record saying they're going to get a strikeout or two going into the deal. We have to have a good mindset where we’re not deflated or defeated when that happens. We have to be prepared and ready not to let that get us away from the bullseye for when we do get a pitch to hit. We’ve got to be ready to do damage.”
First pitch for Friday’s game is set for 6 p.m. CST from Plainsman Park in Auburn. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network-plus.
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