After losing two of three games against Middle Tennessee last weekend, Auburn head coach Butch Thompson’s squad readies to host No. 1 Ole Miss (10-3) at home this weekend to kick off SEC play. Both teams hope to rebound from losses in non-conference play in their last action.
With Auburn seeing its first conference foe in the form of a top-ranked team, Here's a look at who the impact players might be, and how both teams can come out on top in the three-day series that spans from Thursday to Saturday.
Players to Watch
Auburn
Sonny DiChiara (1B)
The Samford transfer has had quite an impact on the Tigers so far, earning the sophomore slugger plenty of notices already this season. With a 1.633 OPS, the former National College Player of the Week's impact will be almost entirely at the plate.
The biggest indicator of what he can do against top-level pitching talent came in the season-opening weekend in Arlington, Texas, where he went 5-for-9 with two walks against the Big 12 opponents. He played only one game against MTSU in Auburn's most recent series after being pulled out of the final game against Rhode Island. If healthy, his power will be a deciding factor in the series.
Brody Moore (SS)
After the departure of Ryan Bliss, Moore has stepped up in the six spot for the Tigers. His defense has been exceptional, with 30 assists on the year without a single error.
His offense has also picked up as of late. He hit a home run against MTSU on Friday, and finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs.
Trace Bright (SP)
The Montgomery native has allowed only three runs in four starts, going a minimum of five innings in each of those.
His consistency has been a massive shift from last season, with his ERA dropping from 6.98 to 1.17. It seems to be that he is more aggressive on the mound this year, striking out a batter an inning. We will see if this new style will carry over to tougher competition.
Ole Miss
Derek Diamond (SP)
The Rebels lost all three pieces of a stellar rotation last season, with Doug Nikhazy, Taylor Broadway, and Gunnar Hoglund all moving on to pro ball, leaving Diamond at the head of the rotating entering his junior year.
His ERA of 3.86 is less than stellar, but he boasts a fastball with great run and an ability to change up speeds very easily. He is set to start the second game of the series on Friday, according to Ole Miss head skipper Mike Bianco. If No. 2 for the Rebels is able to get into a groove, he should be able to go deep into the game against a struggling Tiger offense.
Tim Elko (1B)
Elko has the captain’s “C” on his jersey this season, and his performance at the plate is showing why. He leads the team with 23 RBIs, thanks to his seven long balls on the year.
While Auburn has a massive wall in left field, the right-hander is dangerous because of his ability to hit with power in all directions.
He’s patient as well, walking 13 times on the season so far. While he’s not much of a threat on the basepaths, this lineup has too much power for the Tigers to give up baserunners.
TJ McCants (RF)
Like Elko, the 6-foot-3 sophomore has shown an uncanny amount of patience at the plate, earning 13 free passes on the year so far. With this comes plenty of power too, as he sits at a .587 SLG%.
Unlike Elko, however, his speed is a force to be reckoned with. He’s swiped four bags on the year on five attempts. It also shows up in his fielding too, and with a lot of space in the Plainsman Park grass, he could very easily make an impact with his glove.
Keys to Victory
Auburn
The pitching staff has to make the Rebels earn their bases. With 95 walks on the year, the Tigers have to use their plethora of arm talent to pitch aggressively, not just nibble at the corners.
On the other hand, the batters should have plenty of time to waste. Auburn should take all of the pitches it can and get to the depths of the Rebel bullpen by the third matchup.
Like fighting fire with fire, the Tigers need to battle power with power. The Rebels are likely to hit some long balls in the series, so the middle of the lineup, namely DiChiara and Cam Hill, need to hammer some balls through the windows of the South Donahue dorms.
Auburn has had the week to prepare, as it had its only scheduled game of the week on Tuesday postponed. It should be well-rested and ready to go for SEC competition.
Ole Miss
Auburn scored 12 runs against Rhode Island without a single ball leaving the yard, showing that their small-ball style can still be effective. The Rebels have 20 errors on the year, which is a stat they need to avoid adding to if they want to cruise through this series.
Another key for the Rebels is controlling baserunners. Auburn's Blake Rambusch and Josh Hall can fly through the diamond. Ole Miss catcher Hayden Dunhurst will have to be in top form behind the plate to keep them at bay.
The Auburn bullpen has been effective so far this season, boasting four saves and a few wins to add to their resumé. The Rebels might have to navigate many different arms to get runs, so their forward scouting and communication have to be tight.
The Rebels have played one more game than the Tigers this week. Ole Miss, unlike Auburn, competed on Tuesday in a 5-1 loss to Southeastern Louisiana before traveling to the Plains for the series that starts at 6 p.m. CST on Thursday.
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Dylan Fox, Junior in Civil Site Design Engineering, joined The Plainsman as a sports writer in Spring 2020. From Geneva, IL.
