It is a new season and a new-look roster for Auburn baseball, but the same hopes and expectations for success abounded on Opening Day as the Tigers defeated Indiana 8-4 to open the 2023 campaign.
“It’s just Opening Day,” said head coach Butch Thompson. “Just everybody getting out there that hadn’t put that Auburn uniform on. There’s something different.”
The win improved Auburn’s record to 7-1 on Opening Day under Thompson — the lone loss being a 3-0 defeat to eventual national runner-up Oklahoma last season in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers remained undefeated in home openers under Thompson, a mark of 8-0 in Thompson’s eight seasons.
Though the 48 degree temperature left many of the 3,816 fans at Plainsman Park cold, Auburn’s bats were scorching hot through the first five innings.
The Tigers totaled 11 hits, all of which came in the game’s first half. The Tigers were not retired in order until the sixth inning and scored in four of the game’s first five frames.
Down 2-1 in the third, Auburn mounted a rally, with five straight batters getting either a hit or an RBI in the frame. The Tigers scored three, giving them a 4-2 lead — a lead they would not relinquish.
With the Tigers ahead in the fourth, a two-run home run by left fielder Justin Kirby removed all doubt, putting the Tigers up by four. Though Indiana mounted a two-run rally in the top of the fifth inning, Auburn answered with two of its own in the bottom of the frame. Neither team scored again.
In a batting lineup that featured four new starters, those newcomers shone. Six of Auburn’s 11 hits came from newcomers and six of its eight runs were scored by new players. Each of the four newcomers recorded at least one hit and each touched home plate at least once.
Freshman Ike Irish had three hits in his first collegiate game, including an RBI double in the fifth inning. In addition, Irish scored twice in the game — one of two Tigers to score multiple runs.
“It was awesome to get out there and play,” Irish said. “It just felt like we were well-prepared for this, we just went out and executed.”
Kirby, a transfer from Kent State, was 1-for-2, his lone hit being the homer. Kirby, however, saw a patient approach pay dividends as he walked three times in the game. He reached in each of his first four plate appearances.
“For the most part, those three walks and a home run, Kirby did (have quality at bats),” Thompson said. “He didn’t force the game and took what was given to him and did a nice job.”
Auburn (1-0) went with sophomore right-hander Chase Allsup to begin Opening Day on the pitcher’s mound. Allsup gave up two runs, both of which scored on a two-run home run by Indiana’s Matthew Ellis in the second inning. In two innings of work, Allsup allowed three hits while striking out four and walking three.
Allsup struggled with efficiency, facing 11 batters in his two innings and throwing 48 pitches, with 27 for strikes.
“I believe in Chase Allsup,” Thompson said. “I wish could could have gone a couple more (innings), but I really wasn’t interested in the second time through the lineup.”
Allsup was pulled after the second inning, giving the Auburn bullpen seven innings to cover. The bullpen did just that, needing only three pitchers to go the rest of the way due to the longevity of relief appearances by Tanner Bauman and John Armstrong, who covered a combined six innings.
“It was important,” Armstrong said. “Saved some guys in the bullpen that we can use tomorrow now instead of going back-to-back days. It’s just going to set us up a lot better for tomorrow and then hopefully Sunday.”
Bauman came on to replace Allsup to start the third and covered 2.2 innings, getting the win in his Auburn debut. Bauman pitched a perfect third inning and worked around a lead-off HBP in the fourth. In the fifth inning, however, Bauman seemed to run out of gas, allowing the first two to reach and giving up two runs, one of which was earned, in the frame.
With Auburn in a jam with two outs in the fifth, the Tigers turned to the sophomore Armstrong, who delivered with a career-best 3.1 inning performance. Armstrong faced 11 batters, allowing just one to reach via a walk and needed just 28 pitches to get through his career-long outing.
“It was definitely something new,” Armstrong said. “I haven’t done this this fall or this early spring, so something I’m not familiar with but I’m going to have to get used to.”
Junior college transfer Will Cannon closed the game out, stranding two runners in the ninth inning to preserve the Tigers’ win. Auburn’s combination of four pitchers, two of whom were new to the team, held Indiana (0-1) to five hits.
The Tigers and Hoosiers will continue their series on Saturday, when Auburn RHP Joseph Gonzalez faces Indiana LHP Ty Bothwell. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CST and will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Matthew is a senior from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @mattwallaceAU
