Backed by Ike Irish and Cooper McMurray, No. 11 Auburn baseball looks to face the powerhouse No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs at Foley Field this weekend. The Tigers are looking to continue their success in conference play, currently sitting with a 4-2 record in the SEC.
Auburn is coming off eight straight winning weekends, the longest streak held by the Tigers since 2003, including wins over the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Missouri Tigers from the 2024 season. The Tigers look to continue this streak, hoping to win at least two out of three contests against the Bulldogs. A series win against a higher ranked Georgia could potentially make Auburn a top five team.
The Bulldogs will need to be on the lookout for the lefty Irish, batting .351 and slugging .622 with just 19 games played in the season. After Tuesday’s game against the South Alabama Jaguars, the catcher gained an impressive feat, having 50 career multi-hit games in 124 total games played while also being named player of the game. Irish went four-for-six on Tuesday, hitting two home runs and amounting five runs batted in.
More hot bats for the Tigers include McMurray and Chase Fralick. McMurray’s having his best season yet, batting .362 and hitting seven homers in 25 games played. The Oklahoma native is coming off a season high two assists and 13 putouts after the series win against Kentucky this past weekend. The freshman Fralick has also been dangerous for opponents, batting an impressive .371 in 89 at-bats. The lefty had a hot start to the season, as well, leading freshmen nationally in average early on.
The Bulldogs are also coming off a weekend series win, sweeping the Florida Gators in Gainesville, FL, including an early ending on Sunday after an implemented seven inning run rule. Georgia also looks to lengthen its five-game win streak.
The Bulldogs have a slight edge over the Tigers, holding an overall record of 25-2 and going five-for-six in the SEC. Auburn needs to be prepared for a challenge with Georgia holding a 17-1 record at home.
The highlights for the Bulldogs include Ryland Zaborowski and Robbie Burnett. Arizona native Zaborowski is coming into the weekend with a .467 average and 14 home runs, leading the team in both statistics. Similar to McMurray, the righty is coming off a hot weekend, putting up a season high two doubles and three runs scored. Burnett follows close behind with a .383 batting average and 13 homers in 25 games played.
Pitching and defense are going to be crucial for both teams. Auburn just edges out Georgia in pitching, boasting a 4.34 team earned run average while the Bulldogs fall behind with a 4.97 average. The Tigers have allowed just 189 hits from their opponents and just 85 walks while the Bulldogs follow close behind at 196 hits allowed but hit a sore spot with 123 walks issued to their competitors.
The first contest of the weekend is scheduled for 5 p.m. CST on Friday, March 28, with coverage available on ESPN+.
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Emma is a sophomore majoring in journalism-sports production. She started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
