Following a high-octane series victory against Nebraska, the Tigers are set to continue their nine-game homestand with a Tuesday contest against the Samford Bulldogs.
Auburn’s batting order was in full swing this weekend, bringing 35 runs across the plate in three games and overcoming a tough back-and-forth extra-innings loss on Friday night to take the series with a pair of dominant offensive performances. Despite the excellence they have showcased over their last few series, however, Auburn’s efficiency at the plate has faltered across both midweek one-offs thus far. After mustering just five hits in an 8-0 shutout defeat to Cincinnati two weeks ago, they narrowly escaped 4-3 in an uncomfortable comeback win against West Georgia last Wednesday that came down to the Tigers’ final at-bat.
Right-handed pitcher Andreas Alvarez will take the mound for the Tigers, as he has for both of Auburn’s previous midweek matchups. Between those two games, the sophomore has collated a 2.79 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 15 strikeouts, and three bases on balls, shouldering the loss against Cincinnati and earning a no-decision in Auburn’s low-scoring bout with West Georgia.
Headlining Auburn’s group of batters is SEC Freshman of the Week Brandon McCraine. The infielder made his first-ever appearance for the Tigers on February 14th in relief of Chris Rembert, who suffered an ankle injury on the basepaths, and he’s since knocked 16 base hits across 10 games to the tune of a blistering .533 batting average that leads the conference.
Bristol Carter is another bat pulling above his weight, hitting .405 alongside a team-high nine stolen bases. Named Most Outstanding Player at last weekend’s Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, Carter didn’t get the starting nod on Opening Night, but he’s since cemented a spot at center field, leading the charge for a group of outfielders that is perfect in the field this season.
Catcher Chase Fralick has continued to set the tone in the middle of the lineup, leading the Tigers in hits (17), home runs (3), RBIs (12), and total bases (30) with a .405 average and a 1.204 OPS. Look for Chris Rembert to begin heating up in his return from injury as well—after getting back up to speed against Nebraska at designated hitter, Auburn’s star second baseman has been cleared to resume his duties in the infield, and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the rhythm that earned him Freshman All-SEC honors last season.
The Bulldogs, who possess a 5-6 record after prevailing in a high-scoring series against Bowling Green this past weekend, are looking to play spoiler against their in-state foes. Their biggest threat at the plate is sophomore outfielder Jake Souders, who, through 10 games, carries a team-high 1.060 OPS along with eight stolen bases. Look out for junior left fielder Luke Boykin as well, who has compiled four home runs and 15 RBIs this year from the cleanup spot. The Bulldogs were the last team in college baseball to make an error this season, carrying a pristine 1.000 fielding percentage into last Friday’s matchup against Bowling Green, so the Tigers will have to hit the ball hard if they want to deal some damage.
A near-annual occasion, this will mark the 39th meeting between the two schools dating back to 2001, with Auburn leading the all-time series 26-13. The Tigers have won the last six matchups dating back to 2021, four of which were in Plainsman Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST on Tuesday, available to stream on SEC Network+.
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