Coming off of their first SEC-opening road sweep since 2010, the Tigers’ 10-game win streak is on the line in what is set to be the highest-ranked matchup in Plainsman Park history.
Returning from their victorious series in Columbia, the 17-2 Tigers have had little time to recuperate before beginning one of the most pivotal stretches of their 2026 schedule. Not only will they face No. 3 Georgia Tech on Tuesday, a weekend series against No. 2 Texas looms ahead.
“This is arguably the most high-profile week in the history of Plainsman Park, featuring three of the top four teams in the country for four games,” said head coach Butch Thompson. “It’s the reason guys come and play at Auburn, to be challenged and compete at the highest level. We always like to say ‘Iron sharpens iron,’ and that couldn’t be more true about this week. We’ll need the Auburn Family behind us to continue on the way we’ve been trending.”
Despite facing a step-up in pitching talent since conference play began last week, the Tigers’ offense is still in full swing. Shortstop Brandon McCraine continues to headline Auburn’s batting order, slashing .448/.566/.552. He’s reached base in all 18 games played and possesses the highest batting average in both the SEC and among all college baseball freshmen.
Bristol Carter tacked on another three stolen bases last week, bringing his season total to a team-leading 16. He’s emerged as a mainstay near the top of Auburn’s lineup, getting on base at a .529 clip with 27 runs scored, nine more than Auburn’s next highest.
Leading the Tigers with four RBIs against Missouri, Bub Terrell blasted an eighth-inning home run on Friday to bring across the only runs in Auburn’s series-opening 2-0 win. His four long balls are tied for second on the team with Eric Guevara, only behind Chase Fralick’s five.
Auburn starting pitchers haven’t allowed more than one earned run in nine straight games, but probable starter Andreas Alvarez is in for a tough challenge against a historic Yellow Jackets offense. The sophomore right-hander has started all four of Auburn’s midweek games this season and holds a 2-1 record with a 1.37 ERA, good for second among Auburn starters.
AUBURN, AL - MARCH 10 - Auburn's Andreas Alvarez (21) during the game between the #5 Auburn Tigers and the UAB Blazers at Plainsman Park in Auburn, AL on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Photo by David Gray/Auburn Tigers
Led by top MLB draft prospects Drew Burress, Vahn Lackey and Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech’s lineup leads all of college baseball in runs (254), hits (280), batting average (.393), on-base percentage (.512), and OPS (1.194), with all but three batters on their roster carrying a season OPS over 1.000.
Lackey is coming off a particularly accomplished week, going 9-for-15 from the plate with three home runs in four games. More notably, he became the first player in college baseball history to play eight different defensive positions in a single game, taking the field at every spot other than pitcher in their 14-0 win over West Georgia last Tuesday.
Expected to take the mound for James Ramsey’s squad is right-hander Dimitri Angelakos, in what will be his sixth appearance and third start of the season. Across 13 innings on the mound, the redshirt freshman has allowed two earned runs and eight hits, compiling 10 strikeouts with a 1-0 record.
The 17-3 Yellow Jackets are seeking a bounce-back performance after suffering their second conference loss of the season at the hands of Clemson on Sunday, succumbing to the Tigers 7-13 and falling short of a series sweep on the road.
The first of two matchups between the clubs this season, the series will be revisited in Atlanta on Tuesday, March 31st. Auburn leads the all-time series 127-113-6, which includes a 68-46-2 record at Plainsman Park, and has won the last four meetings dating back to 2023.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CDT, available to stream on SEC Network+.
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