Coming off a run-rule midweek loss to Jacksonville State on Tuesday, the No. 15 Auburn Tigers are looking to bounce back and take their second straight SEC series, as they host the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend at Plainsman Park.
The team will be hoping their midweek game on Tuesday was no more than an outlier. Auburn’s 15 runs allowed against Jacksonville State were a season high for the pitching staff, which has been reliable all year long for the Tigers.
Coming off a series against Arkansas last weekend in which the team only allowed eight runs across three games, the Tigers will try to maintain their impressive pitching performances in conference play against a struggling Kentucky squad.
Mason McCraine (17) after diving for a base during a contested call during the Auburn vs. Jackson State game Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
After sweeping No. 8 Alabama to begin SEC play last month, the Wildcats have since dropped three straight series to Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri.
Kentucky’s offense has hit a roadblock over the past month, as it has been held to four runs or fewer in five out of its last nine conference matchups. Facing an Auburn team that currently sits with the second-best team ERA in the SEC, the Wildcats’ attempts to break the streak are likely to be an uphill battle.
While both the Wildcats’ and Tigers’ overall offenses have seen very similar results this season, both are middle of the pack in the SEC for batting average, and both sit at the bottom of the SEC in total home runs.
Auburn has seen much more pitching success. The Tigers’ team ERA of 3.29 is nearly a point lower than the Wildcats', while also recording over 40 more strikeouts on the year.
The most glaring difference, however, is Auburn’s impressive strike-throwing numbers this season. The Tigers have the fewest walks allowed of any team in the SEC with 81, while Kentucky’s 141 walks are the fifth-most in the conference.
While Kentucky’s offense has struggled as of late, it does not lack star power in its lineup. Both sophomore Hudson Brown (.358) and junior Jayce Tharnish (.356) rank in the top 10 of the SEC in batting average, with Tharnish’s 47 hits this season placing him fifth-best in the conference as well.
As for the Wildcats’ pitching staff, junior Jaxon Jelkin has been the clear ace for the squad, leading the team in ERA (2.96), strikeouts (54), and wins (6). Jelkin has yet to pick up a loss this season in eight starts so far.
The Wildcats will need to be on the lookout for Auburn pitchers Andreas Alvarez (0.96) and Jake Marciano (1.29), who currently hold two of the top three ERAs in the SEC. Alvarez has only allowed one run in his last five starts, striking out eight or more opponents in four of them. The Tigers have won Alvarez’s last six starts as a result, helping move the sophomore up from midweek starter to part of the weekend rotation.
First pitch between Auburn and Kentucky is set for 6 p.m. CDT on Friday night at Plainsman Park.
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.
Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
