AUBURN, Ala. – Completing the first half of Southeastern Conference play, Auburn (19-13-1, 4-8 SEC) heads across the state to take on archrival Alabama (24-10, 4-8 SEC) for a three-game series in Tuscaloosa Friday through Sunday.
Up Next:
at Alabama
Friday-Sunday, Apr. 14-16, 2023
6 p.m. | 6 p.m. | 1 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network+
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
First pitches at Sewell-Thomas Stadium are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. CT and Sunday at 1 p.m.
“We’re looking for competitive spirit, competitive nature,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “We need one or two guys to go out there and reset a good rhythm for our ballclub.”
All three games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on 93.9 FM. The games will be streamed digitally on SEC Network+. Â
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – Gr. LHP Tommy Vail (2-1, 5.28) vs. So. RHP Luke Holman (5-1, 2.83)
Saturday – Fr. LHP Drew Nelson (2-2, 5.40) vs. Jr. LHP Grayson Hitt (3-1, 4.19)
Sunday – TBA vs. TBA
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn has scored five or more runs in 13 straight games dating back to Mar. 21.
It’s tied with the beginning of the 2010 season for the longest such streak since scoring five or more runs in 17 straight games at the end of the 2008 season and beginning of the 2009 season.
Bobby Peirce became the first Auburn player this season with five hits in a game at Georgia Tech.
Bryson Ware has reached base in 34 straight games dating back to his final appearance last year.
After starting the year on a 14-game hit streak, Ware is currently riding a career best 17-game hit streak.
The 17-game hit streak is tied with Blake Rambusch in 2022 for the longest streak since Anfernee Grier’s 22-game hit streak to end the 2015 season and begin the 2016 season.
Drew Nelson will make his first SEC start at Alabama Saturday. Nelson leads the team with a 2.33 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 19.1 innings since Mar. 11.
Edouard Julien became the 58th big leaguer in program history by making his MLB debut with the Twins Wednesday.
Julien is the seventh former Auburn player to get called up to the big league since August 2020, tied for the second most in the SEC during the span.
Auburn is 137-165 all-time against Alabama but has won three of the last four series against the Crimson Tide, going 8-3 during the span.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama enters the weekend with a 24-10 overall record and is tied with Auburn with a 4-8 record in SEC play.
The Crimson Tide started the season 14-0 but are 10-10 in their last 20 games and have dropped five straight weekend series.
Alabama ranks second in the SEC and eighth in the NCAA with a .319 batting average and 368 hits and is ninth in country with a .432 on-base percentage.
Freshman Colby Shelton leads the way with 13 home runs, while senior Drew Williamson is tops with 38 RBI.
The Crimson Tide are fifth in the SEC and 20th in the nation with a 3.94 team ERA.
