AUBURN | After a 2-2 record last week including a series loss at No. 2 Mississippi State, Auburn looks to continue its impressive record over Alabama in the Capital City Classic Tuesday.
RECORD: 20-4 overall, 4-2 in SEC
RANKINGS: Perfect Game (10), Baseball America (18), USA Today Coaches (12), D1Baseball (15), NCAA RPI (6).
SCHEDULE: vs. Alabama Tuesday 6 p.m. CT in Montgomery on SEC Network. At South Carolina 6 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. Friday’s game is on SECN+ while the SEC Network will carry both games Saturday and Sunday.
NOTES:
** A look at how Auburn ranks in the SEC: .276 batting average (10th), 19 home runs (tied 12th), 40 stolen bases (6th), 3.34 ERA (8th), 231 strikeouts (10th), 76 walks allowed (5th), .970 fielding percentage (12th).
** Auburn came into last week with a nation-leading 2.02 ERA. But after giving up 40 earned runs in four games, the Tigers enter this week with a 3.34 ERA — an increase of 1.32 — which ranks 34th in the country.
** Freshman left-hander Brooks Fuller was the only Auburn pitcher with a sub-3.00 ERA last week. He allowed one run in 3.2 innings of Saturday’s loss at Mississippi State.
** Jack Owen, who missed last Saturday’s start with a sore shoulder, threw on Monday without experiencing any issues. If his shoulder responds positively to a full bullpen session on Wednesday, he’ll be cleared to start this Saturday’s game at South Carolina. The sophomore left-hander is 3-0 on the season with an 0.31 ERA.
** Freshman second baseman Ryan Bliss led the team with a .467 average in four games. He had three doubles, three RBI and two walks. Conor Davis batted .400 with a home run and five RBI, Kason Howell .353 and Judd Ward .294 with one home run and six RBI. Steven Williams hit .267 with two home runs and four RBI.
** The top four in Auburn’s order — Will Holland, Williams, Rankin Woley and Edouard Julien — combined for 23 of the team’s 32 strikeouts last week.
** Auburn’s 15-game winning streak, which ended Saturday at MSU, was the third-longest in program history. AU is one of nine teams nationally including six in the SEC with 20 or more wins this season.
** Pitching matchup for the Capital City Classic: Fr. LHP Garrett Wade (3-0, 3.45) vs. Fr. RHP Tyler Ras (1-1, 3.06). The game will be played at Riverwalk Stadium. Auburn has won 9 of 10 including four straight.
** Auburn has won four consecutive games over Alabama after sweeping the Tide in Tuscaloosa last season. The Tigers haven’t won five consecutive in the series since a nine-game winning streak from 1978-79.
