AUBURN | Trying to break his team out of a four-game losing streak, Butch Thompson needed someone to step up and set the tone Thursday night for the opener against LSU.
It was freshman Tanner Burns that answered his call.
“Once we got back his Monday and yesterday’s bounce-back went so good that he said he was ready for whatever the team wanted and asked of him. He was ready for it,” Thompson said.
Burns, who normally starts on Saturday, threw just 43 pitches in a 10-3 loss at No. 5 Ole Miss five days ago. The right-hander is second among Auburn’s starters with four wins and a 3.36 ERA.
“We thought the freshness of Tanner plus the competitiveness,” Thompson said. “We thought he would be able to compete in a game one once we thought we were not being flexible with Casey (Mize) and giving him full rest to keep him game two.”
The bullpen and situational hitting have been two of the biggest issues with the 22nd-ranked Tigers during the losing streak. In the last two games, the bullpen has allowed 15 earned runs in 10.0 innings for a 13.50 ERA. Over the last four, Auburn hitters have struck out 48 times and are just 5-for-30 (.166) with runners in scoring position.
“I think the most frustrated person has been me to be honest with you,” Thompson said. “To see them not have success or win a moment, has probably got the best of me. I think the players are good. They're back home. We're 27-5 at home and we got a home series and just went through a war of three out of four weekends on the road. I think they made such a good push after being 4-8 that maybe we're lacking that little push.
“I think getting back home and being so invested in this series is good. I think the coach is trying to pull some warrior mentality out of his team.”
Auburn enters the final series of the regular season 35-18 overall and 13-14 in the SEC while LSU is 32-21 and 14-13. LSU, which has won two-straight series, is fourth in the conference in batting (.293), 11th in home runs (41), 12th in pitching (4.51) and seventh in fielding (.979).
Junior right fielder Antoine Duplantis leads LSU with a .340 average and has 40 RBI while freshman left fielder Daniel Cabrera is hitting .337 with eight home runs and a team-high 46 RBI.
Senior right-hander Austin Bain is 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA and team-high four saves.
“Getting their starters out, I think, is on paper what you’re trying to do to get to the bullpen as quickly as you can,” Thompson said. “When I started sending a lot of time on them this morning, just those quality pieces that they still have offensively and how good we’ve got to pitch to keep down a lineup and a hungry ball club that’s won their last two SEC series.”
First pitch Thursday night at Plainsman Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Friday’s game will be 6 p.m. on SEC Network and Saturday’s at 1 p.m. on SECN+ and WatchESPN.
TEAM NOTES
** Auburn will honor its eight seniors before Friday night’s game.
** Brendan Venter has matched an Auburn season high with a 10-game hitting streak. He is 17-for-36 (.472) with 13 runs, five doubles, five home runs and 10 RBI during the span.
** Jay Estes is riding a career-long, eight-game hitting streak and is 17-for-30 (.567) during the span. He has multiple hits in seven of the last eight games and has raised his average 47 points to a team-leading .323 during the streak.
** Will Holland is 3-for-5 with one double and two home runs when leading off the last five games.
** Auburn is eighth in the SEC in hitting (.281), sixth in home runs (59), ninth in pitching (4.22) and ninth in fielding (.974).
** Auburn is 27-5 at Plainsman Park this season and riding a seven-game home winning streak dating back to Apr. 15. The Tigers are hitting .291 as a team and have turned in a 2.78 ERA in home games this season.
** Casey Mize is 8-0 with a 1.71 ERA in home games this season. He has struck out 82 batters and issued only three walks in 58.0 innings pitched and is holding opponents to a .144 batting average.
