AUBURN | Coming into the season, Mason Barnett was a favorite to be one of Auburn’s three weekend starters.
Instead, he’s spent most of his junior year as a midweek starter, winning games against UAB and Samford. That’s set to change this Friday against No. 3 Arkansas.
With Hayden Mullins nursing a forearm injury, Barnett will step into his spot.
“He’s persevered. He’s thrown some good midweek innings for us. He hasn’t quit on the deal,” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “He’s built up the most and he’s started and he’s persevered.
“Boy, what a shot in the arm with somebody you thought could have been a Friday or Saturday starter to insert them at this point. We’ve had some shorter outings on Friday and this would be a good time for him to come in and be ready. I think he will be.”
Barnett is 2-1 on the season with a 4.19 ERA. He’s started three SEC games in his career, two in 2021 and one this season, compiling an 0-3 record with an 11.12 ERA.
But Barnett is confident he can come up big for the 18th-ranked Tigers in his fourth opportunity this weekend.
“Just pound the zone and try to get quick outs and be as efficient as possible,” said Barnett of his plan. “It hurts that a Friday night goes down last week, and you never wish that on anybody. But for them to trust me and give me the chance, it fires me up and I’m really excited.”
First pitch for Friday night’s game at Plainsman Park is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+. Saturday’s game is 4:30 on SEC Network and Sunday’s 1 p.m. on SECN+/ESPN+.
STICK TO THE PLAN: Thompson has drilled into his team this season to focus on the process and not the results. He sees it as paramount this weekend playing a second consecutive top five team.
“Outsiders, fans, they can start going, ‘If we do this, then this happens.’ That’s the worst thing a group of ballplayers can do. The absolute worst,” said Thompson. “When you really start focusing on results instead of what it takes to get favorable outcomes, you’re in trouble. If you start thinking about results that you desire and not go out there and earn it every week, this league will stop you in your tracks.”
WAIT AND SEE: Thompson is hoping Mullins’ forearm injury is not serious enough to require surgery and the junior will be able to return this season. They’re expecting the results from his MRI this weekend.
“Hopefully it comes back and it’s just a flexor mass that he’s dealt with in the past. Then we can probably take a few days off and start ramping him back up. That process is going to limit him for a few weeks even if we get a great report.”
CALL HIM MAYBE: After suffering a minor hamstring injury last Friday at Tennessee, Blake Burkhalter is day-to-day entering this weekend. The SEC saves leader is expected to be on the 27-man roster for the Arkansas series. “A hamstring is a very unique deal. We’ll see how it goes and try not to rush him,” said Thompson.
PITCHING AND DEFENSE: Arkansas enter the series 34-11 overall and 14-7 in the SEC, two games ahead of Auburn (31-14, 12-9) for first place in the SEC West. The Razorbacks are 11th in the SEC with a .277 team batting average, 3rd with a 3.33 ERA and 1st with a .985 fielding percentage.
“A team that leads in double plays. So we’re going to see the No. (3) pitching staff and arguably the best defense in America, and a good offense to boot,” said Thompson. “This Arkansas team has not got the fanfare of Tennessee but it’s the second-best team (in the SEC) and played great baseball, consistent baseball, all year long.”
WEEKEND ROTATION: Friday – Jr. RHP Mason Barnett (2-1, 4.19) vs. Sr. RHP Connor Noland (5-3, 2.77); Saturday – Jr. RHP Trace Bright (2-4, 4.29) vs. Fr. LHP Hagen Smith (6-2, 3.75); Sunday – So. RHP Joseph Gonzalez (6-1, 2.30) vs. So. RHP Jaxon Wiggins (5-1, 5.75).
