With Auburn making a comeback, the sellout crowd and Tigers in the dugout clapping along to Sonny DiChiara’s Italian walk-up song and the weather so perfect at Plainsman Park that even Statler and Waldorf would find no way to complain, I looked out from the press box and said to myself, “Damn, that looks fun out there.”
It had to be fun. This Auburn team is fun, even when losing in unimaginable ways. This coach is fun. Heck, the addition of the new beer tent makes the park fun.
That is a far cry from the last time I covered the Tigers on the diamond back in 2015. Then working for another site, the tension that hovered around that team and, most notably, the coaching staff made everything … well, not fun. Despite that coach’s name, there were no bright and sunny days, each press conference having the feeling of one question from a tirade.
Even when the Tigers fell behind South Carolina after two rough innings, you could feel an atmosphere of positivity in the air. No heads hanging. No booing. Nothing but optimism that this team full of overachievers would make it interesting, if not win the game.
With each batter reaching, the crowd – led by Helmet Guy and his mic man duties without the mic – began to make more noise. With the game on the line, the Gamecocks brought a freshman out of the bullpen, hoping the young southpaw could limit the damage and keep his team in the lead.
He had no chance. The bases loaded after DiChiara was shown the utmost respect by being intentionally walked. Brooks Carlson walked on five pitches to make it 6-4. Bobby Peirce singled, and the score was now 6-5. The noise continued to grow, especially as Matthew Becker, the pitcher, took longer and longer in between pitches. Maybe it was habit. Perhaps it was the pressure of the situation.
One hour later, Blake Burkhalter induced a fly ball to earn his 10th save of the season and help the Tigers earn the series win. The crowd, now happy, rose to their feet and applauded as the team celebrated on the field. It was an ordinary scene after a victory, but with a little extra hop in the step of the Tigers.
That continued during postgame interviews. Nate LaRue, who delivered the go-ahead base hit in the seventh, was self-deprecating, mentioning how he hadn’t had many hits so far this season, so, seriously, he said a prayer. With his eyes rolling, Burkhalter joked about Carson Swilling getting the win despite throwing to just one batter.
The difference between 2015 and now is as vast as Kason Howell’s coverage in center. Even wins sometimes felt like losses, each player seemingly afraid that one error might cost them a scholarship. It was a rough time for the program.
Enter Butch Thompson and a new attitude. If Bruce Pearl is the ultimate savior of a program, the highly personable Thompson isn’t too far behind. Even behind a proverbial eight ball compared to other programs in the SEC (seriously, let’s get a lottery), he’s built this program back to where it should be: in the top 25, competing for SEC recognition and, just three years ago, leading the Tigers to Omaha.
He and the Tigers have also made Plainsman Park, much like Auburn Arena in the winter, a place to be. Sure, there are many upgrades that the athletic department needs to make to compete with some of the cathedrals that reside in the conference, but it is still a damn good baseball park and one that Auburn fans should cherish.
This team is playing good baseball, and some unlikely heroes have popped up during the season, including DiChiara. Thompson says the slugger always has a smile on his face, which translates to this team and the staff. It seems to have poured over into the crowd.
It’s fun to be back at Plainsman Park. Those dark and stormy days from seven years ago are gone.
Now, start clapping your hands:
“C' 'na luna mezz'u mare
Mamma mia m'a maritare
Figlia mia a cu te dare
Mamma mia pensace tu.”
