Thompson implements two-a-day practices

AUBURN | In the midst of a seven-game losing streak and preparing for the final regular season series of the year, Butch Thompson is putting his team through two-a-day practices this week.

The 24th-ranked Tigers, 32-21 overall and 14-13 in the SEC, will host Ole Miss (31-21, 13-14) for a three-game series at Plainsman Park beginning Thursday night.

“It allows us to go hard with our intensity,” Thompson said. “I feel like we need to get our minds and hearts back moving at an up-tempo, attacking pace.”

With school out, the players are free to spend more time doing team activities. Auburn practiced twice Sunday and will do the same Monday and Tuesday before going a little lighter during two Wednesday practices.

In a span of two weeks, Auburn has tumbled out of the top five and out of contention for the SEC regular season title and the potential to host an NCAA Regional. The Tigers were swept at home by Alabama, lost to UAB and were swept at LSU.

The Tigers batted .246, had a team ERA of 5.68 and committed 11 errors during the seven-game losing streak.

“We just picked a bad time for pitching, defense and our timely hitting evading us, which had been so consistent for us all year and the reason why for seven weeks you lead this conference,” Thompson said. “All three of those things diminished a little bit at one time and that puts us in this spot of everything is still in front of us but there’s some urgency heading into this last home series.”

Thompson said he will go with a starting rotation of Keegan Thompson Thursday, Casey Mize Friday and Davis Daniel Saturday against the Rebels, which are just one game behind Auburn for fifth place in the SEC West.

The trio have been stalwarts for Auburn most of the season but are a combined 0-3 with a 5.64 ERA during the losing streak.

“Those will be the three that we go with. When your back’s against the wall, that’s where you need to be,” Thompson said. “We’ll push them all up a day and get ready for this series. I want that ball in Keegan’s hand here on game one.”

TEAM NOTES

** Auburn’s seven-game losing streak is the most since the 2006 team ended the season with 10-straight losses.

** Auburn has lost six-straight SEC games, the most since losing seven-straight in 2013.

** Auburn has 12 extra-base hits, an average of 1.7 per game, over the last seven games after averaging 2.9 per game over the first 46.

** Auburn batted just .170 (16-of-94), had two extra-base hits and scored four runs in the three-game series at LSU.

** Auburn committed eight errors in three games against Alabama and one against UAB, but just two in three games at LSU. AU left 54 runners on base against Alabama and UAB combined, but just 18 in the LSU series.

** Shortstop Luke Jarvis has missed 10-straight games with back spasms. Will Holland has started all 10 games in his place, batting .138 (4-of-29) with five runs scored, four RBI and four errors. He's hitting .182 during the losing streak.

** After batting .391 in six-straight SEC games, Jeremy Johnson cooled off last week. The redshirt freshman went 0-of-11 in three games before being replaced by Sam Gillikin in left field for the final game at LSU. Johnson is hitting .208 in the last seven games.

** Dylan Ingram (.429) and Jonah Todd (.313) are the only players batting over .300 during the losing streak. Conor Davis is hitting .129, Daniel Robert .200 and Jay Estes .226.

** Gabe Klobosits has been Auburn’s most effective pitcher during the streak with a 2.08 ERA in three appearances out of the bullpen.

** Ole Miss won 2-of-3 against Texas A&M last weekend and plays at Arkansas State Tuesday night before traveling to Auburn. Game times for the series are 6 p.m. CT Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. Saturday. All games will be on SECN+ and WatchESPN.

** Auburn rankings update: No. 24 in Baseball America, NR in D1 Baseball, NR in Collegiate Baseball, No. 23 in USA Today coaches and No. 45 in NCAA RPI.