Tigers host 6th-ranked Aggies

AUBURN | Auburn’s record-tying start to the season will face a big test the next two weekends.

The 13th-ranked Tigers, 17-1 on the season, begin conference play at home against No. 6 Texas A&M Friday before traveling to No. 4 Kentucky next weekend.

“Fifteen of our 30 games in conference are currently top 10 nationally ranked teams,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “There’s no doubt that the level of play we’ll be playing against is second to none.

“That’s kind of why we all came here. That’s why everyone of these players wanted to put on that Auburn uniform. They wanted to represent this University and the best conference in America so we might as well tee it off at the top.”

The Aggies, 16-2, lead the SEC with a 1.94 ERA, are third with a .313 batting average and 13th with a .971 fielding percentage. Sophomore outfielder Logan Foster leads the team with a .385 average, five home runs and 25 RBI.

Texas A&M will start three players with sub-1.50 ERA’s and has Nolan Hoffman as its bullpen ace. The junior right-hander is 3-0 with two saves, a 0.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 15.0 innings.

Auburn is second in the SEC in hitting (.321), 10th in pitching (3.29) and eighth in fielding (.975). Brendan Venter leads AU and is second in the SEC with a .443 batting average. He also has six doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI.

Auburn will be without two of its top pitchers this weekend in Cody Greenhill (mono) and Andrew Mitchell (tight forearm). Thompson chose to list Sunday’s starter as TBA in case he needs freshman Tanner Burns to come out of the bullpen on Friday or Saturday. Burns is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in four starts.

“We want to make sure we have all hands on deck when an opportunity may present itself,” Thompsons said.

First pitch Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Saturday’s game will be 2 p.m. on SECN+ and WatchESPN and Sunday’s 1 p.m. on SECN+ and WatchESPN.