Tigers return powerful lineup

AUBURN | Auburn’s opening day lineup will include a powerful group of returning players along with some talented newcomers from a unit that scored a league-high 467 runs last season and pounded out 73 home runs, the most in eight years.

It starts with junior All-American shortstop Will Holland and sophomores Steven Williams and Edouard Julien, two of the Tigers’ four Freshman All-Americans from last season. The trio combined for 41 home runs and 173 RBI in 2018.

“The potential is sky high,” Williams said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can swing the bat. I’m excited to see it.”

Williams will start in right field along with sophomore Judd Ward in left and freshman Kason Howell in center. Ryan Bliss will start at second base giving the Tigers two true freshmen in the starting lineup.

Julien will play third, junior Conor Davis and junior college transfer Rankin Woley will split time between first base and designated hitter while junior college transfer Matt Scheffler will start at catcher.

“Edward, if he can go from being a freshman All-American as a DH, his next step of development is getting on the field and holding down a position,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “That makes our program better. That develops the player. And we think third base gives him the best shot at being able to do that for our ball club.”

Ward is expected to bat leadoff although Holland held that spot for much of last season and Bliss got work there in the fall and preseason. Holland, Williams, Woley and Julien should bat in the top half of the order.

“There’s not really that much pressure on us,” Williams said. “We’ve been playing this game for a really long time. At the end of the day we’re going to do out there and do what we’ve been doing our whole lives, let all of the outside noise be outside noise and focus on what we can focus on and try to get better every day.”

The Tigers host Georgia Southern for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Saturday’s game is 2 p.m. and Sunday’s 1 p.m. The first two games will be available on SECN+. The finale will not be televised.