Tigers Sweep the Midweek Ahead of Huge SEC Weekend

• TUE: vs Alabama State – 6-5 W/10
• WED: vs Kennesaw State – 14-1 W

If you asked me on Monday which would be the tougher midweek game for the Tigers this week, it would have been a quick Fighting Owls. Nothing against Bama State, but KSU already boast wins over Georgia Tech and a sweep of Stetson who is a SOLID program in the A-Sun and hosted a regional a few years back. However, it was the opposite as Alabama State was the absolute thorn in the side of the Tigers that probably should have walked away with a signature program win, but just couldn’t make the plays down the stretch and the Tigers finished them off with a walk off winner in the 10^th inning.

"We hung around and found a way to get it done."

️ » @3strikes_AU #WarEagle

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) April 20, 2022

Say what you want, but its yet another 1 run win for a scrappy bunch that feel like they are never really out of a game until the game is over. This was also a huge win for RPI and postseason standings along with the fact that if the Tigers dropped the game, it would have been their 3^rd loss in the last 4 and that just sounds really bad. Now the Tigers have won 3 in a row going into a huge SEC home weekend. See! That sounds so much better!

In that 3^rd win in the streak, it was an absolute bludgeoning. Auburn dominated the Owls in every facet of the game. The highlights tell the story better than I ever could just listing it off.

"Tonight was a testimony to the amount of work these pitchers put in behind the scenes."

️ » @3strikes_AU #WarEagle

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) April 21, 2022

The main stat that I want to bring up is the Auburn pitching staff. Over the 2 games, Auburn hurlers struck out 30 (FREAKING THIRTY!) batters. Just so we are all clear, there were 57 outs that needed to be made in these two games. OVER HALF OF THEM WERE BY STRIKEOUTS! And remember, these teams aren’t slouches, these are really good offenses on teams that are currently at the top of their conference standings, aka in the running for an NCAA Tournament spot. Huge two wins for the Tigers and the blow out on Wednesday means that Auburn could rest their weekend arms for the Carolina series.

ON DECK

The back half of this homestand begins Friday with the South Carolina Gamecocks. So far its been a roller coaster season for Carolina with huge highs of beating then #1 Texas, #4 Vanderbilt and #25 Ole Miss in a series while in turn dropping series to Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and getting swept by Clemson. On the mound, Carolina’s normal Friday night guy is Noah Hall. Hall enters the weekend with a 4.91 ERA and a 2-4 record in 47.2 innings of work. Saturday will more than likely see Will Sanders on the bump, as he brings a 5-1 record in 9 appearances with a 3.51 ERA in 56.1 innings, which leads the team. Sunday will feature Aidan Hunter and his 5-4 record in 15 appearances. Hunter holds a 6.23 ERA in just 39 innings of work. At the dish, Carolina likes to string together hits to get runs in but almost everyone has the power to get it out. Brandt Belk paces the Cocks with a .360 BA while Josiah Sightler is the big bat to avoid as he leads the team with 7 bombs on the year. All three games will be streaming this weekend on the Network+. First pitch for Friday is at 6 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and Sunday will start up at 1 pm.

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