​​Lyle's Corner

Sunday, April 30th, 2017

With the 2017 NFL Draft in the books, here's the list of Tigers who made the cut, whether as official picks or free agents.

- Montravius Adams (DL): Green Bay Packers (3rd round, 93rd overall)

- Carl Lawson (DE): Cincinnati Bengals (4th round, 116th overall) 

- Rudy Ford (DB): Arizona Cardinals (6th round, 208th overall) 

- Josh Holsey (CB): Washington Redskins (7th round, 235th overall) 

- Robert Leff (OL): Atlanta Falcons (Undrafted free agent) 

- Devaroe Lawrence (DT): New Orleans Saints (Undrafted free agent) 

- Tony Stevens (WR): Kansas City Chiefs (Undrafted free agent) 

- Maurice Swain: Detroit Lions (Undrafted free agent) 

- Marshall Taylor: Cincinnati Bengals (Undrafted free agent)

I sincerely hope that all of these men get their shots to play on Sunday afternoons and evenings.....no matter how long it takes. (BTW, I apologize for not listing Swain's or Taylor's designated positions, but I honestly couldn't find them anywhere.) 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

​Wednesday, April 26th, 2017

​Fifth-ranked Auburn baseball dropped a 5-2 decision to Troy at Plainsman Park last night. Conor Davis and Jonah Todd both posted hits to extend their respective hitting streaks, but it wasn't enough. Auburn head coach Butch Thompson firmly thought his team was out-played. 

 "I thought (Max) Newton's change-up was really good and I thought he really competed well," he said. "We hit three or four balls really hard, but right at them. They hit a few balls early in the game that fell in front of our outfield and kind of set the tone for the night. They definitely out-executed us in the ballgame." 

Davis singled in the sixth to push his hitting streak to 11 games. Meanwhile, Todd ended the night with two hits - a pair of singles in the fifth and seventh - to extend his streak to 10 games. The Trojans (23-17) took a 1-0 lead in the first, taking advantage of a lead-off double. Troy mounted its lead to 4-0 in the fifth on a 3-run homer by Jackson Cofer. In the circle, Auburn starter Christian Camacho (2-2) gave up four runs in 4.1 innings pitched. Relief pitchers Elliott Anderson (1-2) and Daniel Robert (2-1) combined for four scoreless innings.

The Tigers (30-13) got on the board in the fifth when Jay Estes singled with the bases loaded to score a pair, which cut Troy's lead in half at 4-2. Estes recorded two hits in the game. But the Trojans upped their advantage to 5-2 in the sixth when Trevor Davis got a RBI single. Davis posted four hits and reached base five times on the evening. Troy's Max Newton (2-0) allowed two runs in five innings. Reserve pitcher Cory Gill accumulated six strikeouts over three scoreless innings. Marc Skinner tossed a perfect ninth for his 10th save.  

Auburn returns to action this weekend when they travel to Mississippi State for a 3-game series at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. The first game is set for Friday night at 6:30 p.m. CT, and can be seen online at SECN+ and the WatchESPN app. 

On a personal note, this game gave me mixed emotions, because I've been a lifelong Auburn fan, but I'm also a Troy University graduate. Given those facts, I'm sure you can easily imagine my joy for the Trojans' victory, and my disappointment for the Tigers. 

In other news....

- The softball team plays Alabama State at Lagoon Park in Montgomery tonight at 6 p.m. CT. You can listen online at www.auburntigers.com.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!  

Monday, April 24th, 2017​

​Josh Anthony posted a career-best four hits, with two doubles and three RBI as 10th-ranked Auburn baseball downed 16th-ranked Arkansas 11-6 yesterday at Plainsman Park to clinch the series. The Tigers improved to 30-12, 12-6 in the conference, while the Hogs slipped to 32-10, 12-6, respectively. 

"We hit five home runs and they hit one, and they are the one that hits all the home runs, so that disarms them a little bit," said Auburn head coach Butch Thompson. "Josh Anthony was 11-for-16 this week. What a great week to just get him going a little bit. With Casey Mize being out, everyone seemed to want to craft that as a story, and it is because he's one of the best pitchers in America, but for our guys time and time again to win nine out of 10 weekend series this season. For Keegan Thompson to be out a weekend and get it done, and now for Casey Mize to be out and somebody to step up with an incredible performance like Andrew Mitchell did today just means a lot to our ball club and strengthens our team and makes it deeper." 

Anthony closed out the series 9-for-12 at the plate with a homer, three doubles, seven RBI and five runs scored. His two-run double in the seventh inning put the Tigers in front 8-6. He later added another RBI double in the eighth that plated Luke Jarvis for the game's last run. Anthony said that the team's pitching strategy was nothing out of the ordinary. "We kind of stuck with the same approach that we had since day one," he stated. "We just wanted to get in there, hunt fastballs, find a pitch we can drive and drive them."  

Mitchell (5-1) tossed five innings in relief, surrendering just three hits and one run. He recorded three strikeouts and no walks. Starter Ryan Watson threw a career-high three frames with two runs allowed. Auburn piled up season-highs of 16 hits, eight doubles and 10 extra-base hits. They smacked two homers yesterday and have amassed 11 in their last eight matches.  

Individually, Luke Jarvis was 3-of-4 at the plate with three RBI, a homer and three runs. Dylan Ingram had a career-best three hits with a homer and three runs scored. The Tigers trailed 1-0 in the second before Jarvis drilled a two-run homer to left field to put Auburn up, 2-1. Jonah Todd got two more runs in the frame on a double off the wall that allowed Blake Logan and Anthony to score. 

In the third, Arkansas got a run to narrow the score to 4-2, but Decker responded in the bottom of the inning with a RBI single that plated Ingram and gave the Tigers a 5-2 cushion. Decker was 2-for-4 with two RBI. The Hogs went to work in the fourth, scoring three runs on two singles to tie the game at 5-all before Daniel Robert came home on a sac fly from Jarvis to put the Tigers ahead again 6-5 at the end of the frame.  

Arkansas deadlocked the score once again in the seventh before Anthony's double ignited an outburst of five unanswered runs by Auburn to tie the ribbon in this one. Decker plated Anthony on a double to left to give the Tigers a 9-6 advantage in the seventh. Ingram nailed a solo homer in the eighth, and Anthony's last double allowed Jarvis to score the final point of the game and give Auburn its 11-6 win.

On the Razorbacks' side, reliever Cannon Chadwick (4-2) gave up three runs without posting an out. Starter Josh Alberius surrendered four runs in 1.2 innings. All told, Arkansas used five pitchers in the game. Chad Spanberger accumulated four hits and two RBI. Meanwhile, the 5-9 hitters in Auburn's roster combined for 13 hits, nine runs and nine RBI.  

The Tigers return to action tomorrow night when they host Troy at 6 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park. The game will be available online at SECN+.  

In other news....

- The softball team lost to South Carolina yesterday by a score of 3-0, but still took the series 2-1. Auburn is now 39-8 on the year, while the Gamecocks are 28-20. The Tigers will face Alabama State Wednesday night at 6 p.m. CT at Lagoon Park in Montgomery, Ala. You can listen to the game online at auburntigers.com. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Thursday, April 20th, 2017

Bad news for Auburn softball came out this afternoon. A few hours after the Tigers' 7-3 victory over Kennesaw State yesterday evening, three players were arrested on marijuana charges. 

Pitcher Makayla Martin, shortstop Haley Fagan and outfielder Brittany Marsette were arrested on second-degree charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. As I write this, an update has already leaked out that the three will not travel with the team this weekend for its series at South Carolina and have been suspended indefinitely. 

The seventh-ranked Tigers (37-7, 10-5 SEC) will travel to Columbia for a three-game series with the Gamecocks (27-18, 3-11) starting Friday. Martin, Fagan and Marsette were arrested at 12:47 a.m. CT this morning, just a few hours after Martin led Auburn to victory while allowing eight hits against Kennesaw State. Martin is among the top two pitchers in the rotation and owns a 2.05 ERA and a 16-5 record. She has started 21 contests this season. 

Meanwhile, Fagan is batting .323 with 44 starts. Marsette has seen action in 17 games with a .143 batting average. 

We can only hope that these three players will learn from the mistake of their actions. The Tigers' first game against South Carolina will begin at 5 p.m. CT tomorrow afternoon and be available online at SECN+ and the WatchESPN app. 

In other news.....

- The baseball team will begin a three-game home series against Arkansas tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT. That game will also be available online at SECN+ and the WatchESPN app. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Tuesday, April 18th, 2017​

Auburn basketball has scheduled a home-and-home series against Dayton starting with the 2017-18 campaign. The Tigers are set to visit UD Arena this coming season, while the Flyers will visit Auburn Arena in 2018-19. Dayton (24-8; 15-3) lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this past season to Wichita State. It marked the Flyers' fourth straight tournament appearance. The team had to replace head coach Archie Miller after the season. The program hired former Alabama coach Anthony Grant. 

Auburn lost to Dayton 73-63 in the last match between the two teams in 2012 and are 0-4 all-time against the Atlantic 10 school. The Tigers' 2017-18 non-conference slate now includes games against UAB (home), Middle Tennessee State (home), UConn (home) and an appearance in ESPN's annual Charleston Classic. Auburn and Dayton will both be part of the action in the Charleston Classic along with Clemson, Hofstra, Indiana State, Old Dominion, Ohio and Temple. 

The Tigers and Flyers could square off against each other in the tournament, but only in the finals if such is the case. The two will be placed on opposite sides of the bracket since they are scheduled to play each other. It should be very intriguing to see how this plays out. 

In other news...

- Former Auburn quarterback Tyler Queen has decided on his transfer destination. He is headed to West Georgia. The Kennesaw, Ga. native left The Plains in the middle of spring practices on March 21. He was expected to be the fourth- or fifth-team quarterback going into the summer with the Tigers had he stayed in Auburn. Queen, a former baseball pitcher, underwent surgery on his right elbow in September 2015 and had another surgery to repair an injured AC joint in his right throwing shoulder in April 2016. He faced an uphill climb in the race to become Auburn's next starting quarterback. Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham is widely considered the favorite against incumbent starter Sean White, who has started the majority of the past two seasons, redshirt freshman Woody Barrett and freshman Malik Willis. 

- The baseball team plays at Kennesaw State tonight at 5 p.m. CT. The game is available online at ESPN3, as well as the WatchAuburn app. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Monday, April 17th, 2017

​Seventh-ranked Auburn softball defeated Missouri 6-1 yesterday afternoon at Jane B. Moore Field to pocket its fourth conference series of the season. Kaylee Carlson played a major role in the win, allowing just three hits in a complete game. Head coach Clint Myers was particularly proud of her performance. 

"I'll go and put (Kaylee) in the circle for my chance to win any time," he said. "She's deserving of the accolades because she goes out there and she competes." Carlson frustrated the visiting Tigers all day, tossing 27 first-pitch strikes en route to her SEC-leading 21st victory of the season. "We've got to pitch ahead (in the count)," Myers pointed out. "She had the change-up, so that was a big pitch. She's really worked good the last half of the game. When Kaylee is most effective is when she is working ahead."  

Haley Fagan and Victoria Draper amassed two hits each, while Alyssa Rivera and Kendall Veach combined for five RBI on two hits. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third when Fagan smacked a single to left with two outs to score Draper, who pranced home from second to give Auburn a 1-0 lead. In the fifth, the home standing Tigers took command, plating five runs in their biggest inning in league action this season to mount the advantage to 6-0. Carlee Wallace and Draper began the domination with infield singles to put the first two runners on. After an out, Fagan drew a walk to load the bases. Rivera soon followed that up with a chopper up the middle to score two more. Three batters later, with two outs, Veach slammed a three-run triple to the right-center gap to increase Auburn's lead to 6-0.

Missouri finally got on the board with a solo homer in the sixth, but Carlson struck out the next six batters to wrap up Auburn's series victory. The home team improved to 36-7 overall, 10-5 in SEC play. Meanwhile, the visiting Tigers slipped to 24-18 and 5-9, respectively.  

Auburn returns to action Wednesday with a non-conference tilt against Kennesaw State. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT at Jane B. Moore Field. The game will be available online at SECN+.  

In other news....

- The baseball team dominated Tennessee 8-1 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville last Friday. Freshman right-hander Davis Daniel pitched eight shutout innings in the victory. Auburn improved to 27-11 on the year, while the Vols fell to 18-15. The Tigers will close out an eight-game road trip tomorrow when they play at Kennesaw State. The game is set for 5 p.m. CT, and will be available online at ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. 

- The men's basketball program picked up a verbal commitment late last Saturday night from Central Florida forward Malik Dunbar. The junior college transfer confirmed his decision on Twitter after visiting The Plains this past weekend. "BOOM! I want to thank all the coaches who saw something in me. But I've decided to be an Auburn Man," Dunbar tweeted. 

Dunbar joins a talented 2017 class with this year's Georgia Mr. Basketball Chuma Okeke and Davion Mitchell. The four-star signees played in the Kentucky Derby Basketball Classic all-star game this past weekend. One source said that Dunbar's final decision was between Auburn and Ole Miss. He also visited Little Rock. Dunbar, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, averaged 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds last season. As a freshman, he averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. 

He has two years of eligibility remaining and will not have to sit out. Multiple sources say that Auburn's coaching staff is fond of Dunbar's toughness on the court, which last year's team didn't have at times. The South Carolina native is described as a "hard-nosed" player. The Tigers will still have two open scholarships when Dunbar signs, but the team is contemplating rolling one of them over to next season. 

That's all for today. I hope you all had a happy Easter weekend. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!  

Friday, April 14th, 2017

Happy Good Friday, everyone. 

​Luke Jarvis had a big night for Auburn baseball yesterday evening, recording a home run and a triple play to lead the 10th-ranked Tigers past Tennessee 3-2 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville. The victory marked Auburn's fifth straight SEC series-opening win. Head coach Butch Thompson was very proud of Jarvis' performance.  

​"Luke Jarvis had the big night with the home run and the triple down the right-field line," he stated. "Josh Anthony got a double to both sides of the field, I believe, so that was a good night. We did enough to score and then Casey Mize gave us another great six innings. Especially what he has given us the last three weeks." Mize improved to 6-1 on the year by tossing six shutout innings, complete with seven strikeouts and no walks. He only gave up three hits. Reliever Cole Lipscomb pitched 2.1 innings late, but was benched after allowing two runs in the ninth. Fortunately, Andrew Mitchell got the final two outs for his third save of the season.

Mize has not surrendered a run in his last 16 innings. He leads the SEC with 82 strikeouts this season. Auburn is now 11-2 in one-run games. The Tigers went up 1-0 in the first on a pair of doubles. Jonah Todd opened the contest with a double, and two batters later Conor Davis doubled him home to give the Tigers the early lead. In the second frame, Jarvis smacked his third homer of the season to increase Auburn's lead to 2-0. At game's end, Jarvis was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in addition to his homer and triple. Josh Anthony doubled twice. Todd doubled as well and scored a run. 

In the seventh, the Tigers mounted their lead to 3-0 when Jarvis struck again with a triple and Damon Haecker got him home with a sac fly. The Vols, however, surged back in the ninth, scoring a ground out by Benito Santiago and a RBI single by Andre Lipcius. In the pitching department, Hunter Martin tossed a complete game for Tennessee, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out seven with no walks. Six different Vol batters recorded a hit.  

Six of Auburn's seven hits on the evening went for extra bases. The Tigers posted two double plays in the game and now have 37 on the season. Auburn is now 26-10 on the year, 9-4 in the conference, while UT fell to 17-14, 3-10, respectively. The two teams will conclude the series tonight at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

In other news....

- The softball team kicks off a three-game series with Missouri tonight at Jane B. Moore Field. The first game is set for 6 p.m. CT, and will be available online at SECN+.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!        

Thursday, April 13th, 2017​

​Seventh-ranked Auburn softball topped Georgia State 6-3 at Jane B. Moore Field last night. Freshman Alyssa Rivera and junior Carlee Wallace played big roles in the victory, combining for four hits and five RBI. This marked the Tigers' fifth consecutive win over the Panthers on the aforementioned field. Auburn improved to 34-6 on the season, while Georgia State fell to 26-15. 

Auburn head coach Clint Myers believes big things are ahead for his team. "We're moving in the right direction," he said. "I'm guessing we'll hopefully have it together by the time we play Alabama. "There's some things we've got to do, but for the most part we're moving in the direction (we need to)." Rivera and Wallace accounted for both of the Tigers' extra-base hits in the seven-inning tilt. Rivera drilled a two-run shot, while Wallace had a bases-clearing double.  

Carmyn Greenwood concluded Auburn's scoring with an RBI single. Kasey Cooper, Haley Fagan and Victoria Draper each tallied a hit apiece in the game. In the circle, Makayla Martin improved to 14-5 on the year thanks to pitching a complete game, including two strikeouts. Although she gave up eight hits, she also displayed her tenacity by getting out of three bases-loaded situations throughout the match. 

The Tigers drew first blood in the bottom of the second when Greenwood smacked a run-scoring single to bring in Rivera from second. Three batters later, Wallace nailed a three-run double down the line in left field to increase Auburn's lead to 4-0. In the third, Rivera made the third roundtripper of her career with two strikes to left-center field to mount the Tiger advantage to 6-0. 

The Panthers got on the board in the fifth with consecutive RBI singles to cut Auburn's cushion to 6-2. GSU plated another in the seventh and had the bases loaded, but Martin made a double play from the trio of Casey McCrackin, Kendall Veach and Fagan to get the Tigers out of the inning unscathed. Auburn ultimately secured the 6-3 victory. 

The Tigers will host Missouri in a three-game series from Friday-Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field. The first pitch for Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.  

In other news....

- The baseball team edged Samford 16-15 in Birmingham on Tuesday night. Auburn improved to 25-10 on the season. The Tigers will face Tennessee in Knoxville tonight at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Wednesday, April 12th, 2017​

Al Borges has returned to his old stomping grounds. Word came out this afternoon that the man who served as Auburn's offensive coordinator from 2004-07 and guided the Tigers to a perfect season in '04 with the West Coast offense, is joining Gus Malzahn's staff as an analyst under offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey. The news was first reported by ESPN's Chris Low. 

Borges had recently coached at San Jose State and Michigan. His San Jose State offense squared off against Auburn in 2015 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers won, 35-21. Borges' first stint on The Plains ended unhappily when he resigned under pressure at the end of the 2007 season due to Auburn's offensive struggles. Despite that, the Tigers went 41-9 during his tenure, including four straight victories in the Iron Bowl. He turned quarterback Jason Campbell from an erratic quarterback into one of the nation's top passers. Borges' 2004 offense scored 34 points or more in six SEC contests. Borges interviewed for the offensive coordinator position at Notre Dame in December 2016 (which obviously didn't get him anywhere). 

While Al obviously won't actually be calling plays with this role, he will play a crucial role in Coach Malzahn's staff. Welcome back, Coach Borges! We're confident that you will do a wonderful job with this new gig. 

As of this writing, the softball team is hosting Georgia State. If all goes as planned, I'll touch on that game tomorrow. Meanwhile, the baseball team plays Tennessee in Knoxville tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT. That game will be televised by the SEC Network. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Sunday, April 9th, 2017

Yesterday, in the midst of Auburn's annual A-Day scrimmage, the Tigers latched onto their second commitment of the day. Three-star receiver Kolbi Fuqua of Cordova (Ala.) recently named Auburn his leader, and pledged to the Tigers at the tail end of his A-Day visit. Fuqua joined offensive guard Kameron Stutts, who committed to Auburn just before the A-Day game kicked off. 

The Tigers now have six total commits for the 2018 class. Fuqua, 6-feet-1, 210 pounds, is ranked as the No. 17 recruit for the 247Sports Composite in the state of Alabama. Although he's rated as an athlete, he says the Tigers will have him start at receiver. In addition, he's a standout safety in high school. What endeared him to Auburn? "I love the family down here," Fuqua said. "I love the way the coaches treat me. And the players." This marked Fuqua's second visit to The Plains this year. "I love the surroundings," he added. "It reminds me of home. I kind of knew awhile back. I just wanted to make up my mind." 

Auburn began the day at No. 20 in the 247Sports recruiting team rankings. With the two commitments yesterday, the Tigers climbed up to No. 13. Apart from having good size, Fuqua also has excellent speed (average 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds) and athleticism (32-inch vertical, averaged 10.9 points a game in basketball). He noted that Auburn's message during this recruitment was concise. "We're a family - we take care of our own," he said. Welcome to The Plains, Kolbi! We look forward to seeing you display your talents on the field in the future. 

One last note: The softball team just defeated Ole Miss 3-1 at Jane B. Moore Field a few minutes ago to take the series over the Rebels, 2-1. The Tigers will return to action on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT when they host Georgia State in Auburn. That game will be available online at SECN+.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Saturday, April 8th, 2017

As I write this, Auburn's A-Day Game is in the books. The Blue team defeated White by a final score of 37-13. While the team was busy on the field, however, news broke that the Tigers have gained another commitment. Kameron Stutts, a three-star offensive guard from Killen (Ala.) Brooks, has pledged to Auburn. What exactly drew him in? "Great people, great place," he said. 

Stutts is the Tigers' fifth commitment. Auburn began the day at No. 20 in the recruiting team rankings. This gives the Tigers their second offensive lineman on the 2018 commit list, as Stutts joins 4-star recruit Jalil Irvin of Georgia. The 6-feet-5, 329-pound Stutts stands as the No. 12 recruit in the state of Alabama for the 247Sports rankings. "Like I said the last time I was here, you can tell it's someplace you want to be," Stutts pointed out. "There's just something special about it."

Auburn will likely sign four offensive linemen in the class. Let's all hold out hope that Stutts can make a vital contribution to the Tigers' offensive front down the road. 

As for the A-Day Game itself, I'll be short, sweet and concise on my views about it. The offense had its ups and downs. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham was absolutely superb. While I do expect the battle for the starting job to continue through preseason camp, there's no doubt in my mind that Stidham has greatly boosted his chances of getting the nod. The running game, however, was considerably less successful, as it was fairly limited in big gains. The offensive line still has room for improvement. The receivers made quite a few SPECTACULAR catches, but also had a handful of drops to go with them. 

The defense was excellent at stopping the run, but far less so at stymieing the passing game. They managed to force one turnover (a fumble recovery), but should have had another. With just over three minutes left in the game, safety Mike Sherwood had an interception in his hands in the end zone, but couldn't hang on. Yes, it was a bright and sunny day, but ball security is key, no matter what the circumstances. 

Special teams was on fire. Daniel Carlson was his usual dependable self, nailing five field goals, including a 55-yarder. Simply put, there were some things to like, and others that left something to be desired. Not to worry. The Tigers still have just less than five months to iron out the kinks. Let's all hold out hope that they're not paying any attention to the lofty expectations that so many sources are placing upon them for the 2017 campaign. 

One final note: Running back Kerryon Johnson sustained a high ankle sprain in the first half and didn't return. He did have an effective performance, gaining 47 yards on seven carries with a touchdown. He also had a 17-yard reception. The injury didn't appear to be too serious, as Johnson left the field under his own power. That's an encouraging sign, but here's to hoping that his ankle will heal in plenty of time so that he can be back on the field this fall. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!   

Friday, April 7th, 2017

Auburn football landed a new commitment today. He happens to be a former Florida State Seminole. Wilson Bell, a graduate transfer offensive lineman, has pledged to the Tigers, and will be eligible to play immediately. Bell visited Auburn in March. During his time at FSU, he started 19 games over the past two seasons at guard. As stated in an article at Gridironnow, "Bell started all 14 games for Florida State as a redshirt sophomore in 2015, playing right guard. Last season, he played in 10 games and started five, including the season-opening victory against Ole Miss and the regular-season finale against rival Florida." 

A native of Mobile (Ala.) Blount, the 6-feet-5, 320-pound Bell picked the Seminoles over Auburn and Ole Miss as he exited high school. Had he stayed at FSU, he would have been a fifth-year senior. Bell will graduate this spring. He could prove to be a crucial addition to Auburn's roster for the offensive line. Welcome aboard, Wilson!

In other news....

- Quarterback Sean White is reportedly healthy again. The junior signal-caller has apparently recovered from an injured shoulder and broken forearm and is no longer limited in spring practice. As any Auburn fan should be well aware, White is battling Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham for the starting job in a competition that is expected to continue through preseason camp. 

"Early on, he was on the pitch count, but he's kind of slid off of that now," Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey stated. "Obviously, his reps have come in 7-on-7 (drills), and he's had really no signs of any pain or anything going on." White had been hindered by an injured throwing shoulder since late October in the 2016 season. He was held out of the first half of the Vanderbilt game, re-injured the shoulder the following week at Georgia and did not play in the last two regular season games, including the Iron Bowl, before he returned to start against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. 

Unfortunately, White broke his forearm scampering for a first down near the goal line on Auburn's first drive of the game. Although he played a few more drives, he was eventually pulled from the game when it was clear that his passes had lost velocity. "I think the recovery has gone really well, and he's really done a really good job of transitioning during our team stuff to kind of another coach with Woody (Barrett) and Malik (Willis) being younger quarterbacks," Lindsey said. "I've really been pleased with him. He's adapted to that role really well." 

While Stidham has assumed the starting role this spring, the battle for the job will not be settled until coaches are able to place White on the field in 11-on-11 drills in August. White will not play in Auburn's A-Day game tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. 

- The baseball team plays at Texas A&M tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

- The softball team hosts Ole Miss tonight at 6 p.m. CT. This game will also be available online at SECN+.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Wednesday, April 5th, 2017

Today's post will be very brief. First off, the baseball team fell to Georgia Tech 11-8 yesterday, and is now 23-8 on the season. Meanwhile, Tech improved to 16-11. Auburn will open a three-game series at Texas A&M on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+. 

In regards to the softball team, its previously scheduled non-conference showdown with Samford at Spain Park High School was postponed due to inclement weather in the Auburn area. No makeup date has been announced yet. The Tigers will return to action on Friday when they begin their own weekend series against No. 21 Ole Miss at Jane B. Moore Field. The first pitch for Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. CT. That game will also be available online at SECN+. 

Speaking of inclement weather, much of Alabama is under the gun for potential severe weather today. Never take these situations for granted, folks. Life is precious, and it can be taken away in a heartbeat. I pray that God will watch over and protect everyone in the path of this system. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Sunday, April 2nd, 2017

​The Auburn softball team defeated Georgia 13-4 yesterday and 4-3 today to complete a series sweep. The Tigers are now 31-5 overall, 6-3 in SEC play. I'll write about yesterday's match. 

Auburn recorded five extra-base hits, including three home runs, in last night's game. Junior catcher Carlee Wallace was especially glad to be a part of it. "It's always great to do well for my team," she said. "I'm just excited  I can come out with a bang and get the momentum rolling in our direction from the very first pitch. I know that it gave (pitcher) Makayla (Martin) confidence going out there with runs on the board." 

Wallace led the offense with three hits, including a homer and a triple, and tied for the team lead in RBI with four. Kendall Veach smacked two round-trippers and had four RBI herself. Haley Fagan, Victoria Draper and Alyssa Rivera each recorded two hits apiece and combined for five runs scored. As a team, the Tigers tallied their highest hit total in an SEC contest this season with 14. In the circle, Martin clinched her 13th victory of the season while allowing only three earned runs in a complete game with two strikeouts.

Auburn wasted little time in getting on the board, as Wallace drilled her third leadoff homer of the season on just the second pitch of the night to put the Tigers up 1-0. In the bottom of the first, however, the Bulldogs grabbed a 2-1 lead via a single and a fielder's choice. It wouldn't last long, as Auburn amassed four hits in the top of the second to take a 5-2 cushion. After consecutive singles by Rivera and Whitney Jordan and a base knock from Draper, Wallace cleared the bases with a triple off the wall in right field. She then journeyed around the bases and closed out the scoring in the stanza on a sacrifice fly by Courtney Shea. 

The Tigers continued to roll in the fifth, accumulating four hits to extend their lead to 9-2. Fagan started the inning with a single to the right side and then went to third after advancing two bases on a wild pitch. Soon after, Rivera drilled a single to left that scored Fagan. With the bases loaded via two walks, Jenna Abbott scored a run with a five-pitch walk. Justus Perry put the icing on the cake in this one with a two-strike single that scored both Rivera and Jordan. Veach then belted a solo homer in the fifth to mount the lead to 10-2. Georgia countered with a two-run shot to extend the game with the score at 10-4. 

After an uneventful sixth, the Tigers racked up four hits and crossed home three times, with the big play coming on a three-run moonshot by Veach that hit the scoreboard at left-center field. Martin stymied the Bulldogs in the seventh to secure Auburn's victory. The Tigers return to action on Wednesday when they face Samford in Birmingham, Ala. The game is set for 6 p.m. CT. Unfortunately, it won't be available for viewing anywhere. You'll have to listen to the radio.  

In other news.....

- The baseball team fell to South Carolina 7-0 last night, but edged the Gamecocks this afternoon 6-5 to clinch the series. The Tigers return to action on Tuesday when they host Georgia Tech at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.    

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!  

Saturday, April 1st, 2017

Sophomore Casey Mize achieved the first complete game of his career, tying a career-high with 12 strikeouts as No. 17 Auburn baseball knocked off No. 6 South Carolina 5-4 last night at sold-out Plainsman Park. Head coach Butch Thompson was pleased with his team's performance. 

​"I think our guys did a good job of just playing the game and staying connected to what we're doing," he said. "Josh Anthony got a big double off of (Will) Crowe there to have the big inning. We were one play away from Casey (Mize) just really doing it, but that's what a quality team is going to do. Casey really reset and came back for the seventh, eighth and ninth and got right back out on a roll. He's just a warrior. I didn't give a game ball tonight. I gave a game bucket and I poured it over Casey's head. Probably 30 baseballs. That was just a great effort tonight."   

Mize, who made his first career Friday start, went to 4-1 on the year. The 12 strikeouts he posted were his most in an SEC contest. He gave up four runs while allowing just one walk over a career-high 120 pitches. He credited the fans for his performance. "The electric crowd out there brought a great atmosphere and definitely helped me get through the ninth," he stated. "Hearing that crowd roar when I went out there for the ninth was one of the best feelings I've ever had, and then after the last out, too. I got a little shaky in the middle innings and just kept trying to throw pitches and trusting my defense, who made unbelievable plays. I know I might be all over the headlines, but those guys are the real tale of the tape. Those guys made unbelievable plays."  

This victory marked the Tigers' seventh one-run win of the season in nine tries. They were far less fortunate in those contests last year, going 1-11. Auburn drew first blood in the bottom of the second as Jay Estes and Jonah Todd scored on a passed ball and an error. The Tigers upped their lead to 5-0 in the fourth as Anthony smacked a 2-run double off the wall in center field to score Conor Davis and Daniel Robert, then Bowen McGuffin singled through the right side to allow Anthony to score. Robert and Anthony finished the game with two hits each.

The Gamecocks rallied, scoring one in the fifth, then three unanswered in the sixth to make it 5-4. In the ninth, USC put a man on third with one out, but a terrific play at shortstop by Luke Jarvis and a groundout to Mize secured the win for Auburn. South Carolina starter Will Crowe took his first loss of the season. He tossed six innings, allowing eight hits and five runs. Reliever Reed Scott pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game. Jacob Olsen and Carlos Cortes each recorded three hits and one RBI for the Gamecocks. Auburn improved to 22-6 overall, 6-1 in conference play. USC, meanwhile, fell to 18-7, 5-2 in the league.

Game 2 between the Tigers and Gamecocks begins at 5 p.m. CT today on ESPNU. 

In other news.....

- The softball team beat Georgia in Athens yesterday, 7-5. The Tigers improved to 29-5 overall, 4-3 in the SEC. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, fell to 27-8, and 2-5 in the league. The teams will square off again tonight at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!