May 2017

Lyle's Corner

Wednesday, May 31st, 2017

Former Auburn running back/athlete Stephen Davis Jr. will transfer to South Carolina, according to a report from The State. The son of former Tiger running back Stephen Davis, he left the team this winter. He was absent from Auburn's Sugar Bowl preparation against Oklahoma, and head coach Gus Malzahn said he wasn't with the program in February.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound athlete will enroll in South Carolina's second summer session and will play football for the Gamecocks, per his father. Davis Jr. will have to sit out for the 2017 season due to NCAA transfer rules and will attend USC on his own will, as Auburn blocked him from being on scholarship for any SEC squad in 2017. He redshirted for the Tigers in 2016 while rehabbing from an ACL injury suffered during his senior year of high school. While he was mainly recruited as a running back, he also reportedly has a lot of experience on defense. It's not clear what position he will play for the Gamecocks.

Upon leaving high school, the Irmo, S.C. native was ranked as the country's No. 20 overall athlete, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was also rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 7 player in the state of South Carolina.

In other news....

- Word came out today that Auburn and Clemson will kick off their Week 2 match in primetime. The two teams will square off at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN on Sept. 9. Auburn will hope to avenge last year's 19-13 season-opening loss to the defending national champions. A victory would be especially sweet since Clemson has won the last three meetings.

- The Tigers have scheduled their final non-conference game for 2019. Kent State announced today that it would play two SEC teams: Ole Miss and Auburn. The Rebels will host Kent State the year prior to the Auburn game. The Tigers will host the Golden Flashes on Sept. 14, 2019 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. With this, Auburn's 2019 non-conference schedule is now complete. The Tigers will play Oregon on Aug. 31 in Arlington, Tex., host Tulane on Sept. 7, host Kent State on Sept. 14 and host Samford on Nov. 23. Aside from those non-conference contests, Auburn will host Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Georgia, and travel to Arkansas, LSU, Texas A&M and Florida. This will mark Auburn's first meeting with Kent State, and the first time in a decade that any MAC opponent has traveled to The Plains.

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

Monday, May 29th, 2017

Happy Memorial Day, everyone.

While most people across America are spending today barbecuing on the grill, swimming in the pool or whatever, the Auburn baseball team is preparing for an exciting trip. The Tigers, who were chosen as the No. 3 seed in the Tallahassee Regional, will go up against No. 2 seed Central Florida (40-20) at 11 a.m. CT on Friday at Florida State's Dick Howser Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN2. Meanwhile, top-seeded FSU (39-20) will play No. 4 seed Tennessee Tech (40-19).

This marks Auburn's first regional since 2015 and only its third since 2003. But getting there was anything but a breeze. Seven series into the SEC slate, the Tigers were ranked fourth in the country. They then took a temporary regression, losing in sweeps at home to last-place Alabama and then at LSU. Auburn then bounced back to win two of three from Ole Miss in the regular-season finale and topped the Rebels again in the first round of the SEC Tournament. That was potentially the difference, as the selection committee listed the Tigers as one of the last four teams in.

Unsurprisingly, head coach Butch Thompson knows that the best approach for his team to take is to look to the future. "The vision now is do great things," he said. "Everything is in front of you to play the best ball you've ever played." This is also a big opportunity for senior outfielder Daniel Robert, whose father played football on The Plains. "It was extremely exciting," he stated. "Anytime I can keep wearing Auburn on my jersey, I'm going to take full advantage of it. This is a big step for us today. Hopefully, we can go down there and get the job done."

The winner of the Florida State regional will play the winner of the Texas Tech regional in a super regional next weekend. Super regional winners will advance to Omaha, Neb. for the College World Series. "Four teams stand in our way from something magical, a vision these guys have dreamed about their whole lives," Thompson lamented. "If they take it a pitch at a time and a game at a time they have a really neat opportunity. You can see the roadmap right before you."

Auburn will play the postseason at Dick Howser Stadium. It will consist of eight regionals and one super regional. The 2015 squad won one contest, against Mercer. Senior catcher Blake Logan witnessed it. "It's hot," he said with a grin, "about like it is here. It's a cool venue. It has a long history. To be able to go back down there is exciting." Coach Thompson said that the immediate agenda is to start junior Keegan Thompson at pitcher in the first game and sophomore Casey Mize in the second. He also emphasized that early success will prove pivotal.

"I like our team," Thompson said, "but a loser's bracket is a challenge for our ball club because we go right to our pitching depth. I don't think we can hide that from the three clubs we are about to face. That's our challenge, to do everything we can to stay in the winner's bracket."

Let's all hope that the team can accomplish just that.

As a closing note, yes, I did watch the softball team's games last week. Unfortunately, they just weren't up to par to go any farther than they did. I hope that next year's team will have quality pitchers and batters. If you ask me, Corey Myers' abrupt departure as associate head coach really tainted the team's chemistry. But there's always next year.

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

Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017

I'll start this post off with some dates and times. First off, the baseball team is scheduled to face Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. this afternoon at 4:15 p.m. CT. Apparently, from what I've seen, it will not be televised, but you can listen online at www.auburntigers.com or watch the game on the WatchESPN app. To listen to Rod Bramblett and Andy Burcham at the aforementioned website, go to the "Connect" button at the top of the home page, and click it. Then, click "How to Listen" on the drop-down list, and then scroll down to "Baseball Games" and click "AuburnTigers.com" to listen on your desktop, or "Auburn Gameday App" to listen on your mobile phone.

- The softball team's Super Regional dates, times and TV networks for its games against Oklahoma are as follows:

- Game 1: Friday, 3 p.m. CT, ESPN2

- Game 2: Saturday, noon CT, ESPN

- Game 3: Sunday, noon CT, ESPN (if necessary)

In other news...

- Auburn quarterback commit Joey Gatewood got some very exciting news yesterday evening. He's headed to the Elite 11 Finals. Gatewood, a four-star recruit from Bartram Trail High (Fla.), was invited to the event, held from June 2-4 in Los Angeles. Elite 11 is probably the best known and most competitive quarterback camp and competition in America. It brings together many of the country's top quarterbacks from coast to coast. "Blessed to get (an invitation) and ready to compete," Gatewood said. To quote the Elite 11 website: "The 2017 Elite 11 Finals is intended for top level rising senior quarterbacks (Class of 2018). The top Class of 2018 signal callers will be selected for the Elite 11 Regionals. The 2017 Elite 11 Finals will bring together top performers from the 2017 Elite 11 Regionals to receive advanced one-on-one quarterback instruction in a highly competitive setting. The 2017 Elite 11 Finals will span three days and include on-field drills, routes on-air, classroom instruction and off-field development. The Elite 11 will be named at the conclusion of the Elite 11 Finals and the selected athletes will compete at the opening finals."

Among the others invited to compete with Gatewood are No. 1 overall recruit Trevor Lawrence, a Clemson commit, and five-star Penn State commit Justin Fields. With Auburn hoping to sign two quarterbacks for the 2018 class, Fields has emerged as a top Tigers target. Gatewood clinched his invite after a strong performance at the opening Charlotte Regional earlier this month.

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

Friday, May 19th, 2017

Even after a lightning delay, Keegan Thompson was at the top of his game. Thompson posted a first-pitch groundout from the first batter he faced and continued to shine from there, striking out 18 of the 20 hitters he squared off against before the delay stopped the game and his hopes for a no-hit contest with none on in the top of the seventh. Cole Lipscomb then stepped in for him and continued the no-hit streak until the top of the eighth as No. 23 Auburn kicked off its final regular-season series with a 4-1 victory over Ole Miss.

Tigers' head coach Butch Thompson was pleased with Thompson's outing. "You need someone to get us going again, and that's what an ace pitcher does," he said. "Keegan Thompson, I guess the lightning was the only thing that could stop him tonight." Thompson (6-4) retired the first nine batters on the evening before giving up a leadoff walk to Tate Blackman in the top of the fourth. Then, Thompson struck out another eight in a row before Blackman made a two-out walk in the top of the sixth frame. When that inning was over, Thompson had tied his season-high with eight strikeouts.

"I think it's pretty close (to the best game I've pitched at Auburn)," Thompson stated. "My slider worked really well with two strikes to get some swings and misses with strikeouts in the dirt. I was trying to work ahead and stay ahead to get to that pitch." Lipscomb also performed solidly against the Rebels, taking over after the lightning delay and tossing three full innings, surrendering a run on three hits while striking out four to pocket his team-leading sixth save of the year.

In the bottom of the fourth, Auburn scored three runs, with the key play being a two-run homer by Daniel Robert. Jonah Todd posted a run himself. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second, cashing in on two errors on a Luke Jarvis grounder to third. "We kept the ball in the ballpark and Daniel Robert gets the pitch and hits it out of the ballpark," Butch Thompson pointed out.

With the victory, Auburn improved to 33-21 overall, 15-13 in conference play, securing a .500 record in the SEC for the first time since 2010 and giving the Tigers 15 league wins for only the 19th time in program history. Meanwhile, Ole Miss slipped to 31-23 overall, 13-15 in the conference. James McArthur (3-6) was charged with the loss for the Rebels, surrendering three runs in 3 1/3 innings. On the Tigers' side, Dylan Ingram upped his hitting streak to a career-high 10 matches in the bottom of the first frame.

The two teams will square off again tonight at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

In other news....

- I'll remind everyone one final time: The softball team will play East Tennessee State this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

- Former Auburn offensive lineman Deon Mix has found his transfer destination. He announced yesterday on Twitter that he will finish his college career at Houston. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Mix played in just six games in his three years with the Tigers. He redshirted in 2013 and was a three-star prospect out of South Panola High in Batesville, Miss. Mix was ranked as the nation's 35th-best offensive guard by 247Sports. He left the Auburn program in February.

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

Thursday, May 18th, 2017

The transfer bug struck once more today, as two Auburn defenders coming off redshirt seasons are moving on from the football program. Defensive back Marlon Character and defensive lineman Antwuan Jackson will play elsewhere after not seeing the field for the Tigers in 2016. Head coach Gus Malzahn said in a statement released by the school, "They've decided to move on. We wish them nothing but the best."

Character, a three-star recruit, was a Georgia GSWA 4A all-state performer at Grady High School in Atlanta. He signed with Auburn over offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, and Ohio State, among others. Earlier this afternoon, another article leaked out saying that Character's decision to leave was not necessarily his own. Two sources told AuburnUndercover over the last two weeks that Character was involved in an intense argument and confrontation with teammates, which gained him a nudge to move on. The details behind the incident are unknown, but the other players involved in the dispute are still with the team.

Jackson was named to the SEC's Academic Honor Roll last season after enrolling early last January. He was a 2016 U.S. Army All-American and one of the nation's Top 50 players coming out of Cedar Grove High School in Atlanta. Jackson signed with the Tigers over Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Clemson, Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame and USC, among others. He was expected to receive serious playing time this season, working mostly with the second unit during spring practice.

Good grief! These transfers are contagious, aren't they?

Aside from that, I'll reiterate a couple of things that I posted yesterday. First off, the baseball team hosts Ole Miss tonight at 6 p.m. CT, with the game available online at SECN+. Also, the softball team begins NCAA Regional play tomorrow afternoon when they host East Tennessee State (ETSU) at 3:30 p.m. CT. That game will be televised by ESPNU.

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

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017

After months of speculation, uncertainty, mystery - whatever you want to call it -, Auburn receiver Kyle Davis is now officially back with the football program. Head coach Gus Malzahn announced today before playing in the Regions Tradition Pro-Am in Birmingham that Davis would rejoin the team tonight at a team meeting.

"Kyle Davis will be at our team meeting tonight when we got our guys coming back and he'll be back ready to go," he confirmed to reporters. Malzahn wasn't ready to commit whether Davis had rejoined when asked the same question yesterday at the SEC's coaches teleconference. Davis posted a video early yesterday morning of Jordan-Hare Stadium with the words "daddy's home" superimposed over the frame on Instagram.

Davis missed all of spring practice to deal with what Malzahn repeatedly termed "personal business." He was expected to return to the team this summer. Davis caught 12 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns in his true freshman campaign last year. (On a personal note, I can still see that AMAZING catch he made against Arkansas State. I'm sure I won't forget it any time soon.)

In other news....

- The baseball team returns to action tomorrow night when they host Ole Miss at 6 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park. The game will be available online at SECN+.

- More significantly, the softball team will begin NCAA Regional play on Friday when they host East Tennessee State (ETSU) at 3:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU (assuming, of course, that there are no postponements due to weather. The way the weather pattern's been lately, that sure doesn't seem like a sure bet, does it?).

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

Monday, May 15th, 2017

It appears that former Auburn quarterback Woody Barrett, who left The Plains after one season, has found a new home. According to a tweet from Micah Davis, quarterback coach at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi, Barrett will play for him this season. Barrett signed with the Tigers in 2016 but didn't play last season.

This spring, he steadily plummeted down the depth chart and didn't take a single snap in the second half of Auburn's A-Day game. Barrett's development has been slow while on campus. He injured his ankle shortly after arriving on campus, missed numerous practices in August and struggled to learn the system and process information during his redshirt season. Newcomer Malik Willis, a freshman, overtook him on the depth chart during spring practice, leaving Barrett at the fourth-string spot. According to the 247Sports Composite, the former four-star recruit was ranked as the country's No. 6 dual-threat quarterback.

While community colleges obviously aren't the fanciest schools known to mankind, they are a good starting place for players who aren't fully prepared for life in the SEC (as is obviously the case for Barrett). I do sincerely hope that Woody gets a chance to brush up on his game while there, and be able to gain access to a bigger school in the process. Best of luck to you, Woody, and WAR EAGLE!

In other news.....

- Today marks the 14th anniversary of the untimely passing of Jim Fyffe, the voice of Auburn football and men's basketball from 1981-2003. He lost his life as a result of a brain aneurysm. He was only 57. As a college graduate with a degree in broadcast journalism, I can tell you that Jim was my hero. He and I were on a first-name basis, as we saw each other at every home football game from 1999-2002. A few years ago, I received a tremendous blessing when his family found out from a friend how much I admired him. They sent me quite a few pieces of memorabilia to remember him by, such as one of his visors, a couple of his watches, and a picture of him. I was greatly humbled and blown away by that kind gesture.

Although I'm very sad that Jim is no longer with us, I know that he is still very much with all of us in spirit, and he will forever be cheering his Tigers on in the big press box in Heaven! Plus, I'm very comforted in knowing that I still have countless video and audio tapes (including his "20 Years of Great Calls" CD from 2000) to remember him by. The words "TOUCHDOWN, AUBURN!" will forever resound in my ears, heart, soul and mind. God Bless You, Jim! We all love and miss you terribly, but we will be reunited again one day! WAR EAGLE!

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

Saturday, May 13th, 2017

I'm going to be short and sweet with today's news. First and foremost, I'm sad to say that the baseball and softball teams both lost. Baseball was dominated by LSU 9-1 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. The team is now 32-21 overall, 14-13 in league action. Meanwhile, the softball squad was shut out by LSU 6-0 in the SEC Tournament semifinal in Knoxville. The baseball team will return to action next Thursday, May 18th for its regular-season SEC series finale against Ole Miss in Plainsman Park. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+. As for the softball team, well.....correct me if I'm wrong, but my first inclination is that their season is over. Am I right?

In other news....

- The football program has completed its non-conference schedule for the 2018 season. The team will host Liberty at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 17 of that year. Consequently, their scheduled home game against Alabama State has been moved up to September 8th of that year. While this will presumably be an easy win, it should also be very interesting to see how we fare against Liberty.

That's all for now. I hope you all have a wonderful and happy Mother's Day. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Friday, May 12th, 2017

Auburn softball has a third straight trip to the SEC Tournament semifinals in the bag. The seventh-ranked Tigers topped 18th-ranked Kentucky 2-0 last night, largely thanks to Kendall Veach's two-run homer and pitcher Kaylee Carlson's shutout. Auburn improved to 46-9 on the season. Head coach Clint Myers was relatively blunt on his team's approach to victory. "Kaylee's pitching and Kendall's home run is the reason why we're (moving on)," he said. "This team is resilient; there's a different hero every night. They just figure out ways to win."

Although the Tigers were held to just three base knocks in this game, two were extra-base hits. Alyssa Rivera smacked a double in the second to complement Veach's homer. In the pitching department, Carlson recorded her 20th complete game and sixth shutout of the season. The junior tossed 88 pitches, posted 12 groundouts and struck out two to boost her season record to 26-3.

Kentucky (36-17) had two excellent chances to get on the board, but blew both. In the third, the Wildcats had consecutive singles to put two on with one out. Haley Fagan made a diving grab on a grounder up the middle and threw it to first for the second out. Then, Carlson forced a groundout to Casey McCrackin at second base to prevent serious trouble for the Tigers. Three frames later, with the game still scoreless, the Cats drilled three straight hits, but Auburn benefited from a would-be runner leaving early on an attempted steal. Carlson then went to work and posted a 3-6-3 double play involving Fagan and Veach to keep UK scoreless.

Moments later, the Tigers made the play that mostly put this one away. Rivera drew a two-out walk and occupied first. With Veach at the plate, she fell behind 0-2 on the count, then fouled off the next couple pitches before slamming her team-best 12th homer of the year to give Auburn a 2-0 advantage. Veach said after the game that the play came naturally to her. "I choked up on the bat and took the barrel to the ball, that's all I was focused on," she stated. "If I had good, hard contact, I knew something good was going to come of it." Carlson then had a 1-2-3 stanza in the top of the seventh to secure the Tigers' seventh straight win over Kentucky.

Auburn will now face off against LSU in the semifinals. News just came out earlier this afternoon that the game has been postponed due to inclement weather in the Knoxville area. The first pitch has now been set for 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, with the game being televised on ESPN2. The first semifinal game between Alabama and Ole Miss has also been rescheduled for 10 a.m. CT tomorrow. The winners of the two semifinals will square off in the championship game tomorrow night at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.

In other news....

- The baseball team wasn't so fortunate last night, as they were shut out by LSU 4-0. Auburn fell to 32-19 on the year, while the Bayou Bengals improved to 33-17. Junior Dylan Ingram led Auburn's offense with three hits, and Gabe Klobosits had his best outing of the season in the circle, pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the visiting Tigers. Game two between the two squads is set for 7 p.m. CT tonight. It will be available online at SECN+.

- The football team is down one wide receiver. Walk-on Carson Griffis announced yesterday afternoon via Twitter that he was transferring to Columbia University. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound receiver signed with Auburn in the 2016 recruiting class as a preferred walk-on, and he redshirted during his first season. The Homewood, Ala. native registered over 6,100 yards and 60 touchdowns passing and rushing during his high school career as a quarterback. His statement on Twitter announcing his decision read as follows:

"I would like to thank Auburn for the past year of memories, friendships, and the opportunity to play for the Tigers. I would not trade this past year for anything. After a lot of thought, I have decided to transfer and continue to play football at Columbia University in NYC. #IvyLeague"

I wish Carson the best of luck at his new school, and hope he gets a fair chance to showcase his skills.

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

Wednesday, May 10th, 2017

Evidently, the physical and emotional effects of Auburn's 15-inning loss to Alabama three nights ago lingered into last night's match against UAB in Regions Park in Birmingham. The Blazers overtook the 14th-ranked Tigers 8-2. Senior catcher Damon Haecker led Auburn with two doubles, two hits and an RBI, but it wasn't enough. Head coach Butch Thompson emphasized a crucial point in his thoughts on the loss.

"It's not just our opponents, but it has more to do with us," he stated. "Sometimes a team hits a stretch and I think we are in ours now. We will have to make sure we evaluate ourselves and not just our opponents. We need to make some adjustments. We need to learn our lessons quickly at this point in the season." Auburn tied the game at 1-all in the fourth when Will Holland smacked an RBI single allowing Conor Davis to score from second base. However, in the bottom of the fifth, UAB took a 3-1 advantage on Dylan Hicklen's two-out triple off the base of the centerfield wall. The Blazers increased their lead to 5-1 with another run in the sixth and another in the seventh.

Auburn countered in the eighth when Haecker drilled a double over the head of left fielder Colton Schultz, allowing Dylan Ingram to score. Ingram began the inning with a single and then scored four batters later. However, UAB put this one out of reach with three runs in the eighth on a two-run double by Price Visintainer and an RBI single by Schultz.

Coach Thompson is well aware of just how strenuous the game can be. "After you've played 50 ballgames, it's more mental than physical. This becomes a mind game with what you've got and pulling together as a team. We have to continue to do a good job locking in and playing baseball with better effort." In the circle, Auburn freshman starting pitcher Christian Camacho (2-3) was charged with the loss after giving up three runs on five hits while recording a career-best six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings of play. Meanwhile, on UAB's side, Isaiah Gonzales-Montoya (2-2) allowed just one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief to earn the victory. Starter Ryan Ruggles gave up one run in 2 1/3 innings. Pierce Ressmeyer led the Blazers at the plate with three hits.

UAB improved to 23-26 on the season, while Auburn fell to 32-18. The Tigers will remain on the road when they square off against 10th-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge in a three-game series with the Bayou Bengals. The first game is set for 6:30 p.m. CT tomorrow night at Alex Box Stadium, and will be televised by ESPN2.

In other news....

- The softball team will begin SEC Tournament play tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. CT when they play against either Kentucky or South Carolina in Knoxville, Tenn. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

- A bizarre accident yesterday left the right hand of 2017 four-star defensive end/buck signee Markaviest "Big Cat" Bryant bleeding badly. His high school coach, Shelton Felton of Crisp County (Ga.), offered his insight on the matter. "He was horsing around a little bit. He slipped and tried to catch himself on the door. He's so big, his arm went through the window. I guess it was just a regular window."

Bryant was hospitalized, but sent out several photos of his hand through Snapchat along with the caption, "I'm good." While attempts to reach him were unsuccessful, Felton said Bryant is doing just fine. "Everything is better," he assured. "He's doing good. I think he was scared. It was a freak accident. He should be okay by the time he gets to Auburn and they start football." Bryant, one of the Tigers' most crucial 2017 signees, is expected to move into his dorm at Auburn the last weekend of May.

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

Monday, May 8th, 2017

Fifteen innings. Six hours and 36 minutes of gameplay. Yet, even after all that, Auburn still came up on the short end of the stick against Alabama yesterday by a score of 11-9. Nonetheless, Tigers' head coach Butch Thompson was very proud of his team's resilience. "I told the guys that you need to stay together and keep working hard for us," he stated. "I've never asked more than their best and for them to compete their hearts out. Everything will go to the head coach, and these players stay with Coach Sisson and Coach Bohannon, keep working hard and keep grinding. We've done too much and have too much to play for, so just keep working as hard as they can for the program and for the future that we have here before us. Let me take responsibility and let's bounce back quick."

The Tide went ahead 11-9 in the top of the 15th frame on a RBI single by Sam Finnerty and a sac fly by Connor Short. Auburn never gave in in the bottom half, putting two men on, but could not get them home, and any hopes of a victory were dashed. The game finally ended at 10:38 p.m. CT after a 4:02 p.m. CT opening pitch.

Alabama took the lead 6-5 in the top of the 10th with a run, but the Tigers responded with a RBI single by pinch hitter Daniel Robert to even the score. In the 11th, the Tide regained the lead 7-6 as Chandler Taylor drilled his third homer of the season. But Auburn once again retaliated in the bottom half on a RBI ground out by Jeremy Johnson. The drama continued in the 13th as Bama went up by two, only to see the Tigers tie the game once more on an error and a sac fly by Johnson.

Auburn got off to a hot start in this one, loading the bases with two outs in the first using three walks and a single by Conor Davis. His single gave him a hit in 16 consecutive starts. Damon Haecker then drew a bases-loaded walk to force home a run and give the Tigers an early 1-0 advantage. They increased their lead to 2-0 in the second when Jay Estes smacked his team-best 15th double high off the wall in left field. Estes had three hits on the day with two doubles and two RBI. Plus, he tied a school record with nine at-bats.

The Tide snatched the lead at 3-2 in the fourth via a two-run homer by Hunter Alexander and a run-scoring double from Connor Short. In the circle, Davis Daniel gave up three runs in four innings with five strikeouts for Auburn. Meanwhile, Ryan Watson (1-1) allowed one hit in 1.1 innings and was charged with the loss. The Tigers used a season-high nine pitchers in the game.

Auburn deadlocked the game in the fifth on a single off the wall by Dylan Ingram that scored Estes. Estes drove in a run in the sixth to give the Tigers a 4-3 edge. Ingram had three hits and three walks in this match. Elsewhere, Josh Anthony, Johnson and Holland all had two hits apiece. Alabama scored two in the seventh to go up 5-4 thanks to a wacky infield single and an error. In the bottom of the frame, Anthony made a terrific heads-up play for Auburn to tie the score at 5-all, while Bama argued a play at first base.

Taylor recorded four hits for the Tide, while Cobie Vance and Finnerty each had three. In the pitching department, Nick Eicholtz surrendered four hits in 5.2 innings. Meanwhile, Sonny Potter (1-1) got one out and earned the win. Garrett Suchey tossed the final three outs for his third save of the season.

The Tigers return to action tomorrow when they play their final non-conference game of the year at UAB in Birmingham, Ala. The first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Regions Field. Unless you attend this game in person, the only way you'll find out how this game turns out will be to listen to Rod Bramblett and Andy Burcham call the action on the Auburn IMG Sports Network.

In other news....

- The football program took a hit at quarterback today as word came out that Woody Barrett was transferring from Auburn. Barrett had taken a steady plunge on the depth chart, and was the fourth-string quarterback as of recently. He didn't get any second-half reps in the A-Day game. Reportedly, he never felt very comfortable with the offense, and Rhett Lashlee's departure as offensive coordinator was also said to be a factor in Barrett's decision. Of course, Chip Lindsey now occupies said position on the staff. Personally, I saw the writing on the wall for this one. If you don't feel like one of the guys, you should go elsewhere. All we can do is move forward and wish Woody the best of luck wherever he chooses to go next. I hope he gets a fair chance to showcase his skills there.

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

Sunday, May 7th, 2017

Auburn softball lost to Alabama this afternoon by a score of 3-2 in Tuscaloosa. The Tigers fell to 45-9 overall, 17-7 in the conference. Despite that, they still won the series over the Tide, 2-1.

The baseball team hosts Alabama this afternoon at 4 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. If all goes as planned, I'll write about this game tomorrow.

In other news....

- Former Auburn defensive end Carl Lawson has signed a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. Lawson, a fourth-round selection, is expected to be paid $3,010,991 over the course of the contract should he stay with the team. According to Sportrac, he will receive a projected signing bonus of $655,991 with a cap on pay this coming season at $628,998. I'm confident that Lawson will make a meaningful contribution to the Bengal defense.

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

Saturday, May 6th, 2017

This will be a short and to-the-point post. First off, Auburn softball shut out Alabama 3-0 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa last night. Kaylee Carlson pitched a complete game for the Tigers, who improved to 44-8 overall, 16-6 in SEC play. Meanwhile, the Tide fell to 39-14 overall, 11-10 in the league. The two squads will resume the series tonight at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. You can also listen to Brit Bowen and Brad Law call the action on the Auburn IMG Sports Network by using your official Auburn app.

In other news....

- The baseball team's scheduled series opener against Alabama last night was postponed due to rain in the Auburn area. Instead, the teams will play a doubleheader today, with the first game beginning at 1 p.m. CT followed by the second game one hour after the conclusion of the first. Sunday's series finale is still scheduled for 4 p.m. CT and will be televised by the SEC Network. As for today's game, you can listen to Rod Bramblett and Andy Burcham describe the action on the Auburn IMG Sports Network on www.auburntigers.com.

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

Thursday, May 4th, 2017

A former Auburn offensive lineman has landed a spot in the NFL....despite the fact that he wasn't actually picked. On Tuesday, Alex Kozan, one of the Tigers' top players on the offensive front since 2013, announced on Twitter that he had signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent. Terms of the deal were not immediately known. Kozan's tweet read as follows:

"Signed with the @RamsNFL today. Excited for the opportunity. #WarD--- and #GoRams"

Kozan played and started 40 games for Auburn. He garnered numerous honors in his time on The Plains, including FWAA and Sporting News Freshman All-American in 2013 and Associated Press first-team All-SEC in 2016. In addition, Kozan was chosen to play in the East-West Shrine Game following his senior campaign. With the Rams, Kozan will be re-united with former teammate Greg Robinson. The two were starters on the Tigers' 2013 national runner-up team.

Now for a couple of closing reminders. Don't forget that Auburn's softball team plays at Alabama tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT in Tuscaloosa. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. Meanwhile, the baseball team will host Alabama in Plainsman Park tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT. That game will be available online at SECN+.

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

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017

The words "offensive analyst" will most likely leave many Auburn fans (including myself) scratching their heads. Fortunately, in the case of Al Borges, who is back on The Plains serving in said capacity, his role with the Tigers is now crystal clear. Borges, who served as offensive coordinator under Tommy Tuberville from 2004-07, will assist with Auburn's tight ends and H-backs under position coach Larry Porter, offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey confirmed yesterday before a speaking engagement at the West Georgia Auburn Club.

"You know what, I met Al when I was a high school coach in this state, so I've known him for a long time, and I know he's excited to be back in Auburn," Lindsey stated. "He'll be-I think he's really working with Larry and the tight ends and three-backs, but another good guy along with (former Opelika High football coach) Brian Blackmon, who's phenomenal; we love him, and (Eric) Munoz is our other analyst."

Borges, who was hired at Auburn last month, recently had coaching stints at San Jose State and Michigan. His San Jose State offense squared off against Auburn in 2015 at Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn won the game, 35-21). His first tenure on The Plains ended on a sour note when he resigned at the end of the '07 campaign as the offense struggled to score points. Auburn went 41-9 during that four-year stretch, including four wins in the Iron Bowl. He transformed quarterback Jason Campbell into one of the country's top passers. Borges' 2004 offense scored 34 points or more in six SEC contests.

Analysts are not allowed to coach players on the field, but can maintain contact and help position coaches in the meeting rooms. I'm going to hold out hope that Borges will do a fine job in this new endeavor.

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

Monday, May 1st, 2017

We all know the age-old saying, "You get what you give." Well, that certainly holds true for one former Auburn baseball star. Former Tiger pitcher and outfielder Tim Hudson was honored by the Alabama state legislature last Thursday in a short ceremony highlighting his baseball career and philanthropic work.

Hudson greeted the assembly with a "War Eagle" and spoke about his career and charity, the Hudson Family Foundation, after Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn honored him with a resolution, according to a report by the Opelika-Auburn News. "Where I came from, to have a big-league career as long as I did, I definitely had some help from the good Lord up above," Hudson stated. "I just feel like I have a duty to try to go out there and do good with the platforms that He's blessed me with and just give back and do as much as I can within the community."

Hudson starred at Auburn for two seasons in the mid-90s, including on the Tigers' College World Series squad in 1997. He became the first player to be named All-SEC at two positions that season when he hit .396 with 18 home runs and 95 RBIs and went 15-2 with a 2.97 ERA. Plus, he was named SEC Player of the Year and was picked as a consensus All-American. The Columbus, Ga. native went on to enjoy a 17-year MLB stint with the Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants during which he was a four-time All-Star and won one World Series crown.

In other news...

- The baseball team swept a doubleheader (albeit an unplanned one) against Mississippi State last Saturday night to improve to 32-14 overall, 14-7 in the SEC. The team is off midweek due to final exams, and will not return to action until Friday when they begin a three-game weekend series with Alabama at Plainsman Park. Friday's match is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be available online at SECN+.

- The softball Tigers also topped Mississippi State in Auburn yesterday afternoon, 6-3. The Tigers are now 43-8 on the year, 15-6 in the conference. The team will return to the diamond this weekend in a three-game series against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. All three contests are set to be televised nationally by ESPN2 and the SEC Network. Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. CT on the latter of the two networks.

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