May 2018

Lyle's Corner

May 2018

Thursday, May 31st, 2018

Auburn fans can now start making plans for the first three weeks of the 2018 college football season. Today, ESPN and the SEC Network announced the network's schedule for that span.

The season opener, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Washington in Atlanta, is set for Sept. 1st and will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT, being televised by ABC. In a potential battle of top-10 teams, this will mark the first-ever meeting between the teams. This will also be the third time the Tigers have played in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, and their third straight game at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The following week, Auburn will play its home opener against Alabama State. That game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT (an unusually late time if you ask me, considering the quality of that opponent) on the SEC Network's Alternate channel. And, as I previously posted yesterday, Auburn's third game against LSU on Sept. 15th will begin at 2:30 p.m. CT in Jordan-Hare Stadium, and will be televised by CBS as its "SEC Game of the Week." Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, and Allie LaForce will call the action.

Times and TV networks for the remaining games have not yet been announced.

In other news....

- Auburn baseball will face Northeastern in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow in Raleigh, N.C. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game will not be televised, but you can listen on the Auburn Network.

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

Wednesday, May 30th, 2018

Today, CBS announced which SEC games it will broadcast at the beginning of the 2018 season. The remainder of the schedule will be announced in-season. The list that follows covers the games CBS has announced, as well as the remaining slots listed on its schedule (all times are Eastern):

- Sept. 1st: West Virginia vs. Tennessee (from Charlotte, N.C.): 3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

- Sept. 8th: Georgia at South Carolina: 3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

- Sept. 15th: LSU at Auburn: 3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

- Oct. 27th: Florida vs. Georgia: 3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

Notre Dame vs. Navy: 8:00 p.m. (7:00 CT)

- Nov. 3rd: SEC Doubleheader 3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

8:00 p.m. (7:00 CT)

- Nov. 10th: SEC Doubleheader Noon. (11 a.m. CT)

3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

- Nov. 23rd: SEC Game TBD: 2:30 p.m. (1:30 CT)

- Nov. 24th: SEC Game of the Week: 3:30 p.m. (2:30 CT)

- Dec. 1st: SEC Championship: 4:00 p.m. (3:00 CT)

- Dec. 8th: Army vs. Navy: 3:00 p.m. (2:00 CT)

- Dec. 31st: Hyundai Sun Bowl: 2:00 p.m. (1:00 CT).

In other news......

- More big news in Auburn's basketball program. Former Tiger Marquis Daniels has joined Bruce Pearl's staff as a graduate assistant, per AL.com. Daniels posted a message on Twitter confirming the news last night. Daniels guided Auburn to the Sweet 16 in 2003, where it lost to eventual national champion Syracuse by one point. He averaged 18.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a game as a senior during the 2002-03 campaign.

He went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA, starting with the Dallas Mavericks from 2003-06. After his first season, he earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie second team. Daniels also played for the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks during his career.

- Auburn baseball will face Northeastern on Friday at 1 p.m. CT at Raleigh, N.C. in the NCAA Tournament. The game will not be televised, but you can listen on the Auburn Network.

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

Tuesday, May 29th, 2018

I'll keep today's top story short and sweet. Jared Harper, Austin Wiley and Bryce Brown have all decided to return to Auburn basketball next season after testing the NBA Draft waters. Meanwhile, Mustapha Heron has made an interesting choice to return to school, but leave the basketball program. I wish all four of them the best of luck.

In other news....

- Auburn baseball is headed to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time in 15 years. The Tigers were close to hosting for the first time since 2010, but instead will play in the Raleigh, North Carolina Regional. Fortunately, Auburn is not headed to nor paired up with Florida State, a common opponent and regional road trip over the years.

The Tigers are the No. 2 seed at NC State and will face No. 3 seed Northeastern in the opening game. The double-elimination regional begins on Friday. Meanwhile, NC State will face No. 4 seed Army. Auburn will start things off at the regional at 1 p.m. CT and NC State and Army will cap the day at 6 p.m. CT in Raleigh. There will surely be disputes over Auburn not hosting a regional. The Tigers have a better RPI ranking than NC State (No. 14 vs. No. 20) and have 10 more wins against teams ranked in the RPI's top 50.

"Host or not host, it doesn't really matter now," Auburn infielder Luke Jarvis stated. "It's all regional play now, and it's that goal of Omaha." The NC State regional is paired up with the Florida regional. Florida is the nation's No. 1 overall seed. The winner of the Raleigh regional will square off against the winner of the Gainesville regional with a trip to the College World Series at stake.

- The softball team is losing a backup pitcher. Kara Bilodeau announced via Instagram on Monday that she will transfer to Florida State, where she has already met coaches and posed with them for a picture on the social media service. Earlier this month, the Tigers fell to Florida State and did not advance out of the Tallahassee Regional.

Bilodeau made 10 appearances as a freshman last season. The Cumming, Ga. native pitched a season-high two innings against Texas A&M on April 29th. She didn't give up a single run in her limited time in the pitching circle. She closed out her freshman campaign with 12 strikeouts and five walks. Opponents hit .086 against her in the circle.

Bilodeau allowed one extra-base hit, which led the Tigers, and guided the team to eight shout victories. She made her debut on Feb. 16th against Delaware. She is a member of the Team Canada Senior Team and was a two-time All-State selection in high school at South Forsyth. Auburn is coming off a season in which it did not host a regional for the first time since 2014.

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

Monday, May 28th, 2018

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

Auburn baseball will once again travel for its NCAA Regional. When the 16 seeds who will be regional hosts were revealed yesterday evening, the Tigers weren't among them. Auburn coach Butch Thompson thought his team had a good chance to play at home after going 39-21 overall, 15-15 in the SEC, and winning two games in the SEC Tournament.

The final numbers showed the Tigers with a No. 13 RPI. They were No. 8 in strength of schedule. Their 19 victories over top 50 RPI teams ranked fifth in the nation. Plus, they had the fewest losses nationally in teams ranked from 51 to 200 in the RPI. It still didn't pay off. The hosts, announced yesterday by the NCAA, include Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Clemson, Costal Carolina, Oregon State, Stetson, Arkansas, Florida, East Carolina, Texas Tech, Minnesota, Ole Miss, N.C. State, Stanford and Florida State.

Auburn's RPI is stronger than four of those picks. Its strength of schedule is stronger than eight of those choices. Plus, it has more Tier 1 wins than 11 of those teams. Unfortunately, the committee that established those metrics didn't regard them as crucial enough to make Auburn a host. Even so, there's no doubt the Tigers will play in a regional. They will find out where that will be when the entire NCAA Tournament field is revealed this morning at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.

The Tigers started the season with 16 straight wins and entered SEC play with an 18-1 record. But senior lefty Andrew Mitchell developed a forearm injury and freshman right-hander Cody Greenhill was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Auburn won two of three over Texas A&M in the first SEC series, but lost its next three to drop to 4-8 in conference play. But they got their pitchers back and won nine of the next 12 league contests to improve to 13-11. They were then swept at Ole Miss, but fought back to win two of three from LSU in the last series of the regular season. In the SEC Tournament, Auburn defeated Kentucky and eventual tournament champion Ole Miss before losing to Texas A&M and falling again in a rematch with Ole Miss.

In other news.....

- Auburn football's recruiting took a hit yesterday when it lost a commitment from a preferred walk-on long snapper. Trey Neal, a 5-feet-9, 205-pound player from Warrenton, Missouri, announced via Twitter that he was accepting a scholarship offer from Memphis. Honestly, one can't fault him for having a change of heart.

"After much consideration, I have decided to decommit from Auburn University," he tweeted. "I would like to thank Coach Rutledge and the entire Auburn staff for the opportunities they have given me the last couple months. With that being said, sometimes opportunities come when you least expect it. I am fortunate to have been offered a chance to achieve a dream by accepting a full scholarship to the University of Memphis. I am excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career as a Memphis Tiger!! #StripeEmUp"

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

Sunday, May 27th, 2018

Today's post will provide an encouraging update on defensive back Jeremiah Dinson. Dinson injured his shoulder in Auburn's A-Day game a few weeks ago, and then had surgery to fix the damage. Now, as summer quickly nears, he is reportedly making a speedy recovery and could be back on the field sooner than later.

During an appearance on WNSP on Friday, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was optimistic about Dinson's return. "I've seen him in the weight room, walking through the weight room. He's doing really well," Steele said. "He's ahead of schedule. I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be back. ....This day and age in football, a lot of people will see this guy got hurt and had surgery. After 38 years of doing this, I've seen a lot of guys have surgery. Some guys are fast healers, depending on the surgery they have. The rehab is so extensive and so good that you have got a chance of getting most every one of them back."

Dinson appeared in 14 games for the Tigers last season, recording 47 tackles and defending four passes. Since he's slated to receive a bigger role in the defense this fall, getting him back to action soon will prove critical. Fortunately, he appears to be directly on that track.

In other news....

- Don't forget that Auburn baseball will learn its NCAA Tournament fate soon. The 16 regional host sites will be posted on NCAA.com tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT, and the entire NCAA Tournament field will be announced on ESPNU tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. CT.

That's all for now. Until next time, have a safe and happy Memorial Day holiday, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Saturday, May 26th, 2018

Auburn football added a crucial piece to the Class of 2019 on Friday. After not signing a tight end for 2018, the Tigers now have two on board for '19. The first was Tyler Fromm. The newest is Luke Deal. The 6-feet-5, 237-pound Deal is a three-star recruit from Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald, and gave his pledge to the Tigers yesterday evening over Notre Dame, Michigan and others. He ranks as the No. 4 tight end in South Carolina and No. 18 tight end nationally in the industry generated 247Sports Composite.

When asked what endeared him to Auburn, he said, "The family atmosphere that surrounds that place and the good feeling I had while I was there. Coach Malzahn and his whole staff, they are all super hands on and I really appreciate that they can express their faith and what they think of me. I really like the staff there. It's a great bunch of guys."

This has been a productive month for Auburn on the recruiting front, as it has also landed five-star linebacker Owen Pappoe and Fromm, a three-star tight end from Warner Robins (Ga.), and the brother of Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm. Deal is the Tigers' eighth pledge for '19. Auburn moved from No. 20 to No. 16 in the recruiting class rankings. Tight ends coach Larry Porter was Deal's primary recruiter. Porter and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey visited Deal's school on Tuesday.

Auburn began showing significant interest in Deal in January. It visited his school that month and Deal got an offer on Jan. 28th. He made his first visit to the school on March 2nd. He made the trip with family and by all accounts, it went well. He claimed that he would visit The Plains again, and kept his word. He took an official visit on April 27th. During that visit, Auburn quarterback commit Bo Nix came down from Birmingham to spend some time with Deal, and the two quickly bonded. "I felt comfortable while I was there," Deal explained. "I felt comfortable with the coaching staff and talking to those guys. That's the big thing, comfort. I grew up watching Auburn football, just like I did with a few other schools. I want to win a national championship and that's a possibility there."

During his recruitment, Deal also took official visits to Notre Dame, N.C. State, Michigan and Ohio State. Clemson was also a big factor. In the end, though, Auburn won his heart. On the offensive side, he joins a clan that includes Nix and receiver George Pickens, two elite prospects. Since the Tigers are likely done at tight end, they can now focus their attention on filling other needs.

In other news.....

- Auburn baseball was eliminated from the SEC Tournament after being shut out by Ole Miss 7-0 yesterday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Frankly, the less said about this game, the better. The Tigers will now return home and await word on their NCAA Tournament fate. The 16 regional host sites will be announced on NCAA.com tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. CT, and the entire NCAA Tournament field will be announced on ESPNU Monday morning at 11 a.m. CT.

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

Friday, May 25th, 2018

Seventh-seeded Auburn made a valiant surge against No. 11 seed Texas A&M yesterday, but the effort fell short as the Aggies held off the Tigers in a 4-2 decision at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium last night. Auburn (39-20, 15-15 SEC) trailed 3-0 in the eighth frame, but got on the board with a RBI double by Conor Davis in the top of the frame. However, Texas A&M (39-19, 13-17) answered with an insurance run in the bottom of the frame to up the margin back to three.

In the Tigers' next at-bat, Brett Wright drew a one-out hit-by-pitch and Judd Ward hit a bunt single to bring Edouard Julien, who hit a walk-off single Tuesday and a grand slam Wednesday, to the plate as the game-tying run. However, Julien was retired, and Jay Estes got a run with his second infield single of the evening, but a ground ball to shortstop wrapped this one up.

Auburn head coach Butch Thompson applauded his team's persistence. "We were resilient, just a little bit too late," he said. "Yesterday, it worked out. We got to the 'pen and scored some runs after six shutout innings. Tonight, it was a little bit deeper. I just told the guys I thought we ran out of innings." Casey Mize (9-5, 3.07) was charged with the loss after tossing 7.2 innings and allowing four runs on eight hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. On the flip side, John Doxakis (7-5, 2.89) got the win for the Aggies, pitching 7.1 innings and only giving up one run on two hits.

Davis almost gave the Tigers the game's first points in the top of the third as he smacked a pitch high and deep to right field. But Allonte Wingate got back to the wall and made a leaping grab to avert a solo home run. A half inning later, Texas A&M drew first blood as a wild pitch got George Yanca into scoring position before Zach Deloach delivered with a two-out RBI single.

The Tigers went the first four innings without a baserunner, but then Brendan Venter drew a hit-by pitch in the top of the fifth. However, that was wiped out by a fielder's choice. Estes then stole his team-best 12th base of the year to get into scoring position with two outs but was stuck on base due to one of 10 strikeouts by Doxakis. The Aggies then put together a hit-and-run to strand runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and Braden Shewmake increased A&M's lead to 3-0 on a two-out RBI double down the right-field line.

Estes snapped Doxakis' no-hitter with an infield single to open the eighth. He stole his second base of the game and 13th this season, then came to score on the aforementioned RBI double by Davis to dead center field to run the Aggies' lefty from the game. However, right-hander Nolan Hoffman stepped in for relief duty and got through the remainder of the inning with no further harm before ultimately clinching his 14th save. Estes got two hits for the third straight contest in the tournament and now has two or more hits in 14 of the last 22 games. He has hit an impressive .418 during that span.

For the second time in three days, Auburn will face No. 2 seed Ole Miss (43-15, 18-12 SEC) in an elimination game this afternoon at 3 p.m. CT at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, and it will be televised by the SEC Network. The winner will advance to the semifinals to square off with Texas A&M tomorrow at noon CT.

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

Thursday, May 24th, 2018

Auburn trailed Ole Miss 2-0 in the seventh inning, and the Tigers' run in the SEC Tournament seemed to be coming to a halt. Hold it right there. The 21st-ranked Tigers outscored the Rebels by eight runs in the final three innings to pull off a 9-3 upset and advance in the winners' bracket yesterday afternoon at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

Auburn (39-19 overall, 15-15 SEC) had not gone 2-0 in the SEC Tournament since 1999, and hadn't won two games in Hoover since 2003. Also, the Tigers improved to 4-1 against Ole Miss (42-15, 18-12) in the SEC Tournament. "It was a great opportunity for us to get to play Ole Miss in this tournament," Tigers head coach Butch Thompson stated. "They have a great lineup, and I thought our guys did a great job. I thought it was a great bounce back for Tanner (Burns), who only went one and two-thirds innings in his start in Oxford. For him to come back the way he did, I respect that. What I take away is that our team is competing for our coaching staff, for Auburn, and I couldn't be happier for that. I thought we chipped away at some really good at bats. Edouard (Julien)'s last swing of the bat was great. Great ballgame."

Indeed, Tanner Burns (6-4, 2.98) fought back this time around, matching a career high with 7.0 innings pitched, giving up three runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. "I feel like I had a good fastball command," Burns said. "That is one thing you have to have. I feel like I had good stuff. I threw some change-ups here and there. I feel like that kept them off balance. My breaking ball was on. Having those three pitches made me very successful in the game."

The Tigers were down by two after Ole Miss cashed in on a fielding mistake and were without a hit entering the sixth frame. But Josh Anthony snapped opposing pitcher Ryan Rolison's no-hitter streak with a one-out single in the sixth and went into scoring position as Steven Williams drew a walk, but both Tigers were stranded on base. In the next inning, Jay Estes and Julien smacked back-to-back singles to chase Rolison from the contest and bring reliever Greer Holston into the circle. Then, Luke Jarvis got a one-out walk to load the bases with before Conor Davis tied the score with a two-run double over Ryan Olenek's head into right field. With Anthony at bat, Jarvis sped for home on a passed ball and slid in head first to prevent the tag at the plate and put Auburn ahead 3-2.

Soon thereafter, Estes came back around with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the eighth and eked a two-run double just inside the third-base bag to up the Tigers' lead to 5-2. The double was Estes' team-best 16th of the season. The Rebels got a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth and put the tying run aboard in the inning, but Calvin Coker, who stepped in for relief duty for Burns before the sac fly, went to work to get two key strikeouts and strand two runners.

Julien, who saved the day for Auburn in game one with a walk-off single in the 11th inning, made his presence felt once again as he stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded and nailed a two-strike pitch from Ole Miss' Houston Roth over the fence in left field to essentially finish the Rebels off. It marked Auburn's fifth grand slam this season and Julien's third. It was also his team-best 15th homer of the year and increased his SEC-best RBI total to 62.

As the ninth inning began, Coker entered the mound and prevented Ole Miss from scoring despite a base hit and an error to post his team-high seventh save of the season. On the offensive side, Anthony and Estes each posted two hits for the second straight day at the tournament and were joined by Julien, who went 2-for-4 with the aforementioned grand slam and scored two runs as well. The No. 7-seed Tigers will return to action this afternoon in a winners' bracket match against No. 11 seed Texas A&M (37-19, 13-17 SEC) at 4:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the SEC Network.

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

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018

It took 11 innings - and a little bit of drama - but Auburn was finally able to advance in the SEC Tournament. Freshman designated hitter Edouard Julien smacked a walk-off single to lift the 21st-ranked Tigers over Kentucky 4-3 to open the tournament yesterday afternoon at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. With runners on first and second and one out, Julien slammed a full-count pitch into left-center field, allowing pinch-runner Cade Evans to score from second base. That ignited a wild celebration from his teammates. It marked Auburn's (38-19, 15-15 SEC) first victory in the tournament since 1999.

Julien's heroics were even more satisfying considering that prior to that, he was 0-for-4 on the day with three strikeouts. "(Assistant) Coach (Gabe) Gross told me to focus on this at-bat and forget everything that's happened," he said. "I just wanted to put the ball in play, anything that could've helped the team win. I'm glad I was able to do that. I have no words for it. It's unbelievable right now. It's probably the biggest hit I've had in my life and I'm happy I did it for the team."

Coach Gross was sure not to underestimate the magnitude of this victory. "We hadn't had one like this in a while," he stated. "It's so good for our guys to be locked into a struggle with another team and swap blows. Then (Edouard), he's struggled a little bit against left-handed pitching this year, but came through in a big way." After Kentucky (34-22, 13-17 SEC) got the first out in the 11th, Brett Wright nailed a one-out single down the center and Brendan Venter got a walk shortly thereafter to move the winning run into scoring position in favor of Evans. Then, when Julien stepped to the plate against UK reliever Zach Thompson (2-1, 5.17), the stage was set for the thrilling conclusion.

The Wildcats struck first when Kole Cottam hit a one-out homer in the top of the first, but Auburn swiftly retaliated. Will Holland smacked a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line to even the score. It marked his sixth leadoff extra-base hit in the last nine matches - three home runs and three doubles. In the third frame, freshman starter Jack Owen got into trouble with three walks, but was rescued on a diving double play by Holland. Then, sophomore Davis Daniel entered the match with two outs and runners on the corners and bailed the Tigers out as he retired Luke Heyer swinging to avert any potential damage.

Auburn took the lead in the bottom of the third on a pair of two-out knocks. Steven Williams hit a RBI single to right field before Wright followed suit with a RBI double into the gap in right center field three pitches later to make it a 3-1 Tiger advantage. But Kentucky trimmed the lead with a run in the fifth and threatened to tie it up in its next at-bat. With Auburn leading 3-2, Daniel surrendered a leadoff double in the top of the ninth, giving way to freshman right-hander Cody Greenhill (4-2, 1.49). A sac bunt took the tying run to third, and Greenhill got a huge strikeout for the second out. But, with the game down to the last strike, Cottam nailed a RBI double into the right-center gap to tie it up and force extra innings.

Greenhill rocked through a scoreless 10th and struck out the Wildcats in order in the 11th to pave the way for Julien's moment of triumph. The Tigers will now face No. 2 seed Ole Miss (42-14, 18-12 SEC) this afternoon at approximately 1 p.m. CT, with the game being televised on the SEC Network. Auburn's Tanner Burns (5-4, 3.33) will square off against Ryan Rolison (8-4, 3.95) of the Rebels in the pitching circle.

One final note: Yes, I know that the softball team's season ended this past weekend with a loss, but I was honestly too busy over the past three days to write about it.

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

Saturday, May 19th, 2018

In a game that started out as a pitching duel, No. 22 Auburn took a two-run lead in the fifth but couldn't hold the momentum and lost to LSU 6-2 last night in Plainsman Park. The home Tigers (36-19, 14-15 SEC) then went into a one hour and one minute weather delay trailing 4-2, and LSU (33-22, 15-14) increased its lead with a pair of two-out RBI singles.

Starting pitchers once again played a vital role as Auburn's Casey Mize (9-4, 2.94) was exceptional in his first four innings of play, but surrendered four runs on seven hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 6.0 total innings. On the visitor's side, LSU's Ma'Khail Hilliard (9-4, 3.53) got the win in 7.1 innings tossed. "We played hard. It was just a ballgame of moments," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "We played pretty clean baseball. We just didn't get to the pen soon enough. We get an opportunity to come out tomorrow and win a series."

Auburn drew first blood in the bottom of the fifth when Luke Jarvis smacked a one-out double down the left-field line to put a pair in scoring position, and Josh Anthony drove them both in on a chopper over a drawn-in infield to plate a pair. But the Bayou Bengals quickly responded in the top of the sixth, racking up five hits in a four-run frame off Mize, who had struck out nine batters in his first 4.0 innings of play. After Mize issued a leadoff walk to open the seventh, Davis Daniel pitched an efficient 2.1 innings and recorded five strikeouts. He only allowed one hit and one walk before the extended weather delay unfolded.

Following the halt, Calvin Coker stepped into the circle, and LSU got two more runs against the senior-right hander. A day after posting a career-high four hits with three runs and two RBI, Will Holland went 3-for-4 in turning in his fourth double in the last three contests. He has now led off the last four matches with an extra-base hit - three doubles and a home run.

Auburn and LSU face off again this afternoon at 1 p.m. CT. In the pitching department, Auburn's Andrew Mitchell (1-1, 3.86) will square off against LSU's A.J. Labas (6-1, 2.98).

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

Friday, May 18th, 2018

Auburn baseball never trailed in an 11-4 victory over LSU at Plainsman Park yesterday evening. This marked the eighth straight win at home for the 22nd-ranked Tigers (36-18, 14-14 SEC) dating back to April 15th, and they improved to 28-5 at Plainsman Park this year. The team has racked up a combined 76 runs in that span.

Freshman Tanner Burns (5-4, 3.33) held LSU's (32-22, 14-14 SEC) offense in check for most of the night, giving up just four runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts en route to the win. Cody Greenhill took over the pitching duties after 6.0 innings, and he clinched his fifth save in 3.0 scoreless innings. "Tanner Burns, he did a good job of getting the leadoff guy," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "I thought that was huge in the ballgame. I couldn't be more proud of it being a big game back at home and him just driving the ball in the strike zone, especially the fastball. Cody Greenhill, kind of the same thing we've come to expect from him."

Offensively, Will Holland led the home-standing Tigers with his first career four-hit performance, including a pair of doubles, three runs and two RBI. He and Steven Williams reached base nine times combined in the contest. Brendan Venter extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a 3-for-5 outing and scored three runs. Plus, Jay Estes upped his career-long hitting streak to nine matches and recorded two or more hits for the eighth time during that streak.

Auburn and LSU will square off again in Game 2 of the series tonight at 6 p.m. CT, and it will be televised on the SEC Network. For Auburn, it will be Senior Day. Junior Casey Mize (9-3, 2.73) will face off against LSU's Ma'Khail Hilliard (8-4, 3.66) in the circle.

In other news.....

- The softball team beat Kennesaw State 5-2 today in the first game of the Tallahassee Regional. Auburn will play the winner of today's game between host Florida State, the No. 6 national seed, and Jacksonville State tomorrow.

- Auburn basketball has gained a new commitment. Memphis transfer Jamal Johnson verbally pledged to the Tigers on Wednesday, he told 247Sports. "I decided to commit to Auburn University," he said bluntly. When pressed about his decision, he added, "I feel like it's home for me. I think I fit well in this program. Coach (Bruce) Pearl and this staff warmed up to me. I feel like I belong here. I feel like it is right for me."

A 6-foot-4 combination guard, Johnson gave Pearl his pledge while on campus for an official visit. "Just talking to Coach Pearl and the staff and talking to the team and just touring the campus and seeing all of it," he said when asked what put Auburn at the top of his list. I just feel at home here. This campus is amazing and the team is amazing. I just got a great feel."

Johnson also considered and took official visits to Middle Tennessee, UAB, UNC-Charlotte and Louisiana Tech. In the end, a chance to play in the SEC and close to home was too wonderful to resist. As a freshman at Memphis, Johnson averaged 6.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and one assist a game. He nailed 47 three-point attempts last year and shot 33 percent from beyond the arc.

"I feel like I can help them and just bring in my ability to play together with this team and score and make my teammates better," he stated. "My drive to win, I just feel like I want to go get better." As per NCAA transfer rules, Johnson, who played at Birmingham (Ala.) Spain Park in high school, will sit out next season and then have three years of eligibility remaining. He actually already has a connection to the Auburn program, as he played high school and AAU ball with standout Austin Wiley.

Johnson is the son of former NBA first-round draft pick Buck Johnson.

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

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018

No. 22 Auburn started out strong, but couldn't sustain the momentum as it lost its midweek finale at Troy by a score of 9-5 last night at Riddle-Pace Field. The game lasted more than four and a half hours due to a 33-minute rain delay and a 57-minute lightning delay.

The Tigers (35-18) trailed 5-4 coming out of the first stoppage, and tied the game in the top of the seventh as Edouard Julien drew a bases-loaded walk. They then left the bases loaded after the second halt in action. From that point on, the Trojans (36-17) got four runs on a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh and a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to secure the victory. Relief pitchers played a major role in this one as Calvin Coker (3-2, 4.69) took the loss for Auburn while C.J. Carter (7-4, 3.20) got the win for Troy.

The Tigers quickly jumped ahead when Will Holland smacked a leadoff double and later scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first. Holland is now 3-of-5 with one double and two home runs in the last five contests while leading off games. Starting pitcher Jack Owen stranded four runners in the first two stanzas, Troy deadlocked the score on a two-out RBI single by Rigsby Mosely in the top of the third.

But Auburn immediately responded in its next at-bat when the first four batters reached and the Tigers retook the lead on a bases-loaded walk by Jay Estes. With the bases loaded and one out, freshman Judd Ward beat out a possible double play ball and two runs came in to score as Brendan Venter dashed around third and slid in just ahead of the throw on the play to mount the advantage to 4-1.

Owen tossed 4.1 innings, giving up one run on five hits with two walks and a career-high-matching six strikeouts before Welby Malczewski stepped in and ended the bottom of the fifth with a double play. With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the sixth, Troy surged back to go on top 5-4 on a bases-clearing double by Drew Frederic. Malczewski, who hadn't surrendered an earned run in his last 8.0 innings of play, hit a wall with two walks in the frame and was replaced by Calvin Coker before the go-ahead double.

Following the aforementioned two delays, the teams resumed action with the score tied at 5-all. But the Tigers kept the bases loaded and went down in order for the last seven outs, while Troy got two big hits that ultimately proved to be the difference in this one. Regarding Auburn's offense, Jay Estes tallied two hits and extended his hitting streak to a career-long eight games. He now has two or more hits in seven of the last eight matches. Elsewhere, Venter upped his hitting streak to 10 games, matching a season-high for the Tigers.

Auburn will return home to finish out the regular season with a three-game series against LSU (32-21, 14-13 SEC). The first pitch in Game 1 is set for 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, with the game being televised by ESPNU. Going back to the Troy game for just a moment, I mentioned in my last post that I am a 2009 Troy graduate. I'm sure you can imagine the mixed feelings that this outcome left me with: Happiness for the Trojans, and disappointment for the Tigers.

In other news.....

- The softball team starts NCAA Regional play on Friday morning when they take on Kennesaw State in Tallahassee, Fla. The first pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT. The game will be available online at ESPN3.

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

Monday, May 14th, 2018

For the first time since 2014, Auburn softball will not have the luxury of hosting an NCAA Regional in its own ballpark. The Tigers (40-15) will travel to the campus of No. 6 Florida State and begin play on Friday against Kennesaw State. Auburn dropped six of its last eight SEC games and then fell to Alabama in the SEC Tournament, which proved too much to overcome when the NCAA Selection Committee revealed the top 16 seeds yesterday evening.

The Tigers' players and coaches learned their fate as they watched the show at the athletics complex auditorium. Kennesaw State kept Auburn on its toes earlier this season, but the Tigers eked out a 2-1 win in Jane B. Moore Field on April 4th. The winner in Tallahassee advances to play the winner of the LSU regional, which also includes Louisiana, coached by former Auburn hitting coach Gerry Glasgow. In order to advance, head coach Mickey Dean's troops will have to do what no other Tiger team has done: Win a regional away from Jane B. Moore Field.

When Auburn's name popped up on the auditorium screen, the players cheered, although they had hoped for a better outcome. However, Dean wasn't disappointed. "I think anytime you have a chance to play in the postseason, that's not a disappointment," he said. "It gives you an opportunity to play for a national championship. I think that's what it's all about."

Auburn wasn't treated kindly on the road this season, winning just two of 11 SEC contests. But senior pitcher Kaylee Carlson said that her team is determined to change that. "I think it's time for us to prove we can beat any school anywhere," she said. Four home series victories over teams ranked in the top 16 seeds were not enough for the Tigers to bring a regional to its own ballpark for the fourth straight season. Florida State, the Atlantic Coast Conference champion, finished 47-10 overall and will face Jacksonville State in Round 1 on Friday. Meanwhile, Auburn will play Kennesaw State (39-15) at 11 a.m. that day.

"We've been practicing on the things we need to improve on," Dean said. "Now we can start implementing the things we will see from the other teams. We will start with Kennesaw State and go from there." Senior Kaylee Carlson and sophomore Makayla Martin will likely handle the pitching duties. Carlson is 20-6 with a 1.34 ERA, while Martin is 15-6 with a 1.23 ERA. Victoria Draper leads Auburn in hitting with a .387 average and in runs scored with 39. Taylon Snow is hitting .333, Casey McCrackin .315 and Courtney Shea .303. McCrackin leads in home runs with eight, followed by Kendall Veach with seven. Shea leads in RBIs with 32.

Auburn shut out 8th-ranked Tennessee 6-0 on April 8th, and appeared destined for a top eight national seed. However, all such potential was dashed the following weekend. In a game that started on a Friday and resumed the next day due to rain, the Tigers led 4-1 entering the seventh inning at last-place Missouri. But Carlson allowed a three-run homer to tie it, and then a walk-off homer to put Mizzou on top. Returning to the field 45 minutes later, the Tigers lost 5-4.

Auburn battled back, winning two of three from Arkansas. They had their best offensive showing of the SEC season in an 11-1 blowout. But in the final regular-season series at Texas A&M, the Tigers again hit a wall, scoring just two runs in three games and being swept in the process. With a bye on the final SEC weekend, Auburn won two over Chattanooga. They then returned to Columbia for the SEC Tournament, and led Alabama 2-0 and 4-2, but Carlson struggled in the fifth frame, and was replaced by Martin. But she didn't fare much better, and the Tide rallied for a 6-4 victory.

Now, we must keep our fingers crossed that Auburn can make this postseason journey a happy one.

In other news.....

- Former Auburn quarterback John Franklin III has found a new NFL home. He participated in the Chicago Bears' rookie minicamp over the weekend as a tryout player and, according to his Twitter account, he is joining the organization. It's not clear exactly where he will end up on the field, but he'll have his work cut out for him to make the 53-man roster. However, if he can prove his versatility this offseason, he has plenty of hope. Although his 40-yard dash time at his Pro Day was not as impressive as many expected, it could be possible for him to get work as a kick returner or even in some offensive packages considering his background at Auburn and Florida Atlantic (which you should be familiar with if you've followed him closely).

- Don't forget: The baseball team plays at Troy tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be available online at ESPN3.

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

Sunday, May 13th, 2018

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

The 16th-ranked Auburn baseball team grabbed an early lead for the first time this weekend but let it slip away as 5th-ranked Ole Miss scored seven runs in its final two at-bats to overtake the Tigers 10-3 in the series finale at Swayze Field in Oxford yesterday afternoon. The victory gave the Rebels the series sweep by a combined score of 23-10.

Auburn (35-17, 13-14 SEC) tied the game at 3-all on Brendan Venter's RBI double in the fifth and kept the score as such through the bottom of the seventh thanks to a strong relief outing by Cody Greenhill. But the Rebels' Tyler Keenan broke the tie with a solo homer coming out of the seventh inning stretch, and Ole Miss (39-13, 16-11) registered six runs in as many hits to lock this one up.

"I was hoping we would be the one to break the dam instead of our dam breaking," Tigers' head coach Butch Thompson stated. "Give credit to Ole Miss. Every weekend in the Southeastern Conference, when your best players play the best, you have a great chance to beat anybody. When your best players in key spots don't play their best, it becomes really tough, especially on the road."

Greenhill (3-2, 1.60) tossed 4.2 strong innings in relief but took the loss for Auburn with his only mistake coming on the solo homer. Meanwhile, Ole Miss reliever Will Ethridge (3-1, 4.53) got the victory after posting 10 strikeouts in 6.2 innings of action. The Tigers went in front early when Will Holland smacked a solo homer to left field, then doubled that lead in the second inning when Holland struck again with an RBI single back up the middle.

But Auburn left five runners on base in the first two frames, and the Rebels snatched the lead with a three runs in the home half of the second. Neither starting pitcher played more than 2.0 innings in the match. With the Tigers down by one in the fifth, Venter broke through with a two-out double that glanced off the top of the wall in left field to enable Steven Williams to score from third and tie the game. From there, however, Ole Miss pulled away with the aforementioned six runs.

Despite the outcome, Venter extended his hitting streak to nine games, while Jay Estes has now hit safely in seven straight. Meanwhile, Holland went 2-for-4 and led the Tigers to their ninth straight contest with at least one home run. Auburn must now prepare for a trip to Troy (my alma mater) on Tuesday, with the first pitch set for 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at ESPN3. The Tigers will then return home to wrap up the regular season with a three-game series against LSU from Thursday through Saturday.

In other news....

- Big news on the men's basketball front. Mustapha Heron has not hired an agent, and with the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft (May 30) swiftly approaching, he may have a change of heart and come back to play with the Tigers for one more year after all. Heron left the program in April with plans to hire an agent and not return to school, but a source close to him told Auburn Undercover yesterday that he may be having second thoughts.

The source in question said that there was a 50 percent chance of that happening. The source echoes a report from Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. "I'm trying to get all the feedback I can," Heron told Zagoria. Two sources told Auburn Undercover last week that he had yet to hire an agent, and a college player can return to school if they don't hire an agent and inform the NBA of their decision to remain in college by May 30th.

Up to this point, Heron has worked out in front of personnel for the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers. He will take part in private workouts with the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz on May 22nd and 23rd, respectively. "I think it will definitely help me," Heron told ZagsBlog.com. "I'm just enjoying it right now, trying to have fun, trying to get better. This has been something I've always dreamed of as a kid, being able to work out in front of NBA GMs."

Heron averaged a team-best 16.4 points and also yanked down 5.3 rebounds a game last season in guiding Auburn to its first regular-season SEC title since 1999.

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

Thursday, May 10th, 2018

Auburn softball scrapped with determination from start to finish, but that valiant effort fell short as 13th-ranked Alabama pulled away from the Tigers 6-4 last night in the opening round of the SEC Tournament at Missouri Softball Stadium in Columbia.

Head coach Mickey Dean directly commended his team's persistence. "We had a great offensive approach," he said. "I don't know how many hits we had, but our offensive approach was great from inning one through inning seven. We had opportunities in every inning except for one or two to score some runs. We kept the pressure on them. Now, someone has to come through with a hit, and that's really what it comes down to. If we can take that approach into the postseason, into the NCAA Tournament, I'm excited."

Auburn only generated four hits. Despite that, they cashed in on nine walks by the Tide to turn up the heat on Alabama's pitchers and put runners on. The Tigers left 12 runners on base, including three in the top of the seventh with a chance to take the lead. Auburn drew first blood in the first inning on a 2-RBI single by Alyssa Rivera, who led her team at the plate with two hits. But the Tide responded in the bottom of the frame on a two-out, two-run homer by Bailey Hemphill.

The next three innings turned into a pitching duel between Auburn's Kaylee Carlson and Alabama's Alexis Osorio. But in the fifth, the Tigers went back on top on Casey McCrackin's two-run homer to center field. After two walked batters, the Tide pulled Osorio in favor of freshman Madison Preston. Preston managed to keep the margin at two, and when Bama was back on offense, it grabbed the lead back with a three-run frame to get a 5-4 advantage. On Auburn's side, Carlson was benched in favor of Makayla Martin (15-6) in the fifth. She tossed the final two innings, only giving up two hits, but two runs, one earned.

After Bama got another run in the sixth, the Tigers returned to offense in the seventh, trailing 6-4. A walk and base hit by Rivera forced the Tide to make another pitching change as Osorio returned to the circle. A passed ball and another walk loaded the bases with two outs for pinch hitter Justus Perry, who struck out to end the contest. Preston was credited with the win for Alabama, improving to 7-5 on the year while Osorio clinched her fifth save. Meanwhile, Martin was charged with the loss for Auburn.

The Tigers fell to 40-15 overall, 11-13 in SEC play, and will now have to sit back and wait to find out where they will play in the NCAA Regional.

In other news....

- The baseball team plays at Ole Miss tonight at 6 p.m. CT, with the game being televised on ESPNU.

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

Wednesday, May 9th, 2018

The 16th-ranked Tigers smacked four home runs and wrapped up their home non-conference schedule with a 10-4 win over South Alabama last night at Plainsman Park. In doing so, Auburn swept the season series against the in-state Jaguars. Offensively, the Tigers (35-14) tallied double-digit runs for the third straight game and seventh time in the last 12 matches, while the pitching tandem of Jack Owen and Welby Malczewski gave up just four runs in as many hits.

Auburn racked up a total of 17 hits, including multi-hit games from Will Holland, Edouard Julien, Brendan Venter, Brett Wright and Jay Estes. Estes is 10-of-15 in his last four games and has upped his average 34 points during that span with two or more hits in all four contests. The Tigers must now turn their attention to a trip to Oxford to face 5th-ranked Ole Miss tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

In other news....

- The softball team plays Alabama in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Columbia, Missouri tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

- Former Auburn wide receiver Ben Obomanu's days on the gridiron may be done, but he may soon be representing clients as an attorney. Obomanu received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Alabama Law School last weekend. He enrolled there in 2015 and served as president of the Black Law Students Association during his time there. He was also the student ombudsperson for the Honor Council.

However, Obomanu was sure to let Auburn fans know he's always a Tiger when he posted pictures from his graduation weekend at the rival school. "I am more than an athlete," he tweeted. "The NFL was dream #2. Dream #1 has always been to become a lawyer!" A native of Selma, Ala., Obomanu has always been stellar as a student. He was the valedictorian at Selma High School.

During his Auburn career from 2002-05, he caught 58 passes for 716 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was chosen in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu spent six years with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL, where he hauled in 83 passes for 1,151 yards and seven scores in five seasons. He was on the practice squad during his rookie season. He was let go from the team in 2013 and had a brief stint with the New York Jets before being released prior to the season.

The 2010 season was Obomanu's best in the NFL as he recorded 30 catches for 494 yards and four TDs. He wore his Seahawks jersey underneath his graduation robe at Alabama last weekend.

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

Tuesday, May 8th, 2018

Former Auburn running back Kamryn Pettway followed in teammate Kerryon Johnson's footsteps, leaving school early to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. Contrary to Johnson, though, he didn't hear his name called in the event. Instead, Pettway signed as an undrafted free agent for the Minnesota Vikings. Sadly, his time with them has already ended.

Yesterday, the Vikings announced that they had waived four players who participated in this past weekend's rookie minicamp, and Pettway was one of them. He'll obviously have to start the search for a new NFL team, but considering his short stay in Minnesota, it may take some time for him to find a new home. That said, he rushed for 1,224 yards and seven touchdowns against SEC competition in 2016, so if you're an NFL follower, don't bet against him being in action for another squad this summer.

In other news....

- Auburn baseball shut out Vanderbilt 14-0 in Plainsman Park on Sunday to complete its first sweep of the Commodores since 2002. The Tigers (34-14, 13-11 SEC) recorded their largest margin of victory over Vandy since 1967 and their first shut out of the Commodores (25-22, 11-13 SEC) since 1998. Auburn's offense generated 13 runs on 14 hits while the pitching staff faced just two batters over the minimum and didn't issue a walk in the contest.

The Tigers return to action tonight when they host South Alabama in Plainsman Park at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

- The softball team shut out Chattanooga in a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon by respective scores of 7-0 and 9-0. The Tigers will play Alabama in the first round of the SEC Tournament tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. CT in Columbia, Mo.

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

Sunday, May 6th, 2018

Every loyal college football fan knows that the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry between Auburn and Georgia is mighty darn special. Well, that intensity turned up a notch yesterday. The Tigers gained their seventh commitment for 2019 when three-star tight end Tyler Fromm of Warner Robbins (Ga.) gave his pledge to Auburn during an unofficial visit to the school. He is the younger brother of Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm.

The 6-feet-5, 225-pound Fromm ranks as the No. 24 tight end nationally in the 247Sports Composite. With his commitment, the Tigers rose three spots from No. 19 to No. 16 in the recruiting team rankings. Before he visited the Plains, he reportedly seemed to be siding with Florida. Auburn would like to have two tight ends in the Class of '19. Another big target, Luke Deal of South Carolina, plans to announce his college choice May 25th. Some consider Auburn to be the favorite at the moment.

While the Tigers knew that Fromm was strongly considering them, the timing of his decision was somewhat surprising, sources told AuburnUndercover. This was, however, his fourth visit to Auburn this year alone. Florida and South Carolina were the other primary candidates. LSU recently offered him as well. Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was Fromm's lead recruiter, as he is the area recruiter for the Macon, Ga. region.

Last season, Fromm caught 43 passes. Many consider him to be one of the country's top pass-catching tight ends. "They want me to get in as early as I can just to build the recruiting class up," he said recently. Fromm realizes that his presence on the field would be more than helpful. "They just need a few more guys to throw to," he pointed out. "They need a guy at tight end to flex out and throw to - and bring him in. I guess they just don't have that right now."

The Tigers have gotten off to a booming start in recruiting this month. Last Tuesday, they landed five-star linebacker Owen Pappoe of Grayson (Ga.). On the last day of April, four-star cornerback Jaylin Simpson of St. Simons Island (Ga.) Frederica Academy gave Auburn his pledge. This pack of recruitments is even more significant considering that the program's signature recruiting event - Big Cat Weekend - takes place in less than a month on June 2nd. With seven commitments in the books, look for Auburn to add 15-16 more to the class. At the beginning of April, the Tigers had two pledges.

This isn't the first time that brothers have gone to different schools. Remember the Ridley brothers, Calvin and Riley? The former went to Alabama (and has since left early for the NFL), while the latter went to Georgia. The only thing they had in common was playing receiver. As for the Fromms, it should be quite intriguing to see what happens when they square off against each other in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry down the road. In Tyler's case, the big question lies in whether Gus Malzahn and Chip Lindsey will implement him as a crucial part of the offense. We can only hope so.

In other news....

- Auburn baseball handily beat Vanderbilt 11-5 yesterday afternoon to claim its first series win over the Commodores since 2009. The Tigers improved to 33-14 overall, 12-11 in SEC play. Meanwhile, Vandy fell to 25-21 overall, 11-12 in the league. Offensively, all nine members of the Tigers' starting lineup got a hit for the fourth time in the last three weekends and the fifth time this season. In the pitching department, Tanner Burns (4-4, 3.00) picked up the victory after tossing 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Freshman Cody Greenhill pitched the final 3.1 frames and didn't allow a run, earning his fourth save of the season and his first in SEC play.

Auburn is going for the sweep in Game 3 this afternoon. As of this writing, they certainly seem destined to get it. The Tigers lead 8-0 with the sixth inning having just begun.

- The softball team plays a doubleheader at Chattanooga today. Game 1 was at 1 p.m. CT, and Game 2 will follow at 3:30 p.m. CT.

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

Saturday, May 5th, 2018

Junior right-hander Casey Mize had a splendid night for Auburn baseball last night, tying a program record with 15 strikeouts and leading the 20th-ranked Tigers to a 4-1 win over No. 17 Vanderbilt in Plainsman Park. Mize (9-2, 2.25) posted his third complete game of the season and the fifth of his career. He kept Vandy's bats very quiet, allowing just one run on four hits with no walks. His 15 strikeouts put him in the history books with former Auburn legends Tim Hudson, Chris Bootcheck, Mark Chapman and John Powell in single-game history.

Tiger head coach Butch Thompson had a very eloquent description of the game. "Our guys are through with exams, we had Casey Mize on the mound, (Plainsman Park) was packed tonight and it was just a beautiful day in Auburn, Alabama," he stated. "The game the guys played was so clean. We got two big home runs from Brett Wright and Conor Davis, who has worked so hard. Casey had 15 strikeouts and no walks. It was just a special night." This was only the second game in Auburn history with that many strikeouts against an SEC opponent. It also marked Mize's fifth game this season with double-digit strikeouts and his 10th since the start of last season. He now ranks fourth on Auburn's all-time strikeout list with 287.

"The goal is always to strike somebody out," he noted. "That's just kind of what I try to do. Tonight, I was just able to get a lot of them. Brett did a really good job calling the game behind the plate. We've been clicking great lately, so he had a lot to do with tonight." The Tigers (32-14, 11-11 SEC) jumped in front early with Wright's solo homer in the bottom of the first. It was his ninth of the year, marking the most home runs by an Auburn catcher since Tony Caldwell smacked nine homers in 2009. Mize, who had struck out 11 through his first 5.0 innings of action, and Vandy's Drake Fellows (4-4, 3.82) held the opponent's offenses in check, but Auburn came to life in the bottom of the fifth.

After singles from Jay Estes and Brendan Venter, Davis put a large nail in Vandy's coffin with a three-run homer to center field, increasing the count to 4-0 and virtually putting this one away. The Commodores (25-20, 11-11 SEC) tried to fight back, pulling to within three on a leadoff home run by Phillip Clarke in the top of the seventh. However, that was the closest thing to a mistake by Mize all day as he took care of the following three batters in order to close out the frame. Mize returned to action to start the ninth and, despite Austin Martin's leadoff single to center to open the inning, tied the ribbon on this one with a 3-6-1 double play and his record-tying, final strikeout.

The Tiger offense had an effective day. Aside from Mize's superb performance, Estes led Auburn with two hits, while Davis had three runs on his fifth-inning homer. Auburn and Vandy are playing Game 2 of the series this afternoon. As I write this, the Tigers are on top 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Let's hope that advantage holds up. Incidentally, Game 3 will be played tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT, and will be available online at SECN+.

In other news.....

- The softball team plays at Chattanooga tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. CT. That game will also be available online at SECN+.

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

Thursday, May 3rd, 2018

Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham was largely limited in spring practice thanks to recovery from an offseason shoulder surgery. But practically everyone inside the program is optimistic that he'll be ready to play in the 2018 season opener against Washington. That said, he'll have to have an effective summer to boost that confidence even more.

Yesterday, head coach Gus Malzahn expressed his belief that Stidham is well on his way to being 100 percent when the Tigers return for preseason camp. "When we come back, he'll be turned loose to do everything," Malzahn said before his first stop on the Ambush tour in Montgomery. "I know he's really looking forward to that. He could have done a little bit more the last week of spring, we just didn't want to take any chances. We wanted to be cautious with him, but he'll be back ready to go when we come back."

This is obviously encouraging news for the Tigers, as their backup quarterbacks gave less-than-stellar performances this spring. But Stidham will have to prove that he's fully healthy again this summer. Otherwise, that could spell trouble for the Auburn offense (at least in the passing game).

In other news....

- Auburn basketball has scheduled a home-and-home series with North Carolina State starting in 2018. The Tigers and Wolfpack will square off on Dec. 19th of this year in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2019, NC State will travel to Auburn Arena on a date to be determined. The Wolfpack hold a 5-3 lead in the series against Auburn.

"We're really excited to start a series against such a storied program in NC State," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement. "I've known (NC State coach) Kevin Keatts for a long time and he's an outstanding young coach. For our players to go to Tobacco Road and play in Raleigh will be a great experience, and we're excited to have them come back the following year to Auburn Arena."

The teams have not faced off since the 2009-10 campaign, when the Wolfpack won 60-58 in Dayton, Ohio. It was the only meeting between the schools in the past 43 years. NC State advanced to the NCAA Tournament this past season. Auburn is already set to host Dayton this season and participate in the Maui Invitational, which includes Arizona, Duke, Gonzaga, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier.

The Tigers clinched their third SEC title in program history this past season, and are now awaiting word on whether three players - center Austin Wiley, point guard Jared Harper and guard Bryce Brown - will return to school after testing the NBA Draft waters this month. The deadline to withdraw is May 30th.

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

- The softball team plays on Sunday at Chattanooga at 1 p.m. CT.

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

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018

Auburn football turned to arch-rival Georgia to clinch its sixth commitment for 2019. Five-star linebacker Owen Pappoe of Grayson (Ga.) verbally pledged to the Tigers yesterday in front of family and friends at Sports & Social, giving head coach Gus Malzahn and linebackers coach Travis Williams a big victory over Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his staff at a position of urgent need in the Class of '19.

"It's a school I felt really comfortable with," Pappoe said. "It's a school I think I can come in really quick and make an immediate impact with on the field. It's home." Pappoe also added that he told Williams he was coming to the Plains "three months ago." He ranks as the No. 8 overall recruit and No. 1 outside linebacker nationally in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. Since the Tigers will lose three key linebackers after this upcoming season, that makes the 6-feet-1/2 inch, 207-pound Pappoe's pledge even more crucial.

Auburn jumped six spots from No. 25 to No. 19 in the 247Sports recruiting team rankings. On Monday, the Tigers got a verbal from four-star cornerback Jaylin Simpson of St. Simons Island (Ga.) Frederica Academy. At previous points in his recruitment, he appeared destined for many other schools. FSU, Alabama, Clemson and Tennessee all seemed to be good bets, and unsurprisingly, over the past year, it seemed a guarantee that Pappoe was going to Georgia.

Late last fall, however, the Tigers started to swing into action. Pappoe released a top three and didn't include Auburn. But when he attended a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in November he told AuburnUndercover that the Tigers weren't far from his lead group. During the winter, the Tigers, led by Williams, began gaining serious momentum. By March, it had become a two-horse race. Soon after, sources say that Auburn had taken the lead. From then on, the Tigers held out hope as Pappoe took official visits to Penn State and Texas - and one more unofficial visit to Athens, Ga.

In a nutshell, Pappoe is one of the most athletic recruits in America. At the recent The Opening Charlotte Regional Camp in North Carolina, his Sparq score, a metric that factors in testing in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, power ball throw and shuttle, he posted the best score in the event's regional camp history. Pappoe's Opening camp 40 time of 4.47 seconds was particularly endearing.

Williams, the former Auburn linebacker, has spearheaded Pappoe's recruitment, and Pappoe is Williams' highest-rated commitment to date as a young coach. Aside from being Pappoe's position coach, he is the area recruiter at Grayson. The two established a close bond, which was just as important as anything in this recruitment. "Out of every coach I've been recruited by, I have the best relationship with him by far," Pappoe said. "With him it's more than football. He cares about me as a person and cares about developing me as a man in the future."

In other news....

- Auburn has hired Gary Taylor as its new swimming coach. Taylor is a former assistant at NC State and Florida State. It should also be noted that he met his wife, an Auburn graduate and former Tiger Paw, on the Auburn campus in 2007.

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

Tuesday, May 1st, 2018

Auburn football gained its fifth commitment for 2019 yesterday morning. Jaylin Simpson, a four-star cornerback from St. Simons Island (Ga.) Frederica Academy, publicly pledged to the Tigers, becoming their second corner commit in two weeks. The first was Cordale Flott of Saraland (Ala.), who verbally committed to Auburn on April 17th, choosing them over Florida.

Simpson said that he gave a silent pledge to head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff last Saturday during a visit to the school with his mother and sister. "I committed - 1,000 percent committed to Auburn," he stated. "My family had a great visit. They felt it was a great place for me. We're all pretty confident. I think it's best for us." The 5-feet-11, 170-pound Simpson ranks as the No. 28 athlete nationally in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, and the No. 33 prospect in Georgia. He picked the Tigers over programs such as Nebraska and South Carolina.

For a Frederica Academy squad that finished last season 7-4, Simpson served as the starting quarterback due to injuries. He accumulated 985 yards passing and 1,022 yards rushing and combined for 22 offensive touchdowns. Meanwhile, on defense, he played mostly at safety, recording 35 total tackles and four interceptions. "He's an ultimate team player," said Alex Mathis, assistant and college recruiting coordinator at Frederica Academy. "He showed that this year when we needed him to play quarterback and did that and did it at a high level. A coach's dream player."

Three of Auburn's five commits for 2019 have four-star ratings in the 247Sports Composite. With his pledge, the Tigers climbed seven spots in the recruiting rankings from No. 32 to No. 25. "Coach Malzahn told me I'm built for this place," Simpson stated. "He wants me here 100 percent, without a doubt. That's all I needed to hear." The three-day visit last weekend was only Simpson's second trip to the Plains. His first took place on March 29th - and he was very impressed very quickly. Upon leaving for home, he placed Auburn on top.

"The visit was a lot different from the other ones," he noted. "A lot of stuff stood out such as academics, sports, all that. I just had a good time and I'll definitely be back again."

Indeed, he kept his word and returned last Friday with two family members. In his mother's case, it was not only her first trip to Auburn, but also her first time visiting a college on a recruiting trip period. Now, the Tigers are playing wait-and-see with four-star athlete Jashawn Sheffield, who is Simpson's teammate at Frederica Academy. He is also visiting the Plains this weekend with family. And, like Simpson, Sheffield had the Tigers on top entering the trip.

Prior to Simpson's pledge, Auburn had had only two commitments since January, but his commitment gave the Tigers three verbals in April alone.

In other news....

- Auburn baseball will return to action on Friday when it hosts Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park. The game will be available online at SECN+. The Tigers were shellacked by Florida 12-3 last Saturday.

- The softball team returns to action next Sunday, May 6th, when it plays at Chattanooga (Tenn.). The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT. The Tigers fell to Texas A&M 7-1 two days ago.

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