:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/8502249/17auburn1.0.jpg)
(Note: We're totally stealing this format from And the Valley Shook. It's a good idea, and good ideas deserve to be stolen. We're calling this weekly post "The Leadoff Hitter", because it's the first post related to the upcoming series and sets the table for the weekend's coverage. You know, like a leadoff hitter.)
Auburn hosts Middle Tennessee State, College of Charleston and Indiana State this weekend for the Tigers' round-robin tournament. Coming off a four-game sweep of Maine, John Pawlowski's team will try to improve to 7-0 by the end of Sunday's game.
Last weekend
Damek Tomscha started his Auburn career with a bang, hitting a walk-off home run to give the Tigers a win on Opening Day.
The Tigers cruised in Game 1 and held on in Game 2 to clinch the series victory over the Black Bears.
Auburn batted around and scored six runs in the sixth inning rallying for a win and a series sweep.
Probable starters
Friday, vs. Middle Tennessee State, 4 p.m. (tickets)
LHP Daniel Koger (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Adams (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Saturday, vs. Charleston, 1 p.m. (tickets)
LHP Michael O'Neal (1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. LHP Jake Zolan (0-0, 4.15 ERA)
Sunday, vs. Indiana State, 2 p.m. (tickets)
TBA vs. LHP Jeff Degano (0-0, 3.60 ERA)
Other tournament action
Friday
Charleston vs. Indiana State
Saturday
Indiana State vs. Middle Tennessee
Sunday
Middle Tennessee vs. Charleston
Weather forecast
Well, it doesn't look good, especially for Friday. Obviously, that mess in Mississippi and Louisiana is heading toward the Plains. The game against MTSU was originally scheduled for 6 p.m., but it was moved up two hours in hopes of squeezing it in before the rain comes. Friday's forecast calls for a 100-percent chance of rain (yikes), Saturday's is set at 50 percent and no rain is expected Sunday.
Auburn statistical leaders
Avg. (min. eight at-bats): Blake Austin, .455
Runs: Jackson Burgreen and Dan Glevenyak, 5
RBIs: Ryan Tella, 6
Doubles: Jackson Burgreen, 3
Triples: Ryan Tella, 1
Home runs: Garrett Cooper and Damek Tomscha, 1
Stolen bases: Ryan Tella and Dan Glevenyak, 1
Starting ERA: Daniel Koger, 0.00
Relief ERA: Five players, 0.00
Starting avg. against: Daniel Koger, .176
Relief avg. against: Three players, .000
Strikeouts: Conner Kendrick, 5
Wins: Four players, 1-0
Saves: Terrance Dedrick and Jay Wade, 1
Around the SEC
Monmouth at No.2 Vanderbilt
Evansville at No. 3 Arkansas
Albany at No. 7 South Carolina
Rhode Island at No. 8 Ole Miss
Florida Gulf Coast at No. 17 Florida
Pepperdine at No. 26 Texas A&M
Alabama at Florida Atlantic
Belmont at Georgia
Arizona State at Tennessee
Missouri at Memphis
Diamond Classic Tournament, Starkville, Miss.
No. 5 Mississippi State, Purdue, Samford
LSU Tournament, Baton Rouge, La.
No. 9 LSU, BYU, Southeastern Louisiana
Caravelle Resort Baseball at the Beach, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
No. 11 Kentucky, Elon, Coastal Carolina, Kansas State