The Midweek Round-up - vs. Alabama A&M

Alabama A&M @ #16 Auburn

Tuesday: 19-5 W

To say this came at the right time is a complete understatement. Sure, Auburn has had plenty of these games in the nonconference part of the schedule, but for this game to come after a weekend where Auburn had not scored a run in 16+ innings and only had 2 multiple score innings (only two runs in each) for the entire weekend. Auburn was able to put runs on the board in every inning it batted in except for one, and pound out 14 hits on the night. Also good to see was that the Tigers got back on the Home Run train. Brendan Venter, Brett Wright and Edouard Julien all smashed bombs off the hapless A&M pitching. However the most encouraging thing to see was who started and finished the game on the mound. Andrew Mitchell made a triumphant return going one inning and giving up 2 hits along with 1 run with a walk. He tossed 14 pitches, 9 of which were strikes. To cap the game, Cody Greenhill returned for an inning of work giving up 1 hit with a strike out. The Tigers will need both guys for the stretch run of the conference and will need them this weekend in Fayetteville for sure. It was a win that was almost assured but an important confidence builder for the offense first and foremost.

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Around the League

#1 Florida vs Florida Gulf Coast, TUE 8-4 W

Solid win to our new kings of college baseball. Coach O’Sully has them rolling right now and it’s going to take someone special to knock them off.

#3 Ole Miss @ Memphis, WED 12-0 W

Speaking of rolling, meet Ole Miss. It’s an absolute shame we don’t get a 3 game series between Florida and Ole Miss this season but maybe we will get that in Hoover. Dominate win for the Rebs.

#8 Arkansas vs UL-Monroe, TUE 10-9 W/10, WED 4-0 W

The Tuesday game was nip and tuck throughout (obviously since it went into extras…) but the right team won both, setting up for a bounce back series for both Auburn and Arkansas this weekend.

#10 Kentucky vs Louisville, TUE 8-5 W

Always good to beat your rival but what has happened to Louisville… Don’t get me wrong, they are 19-9 but are just 4-7 in their last 11 games. I know what you’re saying, but Drew, Auburn is just 5-6 in that same game span. Very true, but in the time since Auburn made its last Omaha appearance, Louisville has made 4 and are expected to keep that trend going; just something to keep an eye on.

#15 Vanderbilt @ Middle Tennessee St, TUE 4-3 L/7

For you Commodore/Nashville Predator fans, Tuesday night was not your night. First, the Preds get completely jobbed on a goalie interference call that would have tied the game with .5 seconds left on the clock AND THEN the doors take the lead on a grand slam in the top of the 8^th ...

Only to have mother nature come in a make that inning batting practice…

Absolutely awful way to drop a game especially after a rough weekend in Gainsville.

#17 Georgia vs Georgia Tech, TUE 4-0 W

The Dawgs just keep on rolling and this time they do it at the expense of their in-state rival.

#19 LSU vs Nicholls, TUE 10-1 W

Nothing to see here…move along.

#23 Missouri vs SIU Edwardsville, WED 12-1 W

See above…keep it going.

Tennessee vs Belmont, TUE 9-2 W

Bounce back win for the Vols…yawn.

South Carolina vs North Carolina, TUE 11-3 L

Two teams trying to figure out what they are right now, though UNC is a touch farther along than South Carolina.

Alabama vs Jacksonville State, TUE 4-0 L

Series win over Kentucky and now Alabama is back on….oh…oh ouch…well…that happened.

Mississippi State vs Southern, WED 5-0 W

Good win for State…you gotta just keep hoping that they can put it together for the rest of their season. Hopefully it begins April 17^th and not a day before.

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Composite Top 25

1. Florida

2. Stanford

3. Ole Miss

4. Oregon State

5. NC State

6. FSU

7. Texas Tech

8. Arkansas

9. Clemson

10. Kentucky

11. Duke

12. Indiana

13. East Carolina

14. Southern Miss

15. Vanderbilt

16. Auburn

17. Georgia

18. UCLA

19. LSU

20. Oklahoma

21. Louisville

22. Texas A&M

23. Missouri

24. Coastal Carolina

25. Wichita State

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Regional Watch

Well we have two regional projections to take a look at today, first up will be D1baseball.com’s Midseason projection and they have Auburn pegged as a #12 overall seed and hosting.

1. 12) Auburn

2. Florida Atlantic

3. South Alabama

4. Canisius

I like this projection; its one that favors Auburn’s strengths as pitching would definitely be in Auburn’s corner, which would negate FAU and/or USA and their offenses. The problem would be that the Auburn Regional would be paired with the Fayetteville regional and that could get a bit ugly with 2 SEC West teams going at it again at Baum Stadium.

Baseball America has also updated their Regional Projections:

1. 15) Auburn

2. Oklahoma

3. South Alabama

4. St. Mary’s

DO NOT WANT! I think I speak for all Auburn people when we say we don’t want to see Oklahoma in any sports postseason for a while. This would be a very tough regional as St. Mary’s isn’t a pushover either. Plus, being the 15 would mean that you would travel to the #2 overall seed should they win their regional…and that would be Stanford…

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On Deck (With SEC Weekend Series Schedule)

• #17 Georgia @ #15 Vanderbilt (THU-SAT)
• #19 LSU @ Texas A&M (THU-SAT)
• #1 Florida @ Tennessee (FRI-SUN)
• South Carolina @ #10 Kentucky (FRI-SUN)
• #3 Ole Miss @ Mississippi State (FRI-SUN)
• #16 Auburn @ #8 Arkansas (FRI-SUN)
• Alabama @ #23 Missouri (FRI-SUN)

A touch of a weird weekend as only 2 series’ are a top 25 match up but plenty of interesting storylines. Can Georgia take its hot start on the road against a Vandy team that needs to right the ship (no pun intended). Speaking of righting the ship, Texas A&M needs a series win in the worst way possible and the have LSU at home. Ole Miss visits its good friend Mississippi State as the Bulldogs are trying to find themselves. Is Missouri good enough to continue its winning way against an Alabama team that is coming off a series win over Kentucky? As for Auburn and Arkansas, we all know that this will be a tough series for both teams, more so for Auburn as the Hogs starting rotation and pen are in much better order at this time. Auburn could steal this series but as long as the Tigers can take 1 you have to look at this as an acceptable weekend. Come back from Fayetteville and this team deserves the praise it will get but I am looking for a Friday night win from Casey if he has to grab the bat himself.