AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 25 Auburn Tigers (7-1) are set to wrap up a busy stretch of nine home games in their first 12 days of the season as they take on Samford (3-4) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park. The game will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network, available locally on Wings 94.3 FM, and streamed digitally on SEC Network+.
### Probable Starters
– **Tuesday**: Freshman RHP Andreas Alvarez (0-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. Senior RHP Brooks Rice (0-1, 22.50 ERA)
### Quick Hitters
– Auburn boasts a strong 26-5 record in non-conference games since the start of last season and an impressive 164-60-1 mark in non-conference play under head coach Butch Thompson.
– Last week, Auburn led the league with a .371 batting average, including a .423 average in their series against Wright State. Their 41 hits in the three-game series were the most since tallying 50 hits in a three-game set at Ole Miss in May 2023.
– Freshman standout Bub Terrell earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Week honors after scoring the walk-off run against Troy, driving in the go-ahead run against North Alabama, and hitting his first two collegiate home runs against Wright State.
– Auburn’s pitching staff posted a 2.85 ERA with 51 strikeouts over 41.0 innings last week. From the fourth inning on Tuesday through the fourth inning on Sunday, Auburn pitchers allowed just three runs in 33.0 innings, good for a 0.82 ERA.
– Last week marked Auburn’s first five-win week since 2022.
– Auburn leads the all-time series against Samford 78-25-1, including a 48-23-1 record at Plainsman Park.
### Scouting the Bulldogs
Samford enters Tuesday’s game with a 3-4 record after sweeping Valparaiso to start the season but dropping four straight last week at Jacksonville State and No. 2 Tennessee. Offensively, the Bulldogs are hitting .245 as a team and have scored 44 runs in seven games. Sophomore catcher Cade Carr leads the team with a .400 batting average, 10 RBI, and a 1.120 OPS. Junior infielder Jeffery Ince, who went 3-for-9 with a home run in the series at Tennessee, is also 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts this season.
On the mound, Samford has a 6.62 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 53.0 innings. Senior right-hander Brooks Rice, who allowed five runs in 2.0 innings in his first start at Jacksonville State, will take the mound for the Bulldogs on Tuesday.
### Promotions
– **Diamond Deal Days**: Fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs and $5 domestic 16-ounce beers at every midweek game at Plainsman Park.
### Know Before You Go
– **New Premium Areas**: Plainsman Park now features two new premium club spaces—the Broadway Club and the 984 Club—along with the return of the Hall of Fame Club, which opened in 2024. Expanded general admission areas include the War Eagle Wall, Tiger Terrace, and Plainsman Patio.
– **Pregame Road Closures**: Donahue Drive will close between the right field gate and Heisman Drive 15 minutes before first pitch and reopen shortly after the game begins.
– **Postgame Road Closures**: Donahue Drive will close again between the 7th and 8th innings and remain closed until approximately 30 minutes after the game ends.
– **New Entrances**: Two new entrances on the lower First Base Concourse along Donahue Drive have been added to expedite fan entry. Traditional entrances at the Home Plate Concourse, Tiger Terrace, and the premium Hall of Fame Club gate will also remain open.
– **Metal Detectors**: Fans entering Plainsman Park will be required to walk through metal detectors, consistent with other Auburn Athletics venues.
Leave a Reply