Auburn takes on Clemson in exhibition game

[aubiefifty 16,772]

From The Dugout: Auburn takes on Clemson in exhibition game

ByJason Caldwell

4 minutes

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Auburn celebrates win at Arkansas

 

AUBURN, Alabama—Following a 20-0 win over Tuskegee in an exhibition game last Saturday when Sonny DiChiari produced four hits and seven RBI and Auburn pitchers allowed just three hits in 12 innings, the competition level jumps up dramatically this weekend when the Clemson Tigers come to Plainsman Park. The 12-inning baseball exhibition is scheduled for 11 a.m. CDT with Auburn expected to throw at least 10 different pitchers with left-hander Carson Skipper getting the start once again following two scoreless innings against Tuskegee.

“Whenever you play outside competition when you have been training for two months, that re-energizes everybody,” Coach Butch Thompson said. “Not just for us, but for Clemson it does the same thing. You learn a new lesson about your ballclub.

"I loved playing Tuskegee the first week and how clean we played," he said.  "That was great to make a difference where you’re doing something for the Miracle League, but you’re also connecting with your neighbor. Reggie Hollins is a great friend. We’ve been going to lunch and hanging out and talking so much, I was like, ‘why don’t we play?’ It turned out great and I think it was good for both clubs.

“When I say clean, it was 12 innings of not making an error. It’s 12 innings of only having three, three-ball counts by your pitching staff. It’s not giving up a hit after the fourth inning. Those are the things we take away from a positive standpoint last week. Now you get another school that, from a talent standpoint, matches you athletically and looks similar to you, and has the same goals and aspirations for the upcoming season. Now you have to apply more gamesmanship and pitchability, where you just can’t throw three out of four fastballs. Now you are going to have to pitch and do some things and the defense will probably have to make more plays than they did against Tuskegee.”

Pitching Plans:

Skipper will get the start for Auburn against Clemson on Saturday, but as many as a dozen pitchers could see action for Thompson’s club. Others expected to pitch include right-handers Trace Bright, Mason Barnett, Joseph Gonzalez, Ben Bosse, Parker Carlson, Carson Swilling and Blake Burkhalter along with lefty Hayden Mullins. 

Facing Clemson:

The ACC Tigers finished 25-27 overall and 16-20 in ACC play a season ago. Clemson features one of the best power hitters in the nation in 6-6, 240 infielder Caden Grice. Last season as a true freshman he hit 15 home runs to lead the team. Auburn will make a return trip to Clemson next fall for an exhibition game.

Recruiting Notes:

Thompson, Karl Nonemaker, Gabe Gross and Tim Hudson are doing some serious work on the recruiting trail. Expecting 10 visitors for next weekend’s Ole Miss football weekend, the Tigers already have some big commitments in the 2023 class and are loading up in 2024. Currently, Auburn has commitments from the number one player in the state of Alabama (Jackson Sanders), Georgia (Drew Sofield) and the number one player in Mississippi (Hank Eaton). Sanders is a lefty-handed pitcher from Valley. Sofield is a left-handed pitcher from Hiawassee, Ga., and Eaton is a right-handed pitcher from Corinth, Miss.

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[LPTiger 5,154]

AU beat Clempson 11-7.   WDE!!!

[steeleagle 2,945]

Anyone go to the game and can give an update on players/pitchers in the game? 

[LPTiger 5,154]

We pitched it really well.   We threw lots of guys including 3 freshman who did not give up a run.   We held them scoreless in 9 of 12 innings.   Cole Foster and Brody Moore paced the offense.