Auburn Closing In On SEC Tournament Berth As They Host Miss. St.

[AUSportTalk 4]

The Auburn baseball team will attempt to get one step

closer to clinching the program’s first Southeastern Conference

Tournament berth since the 2003 season when it plays host to Mississippi

State this weekend at Plainsman Park. Auburn, which is ranked 19th in

the country, comes into the game 30-15 overall and 12-9 in the SEC while

Mississippi State is 20-25, 5-16 SEC.

Auburn has won three of its last four SEC series, which includes win

over then No. 3 LSU at home and then No. 7 Arkansas on the road, to move

to within two games of the top spot in the SEC West race. In the overall

standings, Auburn is fifth with nine conference games remaining, four

games ahead of ninth-place Tennessee.

Still the preeminent offense in the SEC with a .348 team batting

average, which is eighth nationally, Auburn will be facing the 11th-best

pitching staff in the 12-team league as Mississippi State sports a 6.00

team ERA.

Game times for the series are 6:30pm CT on Friday, 3pm on Saturday and

1pm on Sunday.

The pitching matchups for the series are So. LHP Cory Luckie (5-2, 6.23

ERA) vs. Sr. LHP Tyler Whitney (0-2, 4.84) on Friday, TBD vs. Fr. RHP

Chris Stratton (4-3, 5.64) on Saturday and Jr. LHP Grant Dayton (5-2,

4.86) vs. TBA on Sunday.

Friday night’s game will be followed by fireworks (weather

permitting) while Saturday will be Beach Day at the Ballpark as beach

music is played and there are beach-themed promotions. The first 500

fans into Saturday’s game will receive caps from Cook’s Pest

Control.

Sunday is Family Day where fans can get four tickets, four hot dogs and

four drinks for $30 with advance purchase and Kids Run the Bases

following the game presented by ALLKids. The first 500 fans through the

gates will also receive Team Trading Card Set No. 4 from Longhorn

Steakhouse.