Tag: Griffin Graves

Auburn passes first midweek test, downs UAB at Plainsman Park

The Tigers managed to defeat UAB, 7-2, on Tuesday despite recording just three hits in the contest.

Who says you need a dominating offense to win a baseball game convincingly?

The Auburn Tigers (4-0) earned its first midweek win of the season Tuesday by downing in-state foe UAB (2-2), 7-2, at Plainsman Park. Despite winning by five runs, Auburn only managed to record three hits in the contest.

“You’re usually not sitting here with the result you want if the other team scores first and you get outhit in the ballgame,” Auburn head coach [autotag]Butch Thompson[/autotag] said after the game. “I give the guys some credit for just hanging in there and battling.”

The usual damage pieces in [autotag]Ike Irish[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Stanfield[/autotag], and [autotag]Bobby Peirce[/autotag] teamed up to notch one hit each in the stat sheet while the rest of the Tigers’ lineup went 0-14 at the plate.

Auburn’s first official hit came in the top of the 2nd inning when Peirce led off the inning with a single to 3rd base. He later scored in the inning on a bases-loaded walk to [autotag]Javon Hernandez[/autotag], putting the Tigers ahead, 1-0. Irish led off the 3rd inning by hitting a 420-foot home run off the batter’s eye in center field. Irish’s second home run of the season extended Auburn’s lead to 2-0.

Auburn waited three innings to earn its third and final hit of the game when Stanfield opened the 6th inning with a double to right field. [autotag]Deric Fabian[/autotag] grounded out to 2nd base three at-bats later to send Stanfield home.

Auburn pitching made up for the lack of offensive power in the game as six pitchers combined to strike out 11 batters while allowing six hits, three walks, and two earned runs. [autotag]Conner McBride[/autotag] tossed 3.2 innings in his Auburn debut, striking out four batters and allowing two hits. Freshman [autotag]Griffin Graves[/autotag] earned the win by throwing two relief innings and striking out two batters. [autotag]Tanner Bauman[/autotag] struck out the side in one inning of work on 14 total pitches.

The Tigers will now shift its focus to an exciting, yet challenging weekend ahead in Jacksonville, Florida. Auburn will compete in the Jax College Baseball Classic beginning Friday at 5 p.m. CT against the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes. Auburn will also face No. 11 Virginia and Wichita State at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Check out these highlights from Tuesday’s win.

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Examining Auburn baseball’s returning pitchers

Which returning pitcher will make the biggest impact on Auburn’s success in 2024?

The Auburn Tigers are looking to return to the postseason for the sixth time in seven seasons and will have plenty of weapons to make that dream a reality.

One of the most experienced units this season will be its pitching, which returns 13 arms from last season’s roster. Names such as [autotag]Christian Herberholz[/autotag], [autotag]Tanner Bauman[/autotag], [autotag]Will Cannon[/autotag], and [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag] are back for another season, and [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] is expected to return to the Friday night starter role after sustaining a shoulder injury last season.

The Tigers added several solid arms such as [autotag]Trevor Booten[/autotag], [autotag]Cam Tilley[/autotag], and [autotag]Griffin Graves[/autotag] from the 2023 recruiting class, but their returning pitchers bring plenty of wealth to the club. Between the 13 returning pitchers who saw action last season, the group accounted for 36 starts, 203 appearances, and 371 strikeouts.

Which returning pitcher will make the biggest impact on Auburn’s season? Here is a look at Auburn’s top returning pitchers ahead of the 2024 season.