Tag: Joseph Gonzalez

Auburn baseball vs. Lipscomb: How to watch/stream this weekend’s series at Plainsman Park

Auburn baseball looks to continue its’ offensive hot streak this weekend against Lipscomb.

Auburn baseball plays Lipscomb this weekend for a three-game series at Plainsman Park, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

Auburn baseball (6-1-1) looks to continue its recent hot streak this weekend as they welcome Lipscomb (5-3) to Plainsman Park.

Auburn put on an offensive clinic in Wednesday’s midweek action against Florida A&M. An 11-run first inning was enough to allow Auburn to coast to an 18-8 run-rule victory. Cole Foster, Cooper McMurray, and Justin Kirby each had three RBI in the win. Tommy Vail struck out six batters in four innings of work on the mound.

The Tigers are hitting exceptionally well this season as they enter the series with a .342 average. [autotag]Ike Irish[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag] have been leading the way as they have 34 hits between them. [autotag]Justin Kirby[/autotag] has hit six home runs, which is ironically the total of hits he has on the season.

The pitching rotation will see the usual Friday starter as [autotag]Tanner Bauman[/autotag] gets the nod. However, [autotag]Christian Herberholz[/autotag] will get the Saturday start for the second weekend in a row while [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] continues to nurse an injury. Freshman [autotag]Zach Crotchfelt[/autotag] will get his first weekend start of the season by taking the mound on Sunday.

Below, you will find everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s series between Auburn and Lipscomb, including a broadcast guide, projected lineup, and the pitching rotation.

Butch Thompson reveals Auburn’s opening day starter, weekend rotation

This pitcher is set to make his first collegiate start on Friday afternoon when the Tigers open the season against Indiana.

The season-opening series is a great time for a head coach to test several aspects out in order to construct the perfect strategy before SEC play begins in mid-March. Auburn head coach [autotag]Butch Thompson[/autotag]’s first item on the agenda is finding his perfect weekend rotation.

Auburn returns just one weekend starter from last season’s College World Series squad, [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag]. He is expected to be the anchor of the staff, but will not get the opening day start on Friday when the Tigers host Indiana to kick off a three-game series, but instead will be used on Saturday.

“(Gonzalez) threw game three for us on Sundays last year. He seems like the starter, at least in the past because of not having enough starters back, that can go the longest. We might like the second spot anyway,” Thompson said of Gonzalez’s role within the staff.

If Gonzalez’s slot is on Saturday, then who will throw the first pitch of the 2023 season? Thompson will hand the ball to sophomore right-hander, [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag].

Allsup was used in a relief role last season. In 23 appearances, Allsup struck out 36 batters and built an ERA of 3.38 in 29.1 innings of work. Thompson says that Allsup earned a starting role due to his efforts in the fall scrimmage with Alabama.

“He started our fall exhibition game against Alabama and was great,” Thompson said of Allsup. “He’s been hunting to get back there and I thought he was this past weekend.”

Thompson has announced that freshman left-hander [autotag]Drew Nelson[/autotag] will close out the weekend by starting Sunday’s game. Other pitchers that could see time in relief include [autotag]Tommy Sheehan[/autotag], [autotag]Chase Isbell[/autotag], and [autotag]Tanner Bauman[/autotag]. Thompson shares what he hopes to see out of his first time starters, Allsup and Nelson.

“Maybe Allsup goes four or five innings max. I would say the same thing about Nelson,” Thompson said. “I think it’s the way baseball pitching has grown at all levels.”

Auburn will be looking to replace the production of [autotag]Trace Bright[/autotag] and [autotag]Mason Barnett[/autotag] in the weekend rotation, Gonzalez and Allsup should slide into their roles easily. Both were members of the D1Baseball Top 200 starting pitchers list alongside freshman [autotag]Zach Crotchfelt[/autotag], who is expected to start next Tuesday’s game against North Alabama at Toyota Field in Madison.

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Three pitchers earn spot on Preseason Top 200 list

D1Baseball considers three Auburn starters to be among the nation’s best.

There are a few questions surrounding Auburn Baseball as they prepare to make another run to the College World Series in 2023… one of those is who will anchor the pitching staff?

The Tigers will be without two of their three weekend starters from a season ago. [autotag]Trace Bright[/autotag] and [autotag]Mason Barnett[/autotag] have begun their professional careers, which leaves [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] the perfect opportunity to become the rotation’s ace.

Who will take over the other two spots? D1Baseball has delivered its suggestions.

The baseball media outlet released their preseason top 200 starting pitchers rankings and included three members of Auburn’s roster. Gonzalez is Auburn’s highest-rated pitcher checking in at No. 20, while [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Zach Crotchfelt[/autotag] round out the list at No. 44 and No. 183 respectively.

Gonzalez alternated between Saturday and Sunday starting roles in 2022. In seven starts, he bumped an ERA of 3.20 while striking out 24 batters and walking five in 45.0 innings of work. His strongest outing of the season came against Vanderbilt on April 10, where allowed eight hits and one earned run while striking out eight batters in a complete-game effort, earning the 8-2 win. Opposing batters hit .275 off of him last season.

Allsup was used as a reliever last season and did not pitch more than two innings in his 23 outings. He struck out 36 batters in 29.1 innings of work, boasting an ERA of 3.38.

Crotchfelt, a freshman from Jackson, New Jersey, makes the list without ever having thrown a collegiate pitch. He signed with Auburn as the No. 9 overall left-handed pitcher from the 2022 recruiting cycle, and the No. 93 overall recruit by Perfect Game. He was named a MaxPreps All-American after striking out 130 batters in 65.0 innings of work as a senior at Jackson Memorial High School.

It will be worth keeping an eye on these players as potential fillers to the rotation. [autotag]Tommy Sheehan[/autotag] is also seen as a potential weekend starter for the Tigers after he struck out 29 batters in 33.2 innings of work last season. Out of his 16 appearances, he earned three starts.

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Joseph Gonzalez makes USA Collegiate National team roster

Joseph Gonzalez will represent the United States later this month.

[autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] was Auburn’s top starting pitcher during the 2022 season and he has continued his strong work with the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

In two appearances during the five-game series as part of the training camp, he was 1-0 with four perfect innings and five strikeouts. That was enough for him to earn a spot on the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team roster.

He is one of the 26 players to make the roster and will represent the United States at Honkbalweek Haarlem in the Netherlands from July 9-15.

Gonzalez finished his sophomore season as Auburn’s leader with seven wins and a 3.22 ERA, including a 3.20 ERA in seven SEC starts. The right-hander struck out 54 batters and issued just 15 walks in 78.1 innings.

A native of Humacao, Puerto Rico, Gonzalez led Auburn with six quality starts, including four straight in SEC play from April 2-24, becoming the first Auburn pitcher since Keegan Thompson in 2015 to win four straight SEC starts. He turned in a complete game against Vanderbilt on Apr. 10, marking Auburn’s first SEC complete game since Casey Mize in 2018 and starting a streak of three straight starts of 7.0 or more innings and no walks.

Team USA will begin Honkbalweek Haarlem against Japan on July 9 at 7 a.m. CT  before taking on Italy, Cuba, the Netherlands, and Curacao to close out group stage play. The second round of competition will then be played on July 14, ahead of the championship on July 15. All games will be streamed online via HonkbalSoftbal.tv.

Here is a look at the full roster:

2022 Collegiate National Team Roster
(Name; Position; Hometown; School)

Zach Agnos; RHP/INF; Haymarket, Va.; ECU
Maui Ahuna; INF; Hilo, Hawaii
Enrique Bradfield Jr.; OF; Hialeah, Fla.; Vanderbilt
Ryan Bruno; LHP; Wellington, Fla.; Stanford
Dylan Crews; OF; Longwood, Fla.; LSU
Wyatt Crowell; LHP; Cumming, Ga.; Florida State
Ross Dunn; LHP; Salt Lake City, Utah
Hunter Elliott; LHP; Tupelo, Miss.; Ole Miss
Jacob Gonzalez; INF; Glendora, Calif.; Ole Miss
Joseph Gonzalez; RHP; Humacao, P.R.; Auburn
Tanner Hall; RHP; Zachary, La.; Southern Mississippi
Carter Holton; LHP; Savannah, Ga.; Vanderbilt
Jack Hurley; OF; Boalsburg, Pa.; Virginia Tech
Cade Kuehler; RHP; Waxhaw, N.C.; Campbell
Wyatt Langford; OF/C; Trenton, Fla.; Florida
Rhett Lowder; RHP; Albemarle, N.C.; Wake Forest
Teddy McGraw; RHP; Oneota, N.Y.; Wake Forest
Carson Montgomery; RHP; Windermere, Fla.; Florida State
Yohandy Morales; INF; Miami, Fla.; Miami
Tre’ Morgan; INF; New Orleans, La.; LSU
Jack Payton; C; Orland Park, Ill.; Louisville
Paul Skenes; RHP/INF; Lake Forest, Calif.
Brayden Taylor; INF; West Jordan, Utah; TCU
Kyle Teel; C/OF; Mahwah, N.J.; Virginia
Hurston Waldrep; RHP; Thomasville, Ga.
Jacob Wilson; INF; Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Grand Canyon

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PHOTO GALLERY: Auburn drops game 2 to Oregon State

Here are the best images from game two of the Corvallis Super Regional between Auburn and Oregon State

Auburn will have to wait one more day for the chance to punch their ticket to Omaha, as they dropped game two of the Corvallis Super Regional to Oregon State on Sunday, 4-3.

Auburn could not quite get the bats going as they were only able to muster three total hits against Golden Spikes Award finalist Cooper Hjerpe, and grabbed just two more off of relief pitcher Ben Ferrer. While there were few, Auburn was able to take advantage of mistakes by the Beavers’ pitching staff, as they scored two of their three runs on wild pitches.

While you wait for game three between Auburn and Oregon State, take a look at the best images from game two.

Bright welcomes the challenge of being game one starter

Trace Bright felt untouchable in his last start, and hopes to keep riding that momentum into game one against Oregon State.

Junior right-hander [autotag]Trace Bright[/autotag] felt untouchable in his last start on the mound.

He got the nod to start game one of the Auburn Regional against Southeastern Louisiana where, after one inning, he had an 11-run cushion. Through his five total innings of work, he would strike out ten batters while issuing just two walks and allowing four earned runs in Auburn’s 19-7 win over the Lions.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Butch Thompson[/autotag] has preached “trust” and “confidence” in the past week, and it appears to be bleeding over to pitching strategy, as Bright has gotten the call to start on the mound against Oregon State in game one of the Corvallis Super Regional beginning Saturday night.

It’s a role that Bright has embraced, and he will enter the game with plenty of faith in his teammates.

“It’s a huge honor. We want to go out and set the tone early like we did this past weekend and try to get a win in that first game,” Bright said prior to Auburn’s departure to Corvallis, Ore. on Thursday. “Knowing that ([autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag]) is right behind me for game two, we will have obviously a full bullpen. Scoring 51 runs in three games this past weekend, hopefully we continue that because it takes the pressure off the pitcher.”

However, every aspect of his last start will be completely different as he prepares for his next outing, from the environment to the caliber of opponent. Bright feels that he has a great approach to attacking Oregon State, a team that relies heavily on finding ways to get on base.

“Trying to throw strikes. It’ll be a different environment, but getting ahead and being able to control the running game, and try to keep them off the bases as much as possible,” says Bright. “Just try to keep them from playing their game.”

Auburn battles Oregon State in game one of the Corvallis Super Regional Saurday night. First pitch is set for 9 p.m. CDT.

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Look: Auburn crushes FSU to advance to regional final

Auburn’s offense is red-hot.

Auburn needed a couple more innings to put this game out of reach. The Tigers scored seven runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 21-7 win over Florida State Saturday night.

Auburn’s offense has been unstoppable during the Tigers’ two wins at the Auburn Regional. They have scored 40 runs on 39 hits including eight doubles and 10 home runs.

Auburn is now set to play the winner of UCLA-FSU in the championship game Sunday night. The Tigers are one win away from advancing to the Super Regionals. Their opponent will have to beat them twice to advance.

[autotag]Brody Moore[/autotag] was the star of the offense, the shortstop reached base in all seven of his plate appearances. He went 5 for 5 with a double, a triple, five RBI, four runs, and two walks.

Starter [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] (7-2) had another strong outing, allowing three runs on four hits in 6.0 innings of work. He walked four batters and struck out three more.

Take a look at the best photos from Auburn’s dominant victory over FSU.

Auburn’s bullpen collapses in series finale loss to Kentucky

Auburn’s offense was unable to get going Saturday against Kentucky as the Tigers lost 6-3 to the Wildcats.

Auburn took an early lead against Kentucky but was unable to add on and the bullpen collapsed to drop the final game of the regular season 6-3 Saturday.

With the loss, Auburn ends the regular season with an overall record of 37-18 and 16-13 in the SEC. The loss means the Tigers missed out on the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament next week.

[autotag]Blake Rambusch[/autotag] led the game off with a single and came around to score on a Brooks Carlson two-out double to take a 1-0. Those were the only Tigers to reach base until the seventh inning.

The offense’s inability to score kept Kentucky in the game despite a strong start from [autotag]Joseph Gonzales[/autotag]. The sophomore pitched five shutout innings before leaving after a weather delay paused the game after the fifth inning. The right-hander gave up just three hits and two walks while striking out three Wildcats.

The rain delay forced Auburn to turn to the bullpen and the Wildcats took advantage of the change. Scoring five runs in the sixth inning to take a commanding 5-1 lead.

Carson Skipper came in to pitch the sixth inning after the delay and gave up a lead-off double. A strikeout and a walk gave the Wildcats their best scoring opportunity of the game and they took advantage, tieing the game at one run a piece on a throwing error by Nate LaRue. Skipper walked another batter before being pulled for John Armstrong.

It was the same results for Armstrong, who walked the first batter he faced to load the bases with two outs. Kentucky made Auburn pay for the mistakes, hitting three consecutive singles to take a 5-1 lead, that they would not relinquish.

The Tigers were not done yet as Bobby Pierce smacked a solo home run in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 5-2. Sonny DiChiara hit a solo shot of his own to lead off the ninth to make it a 6-3 Kentucky lead but that was it from Auburn’s offense. The Tigers managed just five hits and did not record a walk in the loss.

Auburn will now be the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament and is set to play Kentucky Tuesday night in Hoover.

Series final between Auburn and Alabama ruled no-contest

A disappointing end to the series for everyone.

Auburn was unable to complete the sweep against Alabama on Sunday after the game was ruled a no-contest after a weather delay halted the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Auburn had a golden opportunity to take their first lead of the game with the bases loaded with just one out. They were unable to take advantage of this opportunity as the game entered a weather delay with the rivals tied at 1. The lengthy delay and curfew restrictions around road games prevented the game from restarting before the designated time.

Starting pitcher [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] held the Tide scoreless for the first four innings before their bats came alive in the top of the fifth. Alabama led the inning off with back-to-back doubles to take a 1-0 lead. Gonzales was able to gather himself and limit the damage to just the one run.

Auburn’s offense wasted no time erasing the deficit. [autotag]Nate LaRue[/autotag] and [autotag]Garrett Farquah[/autotag] started the inning with singles before [autotag]Brody Moore[/autotag] brought LaRue home with a safety squeeze. Alabama intentionally walked Sonny DiChiara and Blake Rambusch drew a walk to load the bases and give Bobby Pierce a chance to give Auburn the lead.

Unfortunately, the game entered a weather delay during his at-bat, and play was never resumed.

Auburn will return to action at Samford Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.