Tag: Todd Faulkner

Belyeu, Irish grab postseason All-SEC honors

A pair of young Auburn sluggers were recognized by the SEC for the efforts on the diamond this season.

The SEC has released its baseball awards for the 2024 season, and two young Auburn sluggers are among the recipients.

[autotag]Ike Irish[/autotag] and [autotag]Cade Belyeu[/autotag] were instrumental in producing runs this season for Auburn by combining to hit 22 home runs and score 79 runs for Auburn. Because of their efforts, Irish and Belyeu earned All-SEC honors, the SEC announced Monday.

Irish earned first-team All-SEC honors by avoiding the dreaded “sophomore slump.” He hit for a team-leading .319 average with 59 RBI and tied [autotag]Cooper McMurray[/autotag] for the team lead in home runs with 14. Irish played three positions for the Tigers this season: catcher, right field, and designated hitter. As a catcher, Irish threw out nine runners, which was third-best in the SEC.

According to Auburn athletics, Irish became the fourth-fastest player in program history this season to reach 100 career hits, doing so in 68 career games. He joins [autotag]Scott Pratt[/autotag], [autotag]Todd Faulkner[/autotag], and [autotag]Tim Hudson[/autotag] by reaching the feat in less than 70 games. He grabs a first-team nod as a designated hitter, becoming the first Auburn DH to grab a first-team spot since [autotag]Sonny DiChiara[/autotag] in 2022.

Belyeu, a native of Auburn, took home All-SEC Freshman glory after hitting .284 with eight home runs and 20 RBI in 38 games with 26 starts. He did most of his damage in the last month of the season by hitting five home runs and scoring 10 runs over his final eight games. Out of his eight home runs, six were against SEC pitching.

Georgia‘s Charlie Condon earned SEC Player of the Year while Hagen Smith of Arkansas took home SEC’s Pitcher of the Year and Nick Mingione of Kentucky was named SEC Coach of the Year.

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‘A front row seat’: Hunter Morris watches Bryson Ware break his home run record from opposing dugout

Bryson Ware became Auburn’s single-season home run leader on Thursday, doing so in front of the previous record holder.

The 2010 season was an enjoyable one for Auburn baseball fans. The Tigers won 43 games, hosted a regional for the first time since 2003, and saw one of its’ most talented sluggers break the single-season home run record.

Auburn first baseman [autotag]Hunter Morris[/autotag] hit 23 home runs during that season to grab Auburn’s single-season home run record, breaking the previous record of 22 held by [autotag]Todd Faulkner[/autotag] for ten seasons. Auburn was spoiled with power in 2010, as the Tigers collectively hit 131 home runs. [autotag]Brian Fletcher[/autotag] was right behind Morris by hitting 22 long balls, with [autotag]Trent Mummey[/autotag], [autotag]Kevin Patterson[/autotag], and [autotag]Tony Caldwell[/autotag] also smashing double-digit home runs.

On Thursday, Morris watched his record sail away as [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag] hit his 24th home run of the season against Alabama in the SEC Baseball Tournament to take sole possession of the record. Morris, who now serves on Alabama‘s coaching staff, never dreamed of being in the venue to see his record break.

“I definitely didn’t think I would see it from the other dugout,” Morris said in an interview with the Opelika-Auburn News, “much less have a front-row seat.”

Morris says that he has no ill feelings towards Ware for breaking his record. Actually, he acknowledges the determination it takes to accomplish such a feat and considers it an honor.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Morris said. “I’m proud of what I did 13 years ago, and he should be very proud of himself for the work that he’s put in. It was special for me, and I hope he appreciates that side of the Auburn Family, even though I was competing against him today.”

Ware broke the record on the first pitch of the 6th inning of Auburn’s 7-4 loss to Alabama in the SEC Tournament at the Hoover Met on Thursday. It traveled a distance of 403 feet, and it was his fifth home run in six games.

“It’s really cool to do it at this stadium at the SEC Tournament with a good crowd in the stands against Alabama; it makes it a little sweeter,” Ware said Thursday. “Some outstanding athletes have worn this jersey. It’s really cool to see some of that hard work pay off. I can’t be more thankful.”

Ware will have more opportunities to build on the record, as the Tigers are set to take part in the NCAA Regionals that begin next weekend.

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