Auburn looking for first series win
Auburn is looking for its first conference series win at Missouri this weekend.
AUBURN | Still looking for its first SEC series win, Auburn heads to Missouri this weekend with both teams off to a 2-7 starts in the conference.
Missouri, however, has won three straight including 2 of 3 at Arkansas last weekend and features one of the SEC’s best pair of starting pitchers.
“We get another opportunity to go out and compete and try to win a series,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “We feel like we’ve been close a couple of times. You got to win that first one before you can do anything. I just want us to play good baseball.”
Auburn enters the series with the SEC’s second-best offense but is last in both pitching and defense. Missouri is the league’s worst hitting team and only above Auburn defensively, but is eighth in pitching.
Auburn’s starting rotation for the series will be junior right-hander Cole Lipscomb (1-3, 5.61 ERA) Thursday, senior right-hander Justin Camp (2-1, 4.57) Friday and sophomore left-hander Andrew Mitchell (4-1, 4.57) Saturday.
Missouri will counter with senior right-hander Reggie McClain (3-1, 2.58) Thursday, sophomore right-hander Tanner Houck (3-2, 2.76) Friday and freshman left-hander Michael Plassmeyer (2-2, 5.13) Saturday.
McClain and Houck have combined for 100 strikeouts in 101.1 innings this season.
“Missouri is really good and they’ve got some great arms, which they’ve had ever since I’ve been here,” said senior Jordan Ebert, who is hitting .362 with nine doubles and 23 RBI. “They’re a tough team and I think the weather is going to be pretty cold, which we’re not used to as much. I’m excited and I feel like we’re ready for the challenge.”
The forecast calls for temperatures dipping into the 30’s with gusty winds both Thursday and Friday night. Game times for the series are 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday. Thursday’s game will be on ESPNU while Friday and Saturday’s will be on SECN+ and WatchESPN.