AUBURN-The Ole Miss Rebel Baseball team (23-14) beings on a very occasional Thursday starting three game series with the Auburn Tigers (20-16). The game will be nationally televised by ESPNU starting at 6:30 p.m. The Rebels are coming off a sweep of the struggling Kentucky Wildcats, but also a midweek loss in Jackson Thursday night to Mississippi State.
Drawing the start tonight for the Rebels will be junior, left-handed pitcher Matt Crouse. Crouse (6-2) states before the game, "I'm ready and excited for tonight, and I think we have what it takes to win in this tough environment and in the national spotlight with the way we are able to bounce back as a squad." Auburn comes in swinging the sticks hot with a .300 batting average led by junior shortstop Casey McElroy batting .360.
The Rebels this season are led by junior catcher Taylor Hightower batting a sizzling .400 and closely followed next in line up Tanner Mathis batting .353. Rebel Coach Mike Bianco is also excited about this series as he is always resilient coming off losses ready for a big series like this one the team noted.
The Rebels must be more careful in the field against the quick swinging tigers as they have allowed thirty-five errors in the field tied for second to last in the conference. The Rebels followed up the loss to Mississippi State with a good day of practice, and Rebel infield coach Carl Lafferty really hammered the importance of being efficient in the field especially when it comes to crunch time in late games.
As for Auburn, the Tigers are coming off a series win last weekend on the road, but also like the Rebels a mid week loss to South Alabama. McElroy has hit six home runs on the season and also has thirty-six RBIs to boast as well. The starting pitcher tonight for the Tigers will be Derek Varnadore (4-1) who holds a 3.75 ERA, but throws extremely hard noted by all SEC coaches. Tiger Coach, John Pawloski in his third year with Auburn is 94-62 and making it to the national tournament last year.
The two teams are both in the race for competing in the fluctuating Western Division and more important the race for the SEC tournament in Hoover in late May. Freshman student, Lawrence Martin states, "I'm just mad they are not playing here, but an SEC sweep on the road would be just what we needed headed into the Easter break."
Sources:
http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/042011aaa.html
http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/042011aaa.html
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