Winners of four straight games following a ninth inning comeback victory over West Georgia on Wednesday night, the Top 10 Auburn Tigers (7-1) return to action this weekend when the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-3) visit for the first matchup between the two schools. It’s another opportunity to test the Tigers as they continue to prepare for SEC play.
“They have played some winning baseball,” Thompson said of Nebraska. “This is going to be an SEC weekend, a rehearsal. That’s what last week was for, maybe the postseason where you see a different team every day. This is going to be one, solid baseball club that you’re going to face for a three-game series.”
Some good news for the Tigers is the expected return of sophomore preseason All-American Chris Rembert. Dealing with an ankle injury suffered on the opening weekend, Rembert could see action as a designated hitter and also play second base for a game against the Cornhuskers. He’s not expected to be back in the lineup full-time this weekend, but is expected to see action for the Tigers.
The games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM Friday and Sunday and ESPN 106.7 FM Saturday. The series will also be broadcast digitally on SEC Network+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (1-0, 0.82) vs. Jr. RHP Ty Horn (0-0, 1.86)
Saturday – So. LHP Jackson Sanders (1-0, 3.27) vs. R-So. RHP Carson Jasa (1-0, 5.06)
Sunday – R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (2-0, 2.70) vs. So. RHP Gavin Blachowicz (1-0, 1.86)
BY THE NUMBERS
Auburn is looking to secure its 11th straight regular season home series dating back to the last series at Plainsman Park in 2024.
The Tigers have won 15 of 18 regular season weekends dating back to the last two weekends of 2024, good for the second most winning weekends in the SEC during the span (Texas, 16).
The pitching staff has registered 102 strikeouts through eight games, 22 more than last year’s total and the most through eight games since 1997 (112).
The team has registered double digit strikeouts in seven of the first eight games.
Auburn enters weekend ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.37; 2nd), walks allowed per 9.0 innings (2.41; 3rd), WHIP (1.00; 8th) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (12.9; 9th).
The starting rotation of Jake Marciano, Jackson Sanders and Alex Petrovic is a combined 4-0 with 51 strikeouts and two walks, having allowed just 20 baserunners, in 32.0 innings pitched.
SCOUTING THE CORNHUSKERS
Nebraska enters the weekend with a 4-3 overall record, coming off a 1-2 weekend in Arlington. The Cornhuskers dropped a pair of hard-fought games against No. 15 Louisville (2-4) and Kansas State (3-5) before defeating No. 9 Florida State (10-1) in the finale.
Offensively, Nebraska is hitting .319 as a team with 49 runs on 81 hits, including 23 doubles. Six everyday starters are hitting .348 or higher, led by Dylan Carey’s .455 clip. Carey also leads the way with three homers and 12 RBI.
On the mound, the Cornhuskers have turned in a .375 staff ERA with 69 strikeouts and 31 walks in 60.0 innings. The weekend rotation has combined for 39 strikeouts in 30.0 innings pitched.