Series Preview: Auburn

As for this weekend, meaningful baseball will be played at the corner of Bush and Olsen. Auburn enters the Lone Star State having won five of their last six and secured four straight SEC series victories (vs. Arkansas and Kentucky, at Florida, vs. Oklahoma). The Tigers notably won all three games they played at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, in February, gaining national attention for wins over top-15 Florida State and Louisville. A home non-conference series win over Nebraska has boosted their resume, as the Cornhuskers looked primed to be a regional host. Notably, Auburn also holds a midweek victory over #3 Georgia Tech.

Common opponents between the squads include Missouri, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Mississippi State and Georgia. The Tigers are 8-4 against these teams, while A&M is 9-5. Both teams have series wins over Missouri and Florida in the same fashion (road sweep & final two games on road, respectively).

The A&M offense keeps rolling right along but will have its hands full at home. Auburn is bringing the best pitching staff in the conference (3.29 overall team ERA, 3.45 ERA in conference) to the Brazos Valley and has given up the second fewest homers in SEC play (19). That staff will have a tall task keeping one of the best offenses in the nation silent. With the highest OBP (.407), SLG (.537), OPS (.944), home runs (43), runs scored (175), walks (130) and RBI (163) against conference competition, the Maroon and White bats are not to be taken lightly. Gavin Grahovac continues to pummel SEC pitchers, holding a .381 batting average and a .786 SLG in 20 conference contests; the latter leads the conference. This doesn’t even include the impact of the freshman in the lineup. Partida, Boston Kellner and Jorian Wilson are swinging well above their weight as first-year players in conference play.

Combine the offensive numbers with a fielding percentage of .981, second best in the SEC, and all of a sudden, the picture becomes clearer as to why A&M is playing at a high level right now. The entire engine is firing on all cylinders; even the pitching puzzle is coming together. Gavin Lyons and Freshcorn continue to reliably hold down the back end of the ‘pen, with Freshcorn ranking 12th across all SEC arms with a 3.10 ERA. Lyons has the most wins in the conference (6), while Freshcorn’s five saves are tied for the lead.

Texas A&M has won five straight games against the Tigers, dating back to the series finale on the Plains in 2023. A&M swept Auburn at home in 2024 and took the only meeting last season by a 3-2 score in the second round of the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

With #8 Auburn this weekend, #17 Ole Miss on the road next weekend and #10 Mississippi State to close out the SEC gauntlet, it is imperative for the Aggies to stay above .500 in their final nine games to stay in the hunt for the conference crown. Protecting home field and winning the series against the Tigers is objective one and should all but secure hosting a regional come June.

Weather permitting, Friday’s series opener will have the eyes of the country, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on the SEC Network. The final two games from Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park can be seen on SEC Network+, both with afternoon start times (and could change due to Mother Nature).

Probable Starters:

• Friday: LHP Shane Sdao (3-3, 5.72 ERA) vs. RHP Andreas Alvarez (7-2, 2.22 ERA)
• Saturday: RHP Aiden Sims (8-0, 3.45 ERA) vs. LHP Jake Marciano (3-3, 2.04 ERA)
• Sunday: TBA vs. RHP Alex Petrovic (7-1, 2.83 ERA)

Game Info (weather permitting):

• Friday: 7:00 p.m. on SEC Network
• Saturday: 2:00 p.m. on SEC Network+
• Sunday: 1:00 p.m. on SEC Network+