Auburn baseball comes back to win the 1st fall scrimmage against Louisiana Tech
Auburn opened the fall exhibition season with a 12-11 comeback victory versus Louisiana Tech in Plainsman Park on Saturday. As is traditional for fall baseball, the contest featured some non-conventional rules: 12 innings, two DHs early in the game for Auburn, and pitching changes almost every inning. Here's a recap of our observations from the matchup against the Bulldogs.
Pitching
Auburn set the pitching staff to swap back and forth from righties to lefties, and we saw nine different pitchers in the contest. Probable Friday night starter Joseph Gonzalez started the game, pitching two innings as he tried to get some work in. He flashed his characteristic sinker in the low 90s, tunneling with a low-80s slider. He was missing gloveside a bit, allowing Louisiana Tech to get solid contact on his in-zone offerings and getting one home run, a 3-run shot, off of him in the 2nd. Nothing to worry about in the long run, and he looks poised to be the Friday night starter this spring.
Joseph Gonzalez delivers a pitch against Louisiana Tech
Eric Starling/Auburn Daily
The first pitcher out of the bullpen was freshman lefty Zach Crotchfelt. The New Jersey native featured a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s (93-94) with late run, as well as what appeared to be a 2-seamer in the low 90s and a curveball in the high 70s. He gave up a homerun to right on a hanging breaking pitch, but also flashed a slick pickoff move to get a runner at 1st. With continued development, he has the tools to be a weekend starter for this ballclub.
Freshman Zach Crotchfelt flashed his tools in the 3rd inning against Louisiana Tech
Eric Starling/Auburn Daily
Another pitcher who went multiple innings was Chase Allsup, a sophomore from Dothan. One of the freshman relievers that contributed in Auburn's run to the College World Series, he looked the part of a #2 starter on Saturday, with two innings of one-run ball. His fastball velocity looked great, sitting 94-95 on the four-seamer, mixing in a slider in the low-80s and a mid-70s curveball with 11-5 break.
Chase Allsup delivers a fastball against Louisiana Tech
Eric Starling/Auburn Daily
Closing the game for Auburn was RHP Chase Isbell, a veteran transfer from Samford in his 2nd season with the Tigers. After having a partial Tommy John procedure in the 2021 offseason, he returned later in the 2022 season to pitch in relief for the Tigers. Dominant in 2020 and 2021, he looked to be back to that form in his one inning against Louisiana Tech, hitting 96 with his fastball while collecting a strikeout in his quick appearance.
Hitting
Offensively, Auburn plugged in some of the new pieces to the roster right away. True freshman catcher Ike Irish, a Top 100 recruit who passed up early round MLB money to come to Auburn, lead off as the DH and contributed a solo home run in the 3rd inning to get Auburn on the board.
Transfer outfielder Justin Kirby, playing left field, collected two walks and a run and true freshman outfielder Chris Stanfield flashed both his bat and wheels late in the contest with a RBI single to right field and a stolen base.
Justin Kirby gets baserunning directions from Auburn assistant coach Gabe Gross
Eric Starling/Auburn Daily
A highly-coveted recruit, Stanfield seemingly appears to be the first man out in the outfield (based on Saturday's defensive alignment) with Kason Howell, Bobby Pierce, and Justin Kirby in the top three spots, but depth always works itself out. He didn't get a chance to showcase his defensive talents, but MLB scouting reports have rave reviews about his reads, routes, and reactions in centerfield. He's talented enough to force the issue across fall ball with his speed and contact ability.
The breakout star of the scrimmage was newcomer first baseman Cooper McMurray, a redshirt sophomore transfer out of Kansas. The 6-3, 258 lb McMurray went 2 for 3, as well as flashing the glove at 1st both to field hot shots down the line and scooping errant throws. After not committing an error in 2022, McMurray looks prepared, both offensively and defensively, to fill the shoes of departed slugger Sonny DiChiara as the #3 hole hitter and power threat.
Cooper McMurray takes a throw from 2B Caden Greene
Eric Starling/Auburn Daily
Another standout newcomer was West Georgia transfer Brody Wortham. Entering in relief of McMurray, Wortham collected two hits in the contest, putting a 2-RBI double down the left field line and then following that up with a solo shot over the Monster. Mostly a 1st baseman late in his career at West Georgia, he's played second base in summer ball and looks to be a candidate for playing time there (competing with Caden Greene, who got the start) or at third base (where Bryson Ware got the start).
With a 48-man roster at the moment, it may be easier to detail who didn't play: 19 of the 23 position players entered the game. Centerfielder Kason Howell was not dressed out and received the day off; he was in the dugout and this is presumed to be veteran rest. Infielders Wesley Helms, Rom Kellis, and Ty Maudlin did not appear in the contest.
Nine Auburn pitchers appeared in the contest, with Gonzalez, Allsup, and LHP Tanner Bauman pitching multiple innings. Sources told The Auburn Daily that original plans were to throw twelve different pitchers as head coach Butch Thompson and new pitching coach Daren Schoenrock look to configure their weekend rotation and bullpen after losing three of the top four starters and their two key relievers to MLB.
Players of the Game
Lefty reliever Tommy Vail earned the win, pitching a scoreless 11th inning with three strikeouts. The Notre Dame transfer (by way of TCU) featured a FB in the low 90s, with a high-70s curve that racked up swing and miss from the Bulldogs hitters.
Bauman, a junior lefthander from St. John's River State College in Florida, pitched the 8th and 9th innings, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out one batter. His fastball sat in the high 80s, but his low-80s slider seemed particularly potent and matched arm speeds well with the fastball.
Wortham played first base late in the contest and had the aforementioned two hits, as well as 3 RBIs to spur the Auburn offense late in the comeback.
Fall Schedule
Auburn continues fall ball at Plainsman Park, and their next exhibition is a home matchup against Alabama on Friday, October 28th at 6:30. Admission is free, and Auburn will be collecting canned food for the "Beat Bama Food Drive".
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