Auburn Baseball in the NCAA

6/8/19 Saturday
Auburn vs. North Carolina in the Super Regional in Atlanta.
After winning the regional at Georgia Tech with a 3 and 0 performance it's time for bigger things.
UNC jumps on top 3 to 0 after one inning.  Jack Owen is not sharp.
The Tigers get a 2-run homer from Steven Williams in the top of the 5th.
UNC gets a run back.
After 5 it's 4 to 2 Heels.
UNC adds another run and 5-2 after 7.
The Tigers erupt for 5 runs in the 8th.
Rankin Woley hits a triple to the wall in right clearing the loaded bases.
Julien hits a 3 run homer in the 9th.  The Tigers rout UNC's bullpen.
I hold my breath as Cody Greenville closes.
Auburn wins 11 to 7.

6/9/19 Sunday
Auburn is one win away from the College World Series.
Let's finish it today!
Bailey Horn gets off to a rough start.  UNC gets two in the top of the first.
That's all of the scoring.  After 11 runs yesterday, the Tigers are scoreless.
UNC wins 2 to 0.  We must wait until tomorrow to settle this thing.

6/10/19 Monday
This turns out to be one of the most remarkable baseball games i have ever seen.
The UNC starting pitcher walks our first four batters.
The Tigers run up 13 runs in the top of the first.  Game decided in the top of the first inning!
The Tigers cruise 14 to 7.  Even Cody Greenville can't blow this one.
AUBURN HEADS TO OMAHA.  FIRST TIME SINCE 1997.
What will happen in Omaha?  Such exciting times for Auburn baseball.

6/16/19 Sunday
The Tigers play their first CWS game since 1997 this evening starting at 6:30 on ESPN.
We draw the highly favored Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs won 2 of 3 in Starkville.
They have a great starting pitcher that everyone talks about that Coach Thompson recruited when he was coaching in Starkville.
Earlier today Vanderbilt beat Louisville as expected 3 to 1.
Yesterday Florida State beat Arkansas 1 to 0 and Michigan beat Texas Tech 5 to 3.  Both of these games would have to be upsets.
Top of the First their pitcher Ethan Small strikes out the side.  His pitches seem to get most of the plate so I don't understand why we cannot make contact.
Bottom of the First.  We start Jack Owen.  State gets a runner to third but fails to score.
Top of the Second.  Small strikes out the first five batters before Woley gets an infield single and Edouard Julien unloads a bomb into the rightfield stands and Auburn leads 2 to 0.  That was a monstrous blast by Julien.
Bottom of the Second.  State gets a runner to third.  With two outs there is a walk runners on first and third.  Ground ball out inning over.
Auburn 2  Mississippi State 0
Top of the Third.  Auburn goes down in order.
Bottom of the Third.  State goes down in order.  Jack Owen has pitched 3 scoreless innings so far.
Top of the Fourth.  A walk is erased by a ground ball double play.  A two out walk.  Their pitcher has already thrown 68 pitches.  Woley walks.  Julien pops a single into center and a run scores.  Auburn leads 3 to 0.  Sheffler is retired
Bottom of the Fourth.  A single but no damage done.
Auburn 3  Mississippi State 0
Top of the Fifth.  A two out single by Ryan Bliss that is ruled an error E4.   Small is over 100 pitches.  Connor Davis is retired.  No runs in the 5th for Auburn.
Bottom of the Fifth.  First two outs then a single past first base.  There's a walk and State has runners on first and second with two outs.  It seems like our starters always run into trouble in the 5th or 6th.  Infield single off Woley at first the ruling that the runner beat Owen's touching of the base covering.  Bases loaded with two outs.  Close play to say the least.  The video replay confirms the call.  Now we need a big out to get out of this inning with the bases loaded and two out.  Popup caught by Woley!  Big, big out.  State leaves the bases loaded.
Top of the 6th.  MSU removes Ethan Small.  We did well against a tough pitcher.  The Tigers go down in order.
Bottom of the 6th.  First batter singles to left.  Owen is starting to struggle.  There's a walk and State has runners on first and second with no outs.  Steve Smith comes out to remove Jack Owen.  Elliott Anderson joins the game.  We get a force at third but Julien throws wildly back to second rather than to first for the double play.  One our runners still on first and second.  There's a base hit just past our second baseman. Our second baseman was playing not in normal position or that would have been a routine out.   Run scores from second.  Runners still on first and second.  Uh-oh.  Cody Greenhill  enters the game.  Stress time now for sure for Auburn.  No Auburn player scares me more than Cody Greenhill.    Greenhill  strikes out the first man he faces.  Two outs.  Hit batter.  Cody loads the bases with two outs.  Doesn't Greenville always load the bases.  Line drive out to right field!  Whew!
Auburn 3  Mississippi State 1
Top of the Seventh.  State changes pitchers again.  This is the way the game is played these days.  Julien grounds out to shortstop.  Base hit to right by Sheffler.  Howell is hit and AU has runners on first and second with one out.  Ward grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.  Inning over.
Bottom of the Seventh.  I'll be surprised if we win this game with Greenhill in the game.  There is a four pitch and a single to center.  Runners on first and second with no outs.  Typical Cody Greenhill.  That's it for Cody.  Thank goodness!  Another Auburn pitcher will enter a tough situation.  Richard Fitts enters the game.  He's been good down the stretch.  First pitch ground ball double play 6-4-3. Two outs.  Runner on third.  Ground ball out!  Auburn escapes again!  State has stranded 11.
Top of the Eighth,  Bliss reaches on an error and Davis grounds into a double play.  Holland is hit and takes first base.  Steven Williams singles to right.  Holland makes third as the throw to third gets by the third baseman and Holland scores on the error by the third baseman.  Auburn leads 4 to 1.  Williams is on second with two outs.  Woley strikes out but the Tigers get a run.
Bottom of the Eighth.  Richard Fitts remains on the mound.  Ground out to second.  Ground out again to second.  Two outs.  Fly ball out to right.  Three up and three down.
Auburn 4  Mississippi State going to the 9th
Top of the Ninth.  State brings in their ace closer despite trailing by 3 runs in the 9th.  Julien takes a called third strike.  State pitching has 11 strikeouts so far but to no avail.  Shuffler goes down on strikes.  Howell singles up the middle.  All four of our runs have come with two outs.  Ward strikes out.
We go to the bottom of the 9th Auburn up 4 to 1 with Richard Fitts on the mound and the top of their order coming up.
Bottom of the Ninth.  First pitch leadoff double.  Tanner Burns enters the game.  No hesitation on the call to the bullpen.   State with a runner on second no outs after the leadoff double.  This will be Tanner's first relief appearance of the year.  State has outhit Auburn 9 to 6 but the Bulldogs have committed three errors.  Strikeout for the first Tanner Burns out!  There's a walk on a 3 & 1 count and the tying run comes to the plate.  First and second with one out.  Come on Tanner Burns!  Ball one and Steve Smith is out of the dugout.  Ryan Watson is in the bullpen.  Auburn will stay with Burns.  We should have known  this wouldn't be easy.  There is a double down the left field line.  Run scores.  Runners on second and third with only one out.  A single will likely tie the ballgame.  Oh, my!  Ground out to first.  Run scores.  4 to 3 with two outs.  Runner on second.  The play at first is reviewed.  Did Moley's foot come off the bag.  NO!  Two outs runner on second.  We are down to cases.  Ground ball to Julien at third which should have ended the game but his throw to first sails high and the game is tied as the runner on second comes around to score easily.  Oh, my.  Julien's throwing error ties the game.  Winning run on second.  Chopper to Julien runner safe at first.  Bases loaded.  This is turning into a nightmare.  A bobbled single up the middle of the field.  State rallies and wins 5 to 4.  How ugly.  How horrible.
Mississippi State 5 Auburn 4