Head
Coach: John Pawlowski (158-119 in 5th season as Auburn Head Coach)
Taylor Stadium – Columbia, MO
Friday @ 6 PM CT
Saturday @ 2 PM CT
Sunday @ 1 PM CT
Missouri (13-23, 5-13 SEC)
vs. Auburn (24-16, 6-12 SEC)
Mizzou will try to stay out of last place in the Eastern
Division of the SEC, as they try to protect their one game lead over Georgia
against non-division opponent Auburn. The Auburn Tigers spend last weekend at
Mississippi State, dropping two of three to the 16 ranked Bulldogs. Auburn
comes into Columbia this weekend with a 24-16 record, 6-12 in the SEC, and 5-7
while on the road.
Position Players
The right handed heavy Auburn lineup is one of the more
consistent ones I have analyzed so far this year. They have shown flashes of
power all through the lineup, as it seems most of them have the potential to
put one over the wall at any time.
All of their speed comes from the top of the order from
centerfielder Ryan Tella. Tella has swiped 12 bags this season, while only
being caught once. The speed in center is paired with a reliable glove, only
having committed a single error this year. He is also a reliable bat at the
top, heading a quartet of Auburn hitters that are near or above hitting .300 on
the season.
Their batting leader comes from the three spot in the lineup
with left fielder Cullen Wacker. His 29 RBIs is one off the team lead, and he
is also second on the team with a .474 slugging percentage. The man who leads
in those two categories comes after him in the lineup.
First baseman Garrett Cooper has been the team’s most
productive hitter throughout most of the season. Playing in all of Auburn’s 40
games this season, he leads the team with a .507 SLG, 4 HR, 30 RBI, and is one
of the five players on the roster that are in the double digits in doubles.
The lineup below there shows spontaneous bursts of power, as
the 6-8 hitters have combined for a modest six homers this season, three from
third baseman Damek Tomscha. Batting averages from there also drop to the mid
to low .200s, with guys that strike out at an alarming rate.
Projected Lineup
CF Ryan Tella (L) .308
2B Jordan Ebert (R) .293
LF Cullen Wacker (L) .336
1B Garrett Cooper (R) .328
DH Patrick Savage (R) .261
C Blake Austin (R) .276
3B Damek Tomscha (R) .250
RF Hunter Kelley (R) .265
SS Mitchell Self (R) .182
Pitchers
The Auburn rotation consists of three lefties, two of which
have seen great success this year. Conner Kendrick and Michael O’Neal both have
very low ERAs, Kendrick being recently promoted to Friday starter. He has only
had four starts this year, but since he has assumed that role, his ERA has
stayed low. Averaging about a strikeout an inning, he leads the team in that
category (48). Saturday the Tigers will see Michael O’Neal, who has been a
starter since the beginning of the season. More of a guy that pitches to
contact, he has only struck out 27 hitters in 2013, but holds a very effective
.226 BAA. With only walking 16 batters in 63.1 innings, the Tigers will have to
come out swinging.
Projected Pitching
Matchups
RHP Rob Zastryzny (2-7, 4.22 ERA) vs. LHP Conner Kendrick
(2-2, 2.09 ERA)
RHP Brett Graves (0-5, 4.86 ERA) vs. LHP Michael O’Neal
(8-2, 2.13 ERA)
RHP Alec Rash (2-1, 4.01 ERA) vs. LHP Will Kendall (0-5,
8.35 ERA)
Matchup Wrap-up
Missouri hitters will have to take different approaches to
the plate between Friday and Saturday. On Friday, attacking Kendrick early in
the count will do them well, as he has a high strikeout ratio. Exactly the
opposite for Saturday; if Mizzou can work counts and look for a pitch to hit,
they can try and get to O’Neal. He will stay around the strike zone all day,
and Missouri will have to take advantage of mistakes O’Neal makes, which could
be very few.
Other SEC games this
weekend (all 4/26-28):
Texas A&M @ Alabama
(14) Arkansas @ Georgia
Tennessee @ Florida
Kentucky @ (18) Ole Miss
(15) South Carolina @ (2) LSU
(16) Mississippi State @ (3) Vanderbilt
