By Caleb Connelley
The #20 Auburn Tigers secured another series victory against the Old Dominion Monarchs, winning two out of three games at Plainsman Park. After losing a game during the midweek, Auburn bounced back and got the series win.
GAME ONE
Auburn kicked off its weekend series against Old Dominion with a dominant 10-4 victory, fueled by an explosive offensive performance. The Monarchs jumped in front early, scoring a run in the first. Auburn answered back fairly quickly, scoring three in the third and two in the fourth.
Once Auburn got the lead, there was no turning back. The Monarchs battled back but came up short, cutting the lead to one run heading to the bottom of the sixth. Auburn answered with another run ot its own and also rallied with a four-run inning in the bottom of the seventh. Deric Fabian and Chase Fralick combined for five of the Tigers' 12 hits and together drove in 7 runs. John Armstrong and Ryan Hetzler coming out of the bullpen allowed just one baserunner in the last 3.2 innings.
"John Armstrong has his sinker going. He hadn't pitched in a week or so and was phenomenal. Ryan Hetzler has been great every time we've called on him early this season. We got three goose eggs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth. We did a great job of playing offense when we took what they gave us. We had a bunch of baserunners, we set the table, and we waited for the big swing. Chase Fralick got it." -Butch Thompson
GAME TWO
Old Dominion staged a dramatic comeback on Saturday, erasing a seven-run deficit to defeat the Top 25 Tigers 11-9 and even the series. The Tigers built a commanding 9-2 lead through six innings, fueled by a three-run homer from Ike Irish and a pair of RBI doubles by Deric Fabian.
However, the Monarchs flipped the script in the seventh, exploding for six runs to cut Auburn's lead to one. A three-run double by Cole Jenkins highlighted the rally. ODU then plated three more in the eighth to complete the stunning turnaround. Auburn's bullpen struggled, issuing key walks and surrendering timely hits. The Tigers managed a ninth inning threat but ultimately fell short, setting up a decisive rubber match on Sunday.
GAME THREE
With a series win on the line, Auburn responded to Saturday's tough loss with a strong 7-3 victory in the series finale. Freshman pitcher Christian Chatterton led the way with an impressive outing, allowing just one unearned run on three hits over 5.2 innings while striking out six.
Offensively, the Tigers struck early, with Deric Fabian highlighting the offense, going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and hit what should have been two home runs. Eric Snow racked up three hits, while Cooper McMurray and Chase Fralick matched Fabian with a pair of hits. The bullpen, led by John Armstrong, kept the Monarchs in check, sealing the win and another successful weekend for Auburn.
After the series win, Auburn has now improved to a 13-3 record, and SEC play will begin next weekend. Auburn will face a tough Vanderbilt team at Plainsman Park in their first conference series of the 2025 season, but before the Tigers host the Commodores, they will face Tennesse-Martin in a midweek clash played in Madison, AL.
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