Iron Bowl of Baseball: Lived Up to the Hype

(Photo: @AuburnBaseball)

By Caleb Connelley

Auburn responds with a key series win against arch-rival Alabama, after getting swept last weekend to Georgia. Alabama came into the series ranked in the D1Baseball.com poll at #8, while Auburn was #16. Auburn lost four straight games before the series, and the Crimson Tide was 4-1 in their last five. Auburn hosted Alabama at Plainsman Park and that seemed to be one of the biggest difference makers, as the Tigers took two out of three from the Tide.

GAME ONE: Auburn 10, Alabama 0 (7 Innings)

Auburn dominated Alabama 10-0 in run-rule fashion behind Sam Dutton's shutout performance. It was a record-breaking crowd at Plainsman Park, as #16 Auburn made a loud statement in the series opener. The Tigers jumped out to a quick lead with four runs in the first inning and never looked back, thanks in large part to a masterful performance on the hill from Senior right-hander Sam Dutton. Dutton threw a complete game shutout, going the full seven innings while allowing just two hits and two walks. He struck out six and faced only three batters over the minimum, matching his career high in innings pitched from his first SEC start. It was the first complete game by an Auburn pitcher since 2023. The atmosphere was electric, as a record 6,729 fans packed the stadium for an in-state rival. Coach Thompson called it the best environment he's ever seen for Auburn baseball.

Auburn's offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 15 hits - including a season-high six doubles. Freshman Chase Fralick led the way with a season-high four hits, including two doubles, and five different Tigers recorded multi-hit games. Auburn held a commanding 6-0 lead by the end of the second. Alabama didn't manage its first hit until there were two outs in the fourth. Though Alabama reliever Coulson Buchanan managed to briefly slow Auburn's bats in the middle innings, the Tigers broke through again in the fifth. A double from Carter, single from Fralick, and a walk drawn by Deric Fabian loaded the bases. Snow and Rembert followed with RBI singles to stretch the lead to 9-0. With the win, Auburn improved to 21-9 overall and 5-5 in SEC play, setting the tone for a rivalry weekend with a dominant all-around performance.

(Photo: @AuburnBaseball)

GAME TWO: Alabama 6, Auburn 5

Auburn and Alabama battled in a back-and-forth contest in game one of the doubleheader Saturday. It was the Crimson Tide who came out on top with a late two-run homer that sealed a 6-5 victory win and evened the series. Auburn threatened early with runners on base in the first inning, but a highlight-reel play by Alabama shortstop, Justin Lebron ended the threat. After a deflection off the third baseman's glove, Lebron barehanded the ball and fired to first for the third out. The Tigers didn't waste their next opportunity, Deric Fabian came through with a clutch two-out single to put Auburn on the board in the second inning. Alabama answered in the third, using three hits and a hit batter to tie the game. But Auburn starter Cade Fisher limited the damage by stranding the bases loaded with a strikeout and a flyout. The seesaw action continued into the fourth. Auburn went ahead again after Chris Rembert walked, moved around on a single from Ike Irish, and scored on a wild pitch. Alabama tied it right back up in the top of the next inning. Cam Tilly came in for Auburn in the fourth and gave the Tigers a huge boost out of the bullpen. The Sophomore retired seven straight and held Alabama in check through the sixth, keeping the game tied 2-2. Auburn broke the deadlock in the sixth on Fabian's third hit and second RBI of the game. But Alabama, once again responded immediately, this time scoring twice in the seventh to take their first lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Rembert launched a solo homer to tie it again, and a wild pitch in the eighth gave Auburn a 5-4 lead heading into the final frame. But Alabama had one last punch. A leadoff double set the table in the ninth, and Justin Lebron crushed a go-ahead two-run homer, to put the Tide on top 6-5. Auburn couldn't respond in the bottom half, going down in order to end the game.

GAME THREE: Auburn 7, Alabama 5

After a long delay between games on Saturday, Auburn came out swinging once again in the rubber match jumping out to a quick lead and holding off a late Alabama push to win 7-5 and secure the series victory. Just like in Friday's opener, the Tigers exploded for four runs in the first inning. Bub Terrell got things rolling with a two-run single, followed by an RBI single from Bristol Carter and a sacrifice fly by Chase Fralick to make it 4-0. Auburn starter Andreas Alvarez looked sharp early, retiring the first five batters he faced. But Alabama responded in the second with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a three-run homer to suddenly cut the lead to one. The Tigers didn't flinch, Ike Irish doubled with one out in the third, and Terrell delivered again with a two-out RBI single, bringing his total to three RBIs in his first two trips to the plate. That extended Auburn's lead to 6-3. Griffin Graves took over on the mound and delivered 2.1 innings scoreless. Eric Guevara added insurance with a solo home run to center in the fifth, his second of the year, after entering the game as a defensive sub. Alabama made one final push in the seventh putting runners on second and third with no outs. But Guevara made a clutch play at third base, fielding a hard grounder and throwing home to cut down the lead runner. The Crimson Tide did manage two runs in the inning, but Auburn reliever Ryan Hetzler locked things down, retiring the side in both the eighth and ninth to earn his third save of the year. With the 7-5 win, Auburn claimed the series 2-1 and delivered a strong response against their in-state rival.