Auburn drops the series finale 11-2 to Indiana

Auburn falls in the series' final game by a score of 11-2 to Indiana.

SI Editorial | Feb 19, 2023

Auburn drops the series finale 11-2 to Indiana /

Auburn was able to win the series but couldn't get the clean sweep.

Indiana jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a first-inning grand slam which is really hard to come back from. The Hoosiers then ran away with it 11-2.

Aside from a Justin Kirby solo shot, two hits from Ike Irish, and three hits from Bryson Ware, the Tiger bats were quiet.

True freshman Drew Nelson had a rough first start, but the stuff is there. He will figure it out. You could tell there were some first-game jitters in his outing.

Auburn's next game will be against North Alabama at Toyota Field in Huntsville at 6:00 pm ct on Tuesday the 21st.

We will have all the coverage you need and a live blog right here at Auburn Daily.

Ninth Inning Indiana leads 11-2

John Armstrong — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Trevor Horne is back out to pitch the ninth for the Tigers.

A line out to Ware is the first out of the inning.

A groundout to Wortham is the second out of the ninth.

A base hit gives Indiana a two out base runner.

A groundout to short is the last out of the top of the ninth.

We head to the bottom where the Tigers are three outs away from their first loss of the year.

Auburn goes three up three down in the ninth inning and drops the series finale 11-2.

Eighth Inning Indiana leads 10-1

Cooper McMurray — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Ryan Olson is on to pitch for Auburn.

He walks the first batter he faces.

Olson gets an out but two more Hoosiers get on base. The bases are jacked and the Tigers are making a change.

Trevor Horne is on to pitch for Auburn.

A passed ball scores the runner from third giving Indiana a 11-1 lead.

Interesting note: Horne comes down hill strong will a steep angle on his heater.

A groundout to Ware is the second out of the inning. Good play there from Ware to freeze the runner and get the out.

A fly out to Howell ends the top of the eight.

We head to the bottom of the eighth with Indiana leading 11-1.

A solo shot from Kirby means we will play a ninth inning.

Interesting note: Kirby has a great swing that is going to help him be an All-SEC caliber player this season. You can never replace DiChiara but Kirby could be as close as you get.

Crushed. 💪@jkirbs15 smacks his 2nd HR of the weekend. pic.twitter.com/GBIJv3TTXX
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 19, 2023

Indiana still leads 11-2.

Howell pops out for the second out of the inning.

Ware goes down on strikes.

We head to the ninth with Indiana leading 11-2.

Seventh Inning Indiana leads 8-1

Crotchfelt is back out for another inning of work.

A groundout to Cole Foster is the first out of the inning.

Crotchfelt has kept the velocity around the mid 90's and is filling up the zone this appearance continues to be impressive.

Two quick base hits and that will do it for Crotchfelt.

Hayden Murphy is on to make his first career appearance.

Murphy gets the out on the first career batter he faces.

Interesting note: Murphy has the change up looking really nice in his first few pitches.

A double scores two. Indiana leads 10-1.

A diving catch from Howell will end the top of the seventh.

We head to the bottom with Auburn facing a massive 10-1 deficit.

Sixth Inning Indiana leads 8-1

Crotchfelt is out for another inning of work.

A base hit gives Indiana a lead off baserunner.

Back to back fly outs give Auburn two down in the sixth. The runner from first advanced to second on the deep fly ball.

That was some great base running from the Indiana players.

Crotchfelt get's out of the inning.

Auburn gets two base hits but can't push any runs across.

We head to the seventh inning with Indiana leading 8-1.

Gavin Miller hits for Green and gets his first hit on the first pitch he sees. Peirce is up with a man on and no one out.

Three straight outs from Auburn top of the order sends us to the eighth with Indiana leading 10-1.

Fifth Inning Indiana leads 8-1

Chase Allsup — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Crotchfelt is back out for the Tigers.

Another 1,2,3 inning for Crotchfelt. His is gaining command of the fast ball.

He continues to impress in his first career outing.

A few runs here and Auburn can climb right back in this one.

Back to back groundouts and the tigers have two quickly down.

Foster will try and start a two out rally.

Foster draws a walk giving a base runner for Irish.

Irish grounds out to short stop to end the fifth.

We head to the sixth inning with Indiana leading 8-1.

Fourth Inning Indiana leads 8-0

Freshman pitcher Zach Crotchfelt delivers the pitch against Louisiana Tech in fall exhibition action — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Crotchfelt is back out for the Tigers.

Scouting report on Crotchfelt: FB sits 91-93, can touch 96. CB has a funky angle and his change continues to improve, especially against right-handed hitters. A contender to be the #1 or #2 starter next year if he develops like his frame implies he can.

Crotchfelt goes three up three down with two punchies.

Worked the velo up to 96 that inning. This kid is going to be special.

Hopefully that quick inning can spark the Tiger bats.

Ike Irish leads off the inning with a base hit. His swing is so compact and quick. He is going to make a of money playing this game someday.

Back to back hits from Howell and Ware bring in Irish.

Indiana still leads 8-1.

Ware has been really impressive for the Tigers this weekend could be a great bat in the middle of the lineup all year long.

On the board. @bryson_ware comes thru with his second knock in as many at-bats.

E4 | Indiana 8, Auburn 1 pic.twitter.com/qCrrwTchQa
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 19, 2023

LaRue hits one sharp but right at the short stop. We head to the fifth with Indiana leading 8-1.

Third Inning Indiana leads 5-0

Kason Howell — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Heberholtz is back out for another inning of work.

A leadoff double gives Indiana another base runner.

Heberholtz's day is done.

Parker Carlson is on to pitch for the Tigers.

He comes in with a jam as there are runners on the corners with no one out.

Carlson get a strikeout then throws a runner out at home on a suicide squeeze. One out away from getting out of this jam.

Lindsay's thoughts on the defense on the squeeze play: Throw was a bit high, but he got it there so fast LaRue had a chance to get the tag. LaRue's set was also very effective - not obstruction, but making it much tougher to get in and touch home ahead of the tag.

A base hit scores a run from third Indiana leads 6-0.

Another base hit scores another run. Indiana leads 7-0.

A double scores another run.

That will be it for Carlson. True freshman Zach Crotchfelt is on to try and stop the bleeding.

Crotchfelt gets the strikeout.

He looked UNBELIEVABLE in that at bat. His stuff looks SEC ready.

We head to the home half of the third where Auburn will hope to get the bats going.

Auburn goes three up three down on non competitive at bats. The bats are asleep in the Tiger dugout.

We head to the fourth with Auburn in a deep 8-0 hole.

Second Inning Indiana leads 4-0

Auburn baseball — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Herberholtz is out to try and keep the score where it is.

A leadoff walk gives the Hoosiers another base runner.

A double gives Indiana men on first and second with no one down.

A sac fly scores the runner from third. Man on second with one down.

Interesting note: Heberholtz has a solid mix of three pitches. Slider/Curve, fast ball and changeup. The change has been effective and the mid 90's fastball has been impressive. It's going to come down to if he can hit his spots. If Heberholtz can start hitting spots he will be an effective arm out of the bull pen.

Bobby Peirce has made some outstanding plays in left field this week. His draft stock is rising daily.

A strikeout from Heberholtz ends the top of the second. We head to the bottom with Indiana leading 5-0.

Time to start chipping away. McMurray will lead things off for the Tigers.

McMurray and Howell go down quickly. Ware will try and start a two out rally.

A two out double from Ware gives the Tigers a base runner for LaRue.

LaRue goes down on strikes. His new swing has not been great so far this year. the Tigers will need him to get hot.

We head to the third with Indiana leading 5-0.

First Inning 0-0

Cole Foster — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Drew Nelson toes the rubber and we are underway at Plainsman Park.

Interesting note: Nelson has attacked the bottom the the zone early with with a violent downward angle on his fastball.

The Indiana two hole hitter draws a one out walk.

The bases are loaded for Indiana with one down.

Nelson made a big mistake hitter a batter in a 0-2 count. That is a big no no for the true freshman.

Interesting note: Nelson's change up has been deadly in this first inning.

A grand slam bust's this open as Indiana jumps out to a 4-0 lead.

That will do it for Nelson.

Christian Herberholz will take over for the Tigers.

Nelson has the stuff. Being a true freshman there are a ton of nerves there. He's going to be okay going forward. His changeup is dangerous.

Herberholz will take over with men on first and second and two down.

A strikeout ends the top of the first. We head to the bottom with Indiana leading 4-0.

Peirce goes down on strikes.

The curveball from the Indiana starter is disgusting.

WHO IS CHRISTIAN HERBERHOLZ? Redshirt junior, most recently at Southern Union. Went 4-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 10 appearances and seven starts last year, with 55 strikeouts, 11 walks in 56.1 innings pitched (with two complete games). Has been ridiculously effective in spring, averaging about 3 pitches per plate appearance but still with swing and miss stuff.

An Ike Irish double is it for the Tigers in the first.

The true freshman is off the a scorching hot start. This kid is going to have an absolutely incredible career.

We head to the second with Indiana leading 4-0.

Pitching Matchup

Drew Nelson pitching against Alabama for Auburn baseball. — Trey Lee / Auburn Daily

True freshman Drew Nelson gets the start on Sunday - I've had a chance to see him a few times between fall and spring, and here's what you can expect from the lefty:

Throwing out of a true 3/4 slot, Nelson features a fastball and two distinct breaking pitches, a slider and a curveball. The fastball sits 86-87, occasionally touching 89, and he's comfortable throwing it to both sides of the plate. The changeup and curveball play well off of that, and sit at two different speeds, with the change coming in at 77 to 78 and the curveball in the low 70s. I like the movement on the change, while the curveball has good shape and nice, late biting movement to it.

He excels when pitching to contact and trusting the defense behind him - his best outing of the spring was in a squad game with a "two balls is a walk rule", where he had to throw to contact and subsequently went four scoreless innings.

He's prone to leave a fastball up occasionally, so you'll see more fly balls than you did from Joseph Gonzalez on Saturday, but the stuff absolutely can play at the SEC level.

Don't have MUCH on Indiana's starter, transfer righty Luke Sinnard. 6-8, with a low-to-mid 90s fastball, and curveball/slider as secondaries. Good spin to his stuff, I'm told.

Was originally at Western Kentucky.
— Lindsay Crosby, big baseball guy (@CrosbyBaseball) February 19, 2023