Auburn defeats Alabama, 13-8, in fall exhibition action

The Tigers excelled at Butch Thompson's mantra of "timely hitting" against the Crimson Tide on Friday night

Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics

With returning members of the 2022 College World Series team in attendance, including all eight 2022 MLB draftees, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 13-8 inside Plainsman Park on Friday night. 

Got the CWS gang back together. 👏#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/WOD9YDZ7IG

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) October 29, 2022

Timely hitting, one of head coach Butch Thompson's mantras, was the name of the game for Auburn in this one. After falling behind Alabama early, the Tigers began making good contact when it mattered most: 8 of their 13 runs came with two outs, and most came via base hit with runners in scoring position. 

Auburn only hit two home runs against Alabama, but they were noteworthy: The first was from transfer outfielder Justin Kirby, a grad transfer out of Kent State, opening the 7th. The other came just a few batters later, after catcher Ike Irish hit his 2nd homerun of the fall ball slate, this one with two runners on, to break the game wide open. Irish, a true freshman & highly-touted recruit out of Michigan, was considered the top prep catcher available in the MLB Draft before eschewing the big leagues for Auburn and is expected to start at DH and backup Nate LaRue behind the dish. 

Ike Irish heads for home after his 7th inning home run as 3rd base coach Gabe Gross looks on  :: Trey Lee / Auburn Daily

Auburn showed a similar defensive alignment tonight as they did two weeks ago against Louisiana Tech, with the only changes being a return of Kason Howell to centerfield after a mild oblique injury and Gavin Miller, the freshman from Oakdale, PA, supplanting Bryson Ware at 3rd. Third base remains the only real position battle left on the roster. The rest of the defense is seemingly set, with the veteran threesome of Justin Kirby, Kason Howell, and Bobby Pierce entrenched in the outfield and an infield of Kansas transfer Cooper McMurray at 1B, Caden Green at 2B, and returning veteran Cole Foster, now shifted over from 2nd to SS, similar to what Brody Moore and Ryan Bliss did in previous seasons. Expect the competition between Gavin Miller, Bryson Ware, and Brody Wortham at third base to continue through next week's Orange and Blue World Series and possibly even into the regular season. 

Centerfielder Kason Howell offensively led the charge for Auburn, collecting three hits before being lifted in the 8th for freshman Chris Stanfield. Irish and Pierce each collected multiple RBIs, Irish getting three on his home run and adding a 4th with a 9th inning single, while Pierce plated two with a two out, two-RBI single to left in the 7th after putting Auburn on the board with a bases-loaded walk in the third. Freshman outfielder Chris Stanfield, replacing Howell late in the contest, had two RBIs in the 9th to push Auburn's lead to six runs, and stole a base. The newcomer from Tallahassee, FL has 2 hits, 3 RBIs, and 2 steals in Auburn's two exhibition games. Brody Wortham, entering in relief of Gavin Miller at 3B before sliding to 1B to close the game, went 2-3 with a run scored. 

Kason Howell, who went 3-3 with 2 runs scored, stands on 2nd after a 3rd inning double :: Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics

Twenty total position players entered the game for Auburn, with a wholesale "shift change" happening to start the 8th inning as Auburn replaced every defensive player in the alignment with substitutions. 

Ten total pitchers appeared for the Tigers in the contest, with RHP Chase Allsup starting off on the bump. Expected to be a weekend starter, he went two scoreless innings with two hits, one walk, and five strikeouts, flashing a fastball in the mid 90s and a plethora of secondaries. Ace Joseph Gonzalez covered two innings earlier in the contest, giving Auburn scoreless 5th and 6th innings with one walk and three strikeouts total. Auburn pitchers finished with 22 strikeouts in 12 innings, with 15 hits, 7 walks, and 7 earned runs. 

Joseph Gonzalez delivers a pitch against Alabama in fall exhibition action :: Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics

Making a loud entrance into the proceedings was sophomore RHP Will Cannon. A transfer from Northwest Florida State, Cannon burst onto the scene in the 8th inning with three strikeouts. Cannon's primary weapons are a fastball in the low-90s with an explosive finish and late riding life, as well as a changeup with fade to the gloveside. Taking the good with the bad, Cannon also allowed three runs to score in the 8th after some low misses walked the bases and a shot to the right-center gap sent runners home. Knowing Butch Thompson, there's always a chance Will Cannon disappears "in the garage" and comes out as a weapon for a Tigers bullpen looking for some replacements for drafted relievers Blake Burkhalter and Carson Skipper.

Auburn concludes fall action with the Orange and Blue World Series next week in Plainsman Park. 

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