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Baseball team representing Auburn University From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Auburn Tigers baseball team represents Auburn University in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Auburn athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Western division of the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers play their home games on campus at Plainsman Park, and they are coached by Butch Thompson.[3]
| Auburn Tigers | |
|---|---|
 2024 Auburn Tigers baseball team | |
| |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Overall record | 1,914–1,282–6 (.598)[1] |
| University | Auburn University |
| Athletic director | John Cohen |
| Head coach | Butch Thompson (9th season) |
| Conference | SEC |
| Location | Auburn, Alabama |
| Home stadium | Plainsman Park (Capacity: 4,096) |
| Nickname | Tigers |
| Colors | Burnt orange and navy blue[2] |
| College World Series appearances | |
| 1967, 1976, 1994, 1997, 2019, 2022 | |
| NCAA regional champions | |
| 1976, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2018, 2019, 2022 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 1963, 1967, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 | |
| Conference tournament champions | |
| 1978, 1989, 1998 | |
| Regular season conference champions | |
| 1905, 1916, 1920, 1928, 1931, 1937, 1958, 1963, 1967, 1976, 1978 | |
Auburn Baseball has won six SEC championships, three SEC Tournament championships, appeared in 22 NCAA Regionals, and reached the College World Series (CWS) six times.
Following the 2000 season, Hal Baird retired as head coach. After 16 years as head of the Auburn baseball program, Baird posted an impressive 634–328–0 overall record.
On September 1, 1999, Steve Renfroe was named head baseball coach at Auburn University, as the successor to Hal Baird following the 2000 season. Renfroe was longtime assistant coach at Auburn before being named head coach, having begun his coaching career at Auburn in 1981 as an assistant and remaining in that position until 1995 when he was named assistant head coach.
On June 7, 2004, Renfroe was relieved of his duties as head baseball coach at Auburn. He posted an overall mark of 145–92, including a 60–60 SEC record, during his tenure.[4] Each of Renfroe's first three Auburn squads advanced to the NCAA Baseball Tournaments, with stops in Tallahassee, FL, in 2001, Tuscaloosa, AL, in 2002, and hosting a 2003 Regional in Auburn.[5]
On June 29, 2004, Tom Slater was named as Steve Renfroe's replacement. After only having 2 coaches in 38 years, Auburn was now on the second coach within a five-year period. Slater was previously an assistant at Auburn during the 1990s before taking a head coaching job at his alma mater Virginia Military Institute following the 2000 season. After the 2003 season, Slater left VMI to take an assistant job at the University of Florida where he helped lead the Gators to their first ever Super Regional appearance.[6]
On June 20, 2008, John Pawlowski was introduced as the 16th Head Coach of the Auburn Tigers baseball program. Pawlowski was previously the head coach at the College of Charleston. He took over that program in 2000, and posted a 338–192–1 record during his tenure. Under his direction, the Cougars made three straight NCAA post-season appearances, including their first ever appearance in 2004. He was named the Southern Conference coach of the year in 2004, 2005, and 2007, and coached 17 All-Americans during his tenure.[7] At Auburn, he took over a very young baseball team that included two freshman all-American selections, Hunter Morris and Brian Fletcher.[8]
On May 27, 2013, John Pawlowski was fired after finishing the 2013 season with a 33–23 record overall and a 13–17 record in the SEC. The Tigers failed to reach the NCAA tournament for three straight years. Pawlowski compiled a 167–126 overall record and a 71–79 SEC mark at Auburn. His 2010 team won the SEC West, but his four other teams had losing conference records.
Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park is a baseball stadium located in Auburn, Alabama. It is the home field for the Auburn Tigers baseball team. Commonly known as "Plainsman Park", it is widely considered one of the finest facilities in college baseball and has a seating capacity of 4,096 not including lawn areas.
The field was named in 1997 to honor two former Auburn players, Billy and Jimmy Hitchcock. The Hitchcock brothers were popular athletes in the 1930s. Jimmy was Auburn's first All-American in football and baseball, and later coached the Tigers during the 1940s. Billy helped Auburn make its first bowl appearance in football, as well as, helping the Tigers claim their first SEC baseball title in 1937. He later became a manager in the MLB.
In 2003, the stadium was renamed Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park after W. James "Jimmy" Samford passed. Samford was a graduate of Auburn, a former board of trustees member, and was known for pushing the renovations of the stadium that began in 1996.
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. | NCAA tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Sam McAllister | 1 | 5–4–0 | .556 | |
| 1934 | Herschel Bobo | 1 | |||
| 1934–1939 | Del Morgan | 6 | |||
| 1940 | Porter Grant | 1 | 4–5–0 | .444 | |
| 1941–1942 | Jimmy Hitchcock | 2 | |||
| 1943–1946 | Bob Evans | 2 | |||
| 1947–1948 | Danny Doyle | 2 | |||
| 1949–1950 | Johnny Williamson | 2 | 21–23–0 | .477 | |
| 1951–1957 | Dick McGowen | 7 | 90–76–2 | .548 | |
| 1958 | Joe Connally | 1 | 17–8–0 | .680 | |
| 1959–1962 | Erk Russell | 4 | 59–37–1 | .620 | |
| 1963–1984 | Paul Nix | 22 | 515–376–0 | .578 | 4 |
| 1985–2000 | Hal Baird | 16 | 634–328–0 | .659 | 9 |
| 2001–2004 | Steve Renfroe | 4 | 145–92–0 | .612 | 3 |
| 2005–2008 | Tom Slater | 4 | 115–113–0 | .504 | 1 |
| 2009–2013 | John Pawlowski | 5 | 167–126 | .570 | 1 |
| 2014–2015 | Sunny Golloway | 2 | 62–50 | .553 | 1 |
| 2016–present | Butch Thompson | 9 | 274–198-1 | .581 | 5 |
| Totals | 18 coaches | 86 | 24 |
*Through 2023 season.
*Final rankings are from Collegiate Baseball Division I Final Polls (1959–2006)[9]
*Auburn baseball history year-by-year results[10]
| Year-by-year results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Coach | Record | Notes |
| 1933 | Sam McAllister | ||
| 1934 | Herschel Bobo | 10-8-1 | |
| 1935 | Del Morgan | ||
| 1936 | Del Morgan | 13-5 | |
| 1937 | Del Morgan | ||
| 1938 | Del Morgan | ||
| 1939 | Del Morgan | ||
| 1940 | Porter Grant | ||
| 1941 | Jimmy Hitchcock | 12-11-1 | |
| 1942 | Jimmy Hitchcock | 10-8 | |
| 1943 | Bob Evans | 8-3 | |
| 1944 | Bob Evans | ||
| 1945 | Bob Evans | ||
| 1946 | Bob Evans | ||
| 1947 | Danny Doyle | ||
| 1948 | Danny Doyle | ||
| 1949 | Johnny Williamson | 9–10 | |
| 1950 | Johnny Williamson | 12–13 | |
| 1951 | Dan McGowen | 14–11 | |
| 1952 | Dan McGowen | 13–11–2 | |
| 1953 | Dan McGowen | 9–12 | |
| 1954 | Dan McGowen | 17–5 | |
| 1955 | Dan McGowen | 9–16 | |
| 1956 | Dan McGowen | 12–11 | |
| 1957 | Dan McGowen | 16–10 | |
| 1958 | Joe Connally | 17–8 | SEC Champions |
| 1959 | Erk Russell | 15–11–1 | |
| 1960 | Erk Russell | 15–8 | |
| 1961 | Erk Russell | 14–11 | SEC East Champions |
| 1962 | Erk Russell | 15–7 | |
| 1963 | Paul Nix | 17–8 | SEC Champions, Lost to Florida State in Gastonia Regional |
| 1964 | Paul Nix | 21–7 | SEC East Champions |
| 1965 | Paul Nix | 13–7 | SEC East Champions |
| 1966 | Paul Nix | 14–12 | |
| 1967 | Paul Nix | 31–10 | College World Series (4th place), SEC Champions |
| 1968 | Paul Nix | 22–12 | |
| 1969 | Paul Nix | 20–17 | |
| 1970 | Paul Nix | 17–16 | |
| 1971 | Paul Nix | 23–16 | |
| 1972 | Paul Nix | 18–17 | |
| 1973 | Paul Nix | 20–17 | |
| 1974 | Paul Nix | 31–13 | |
| 1975 | Paul Nix | 24–21 | |
| 1976 | Paul Nix | 37–15 | College World Series (8th place), SEC Champions |
| 1977 | Paul Nix | 28–18 | |
| 1978 | Paul Nix | 33–21 | SEC Champions, SEC Tournament champions, Lost to Memphis in Auburn Regional |
| 1979 | Paul Nix | 21–21 | |
| 1980 | Paul Nix | 27–24 | SEC West Champions |
| 1981 | Paul Nix | 27–27 | |
| 1982 | Paul Nix | 27–20–1 | |
| 1983 | Paul Nix | 16–34 | |
| 1984 | Paul Nix | 27–24 | |
| 1985 | Hal Baird | 30–22 | |
| 1986 | Hal Baird | 31–24 | |
| 1987 | Hal Baird | 24–18 | Lost to Clemson in Huntsville Regional |
| 1988 | Hal Baird | 39–16 | |
| 1989 | Hal Baird | 44–20 | SEC Tournament champions, Lost to Clemson in Tallahassee Regional |
| 1990 | Hal Baird | 34–24 | |
| 1991 | Hal Baird | 35–24 | |
| 1992 | Hal Baird | 30–25 | |
| 1993 | Hal Baird | 40–23 | Lost to NC State in Stillwater Regional |
| 1994 | Hal Baird | 44–21[11] | College World Series (8th place) |
| 1995 | Hal Baird | 50–13[12] | Lost to Oklahoma in Oklahoma City Super Regional |
| 1996 | Hal Baird | 32–24[13] | |
| 1997 | Hal Baird | 50–17[14] | College World Series (6th place) |
| 1998 | Hal Baird | 46–18[15] | Lost to Florida State in Tallahassee Super Regional |
| 1999 | Hal Baird | 46–19[16] | Lost to Florida State in Tallahassee Super Regional |
| 2000 | Hal Baird | 41–20[17] | Lost to Stetson in Atlanta Regional, Baird retired following the 2000 season |
| 2001 | Steve Renfroe | 37–21[18] | Lost to Florida State in Tallahassee Regional |
| 2002 | Steve Renfroe | 34–23[19] | |
| 2003 | Steve Renfroe | 44–21[20] | Lost to Ohio State in Columbus Regional[20] |
| 2004 | Steve Renfroe | 32–24[21] | Steve Renfroe fired after season[22] |
| 2005 | Tom Slater | 34–26 | Lost to Florida St. in Tallahassee Regional Final |
| 2006 | Tom Slater | 22–34[23] | |
| 2007 | Tom Slater | 31–25[24] | |
| 2008 | Tom Slater | 28–28[25] | Tom Slater resigned after the season[26] |
| 2009 | John Pawlowski | 31–25[27] | John Pawlowski hired in off-season[28] |
| 2010 | John Pawlowski | 43–21[29] | Lost to Clemson in Auburn Regional Final |
| 2011 | John Pawlowski | 29–29[30] | |
| 2012 | John Pawlowski | 31–28[31] | |
| 2013 | John Pawlowski | 33–23[32] | John Pawlowski fired after season[33] |
| 2014 | Sunny Golloway | 28–28[34] | Sunny Golloway hired on June 14, 2013.[35] |
| 2015 | Sunny Golloway | 36–26[36] | Golloway was fired following the 2015 season.[37] |
| 2016 | Butch Thompson | 23–33[38] | Butch Thompson was hired on October 22, 2015[39] |
| 2017 | Butch Thompson | 37–26[40] | Lost to Florida St. in Tallahassee Regional final, June 5, 2017. |
| 2018 | Butch Thompson | 43–23 | Lost to Florida in Gainesville Super Regional |
| 2019 | Butch Thompson | 38–26 | College World Series (7th Place) |
| 2020 | Butch Thompson | 13–5 | *season cancelled before SEC play |
| 2021 | Butch Thompson | 25–27 | |
| 2022 | Butch Thompson | 43–21 | College World Series (5th Place) |
| 2023 | Butch Thompson | 34–23–1 | Lost to Southern Miss in Auburn Regional |
Since the NCAA Division I baseball tournament began in 1947, the Auburn Tigers have played in it 24 times and made it to the College World Series six times.
| Year | Record | Pct | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | |||
| 1967 | College World Series (4th place) | ||
| 1976 | 3–2 | .600 | Won the South Regional in Tallahassee; College World Series (8th place) |
| 1978 | |||
| 1987 | |||
| 1989 | |||
| 1993 | |||
| 1994 | College World Series (8th place) | ||
| 1995 | |||
| 1997 | College World Series (6th place) | ||
| 1998 | 3–2 | .600 | Runner-up in the Tallahassee Regional. |
| 1999 | 3–3 | .500 | Won the Auburn Regional; Lost to Florida St. in the Tallahassee Super Regional. |
| 2000 | 1–2 | .333 | Eliminated by Stetson in the Atlanta Regional. |
| 2001 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Florida St. in the Tallahassee Regional final. |
| 2002 | 0–2 | .000 | Lost to Florida Atlantic and Alabama in the Tuscaloosa Regional. |
| 2003 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Ohio St. in the Auburn Regional final. |
| 2005 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Florida St. in the Tallahassee Regional final. |
| 2010 | 3–2 | .600 | Eliminated by Clemson in the Auburn Regional final. |
| 2015 | 1–2 | .333 | Eliminated by College of Charleston in the Tallahassee Regional semi-final. |
| 2017 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Florida St. in the Tallahassee Regional final. |
| 2018 | 3–0 | 1.000 | Winner of Raleigh Regional. Eliminated by Florida Gators in the Gainesville Super Regional. |
| 2019 | 5–3 | .625 | Winner of Atlanta Regional. Defeated North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Super Regional; College World Series (7th Place) |
| 2022 | 5–1 | .833 | Winner of Auburn Regional. Defeated Oregon State in the Corvallis Super Regional; College World Series (5th Place) |
| 2023 | 0–2 | .000 | Eliminated by Southern Miss in the Auburn Regional. |
| TOTALS |
| Player | Position | Year(s) | Selectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry Nichols | Third Base | 1962† | ABCA |
| Q.V. Lowe | Pitcher | 1967† | ABCA |
| Gregg Olson | Pitcher | 1987†, 1988† | ABCA, BA |
| Frank Thomas | First Base | 1989† | ABCA, BA |
| John Powell | Pitcher | 1993 | BA |
| Jay Waggoner | First Base | 1994 | NCBWA |
| Mark Bellhorn | Shortstop | 1995 | ABCA |
| Ryan Halla | Pitcher | 1995 | ABCA, NCBWA |
| Tim Hudson | Pitcher | 1997† | ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA |
| Todd Faulkner | First Base | 2000† | ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA |
| Gabe Gross | Outfield | 2000† | ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA, LS |
| Steve Register | Pitcher | 2003 | NCBWA |
| Hunter Morris | First Base | 2010† | ABCA, BA, & NCBWA |
| Ryan Bliss | Shortstop | 2021 | NCBWA |
| Source:"SEC All-Americas". secsports.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
ABCA: American Baseball Coaches Association
BA: Baseball America
CB: Collegiate Baseball
NCBWA: National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
LS: Louisville Slugger | |||
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