CadaverDawg
06-15-2019, 10:48 AM
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/Jack-Owen-will-get-the-start-for-Auburn-in-Sundays-College-Baseball-World-Series-opener-for-the-Tigers-132848208/
OMAHA, Nebraska--When the Auburn Tigers take the field on Sunday for their first game of the 2019 College Baseball World Series, Coach Butch Thompson will hand the ball to sophomore left-handed pitcher Jack Owen to get the team off to a good start.
Coming into the season hoping to get into the rotation with Davis Daniel and Tanner Burns both returning and a big group of talented newcomers, Owen has worked his way to the No. 1 spot for the Tigers with injuries to both Daniel and Burns despite dealing with an injury of his own during the season.
Preparing to play Auburn's biggest game of the season and on the biggest stage in college baseball, Owen said he can’t wait to get the ball against Mississippi State.
“You grow up watching on TV,” he said of the College World Series. “It’s always been a dream of mine, and now we’re here. It’s going to be awesome.”
“It’s every time you open up Twitter or something, you see another tweet about it, it hits you again that you’re actually going.”
For Owen it will be his first time facing Mississippi State in his two seasons at Auburn. Used mostly in midweek starts as a freshman, Owen was injured when the Tigers made the trip to Starkville this season and missed one of his SEC starts.
Entering Sunday’s 6:30 p.m. CDT game with a 4-2 record and an ERA of 2.83, Owen was dominant prior to suffering tendinitis in his throwing arm the opening weekend of SEC play against Tennessee. Settling back in as a starter, Owen said he’s ready for his first crack at a potent Mississippi State lineup.
“For me, I haven’t seen them and they haven’t seen me,” Owen said. “Right now, I like where I’m at, just because they haven’t gotten...yeah, they’ve probably watched video or whatever, and I’ve seen them play on TV multiple times, but like they haven’t been in the box against me and I haven’t gone on the mound against them. Even though it is one of our west rivals, it’s fair game right now.”
While Owen has returned to give Auburn a solid number one option, the sophomore has only gone more than five innings one time in his last six starts since returning to the rotation. That means the Tigers will likely lean on middle relievers Elliott Anderson and Ryan Watson to bride the gap to closer Cody Greenhill.
Combining to allow six earned runs on 11 hits in 13 innings in five NCAA Tournament appearances this postseason, the juniors have become a key part of this Auburn run, Owen pointed out. “They’re two of our favorite guys,” he said. “Elliott is Mr. Reliable and Watty is starting to get a feel for his slider and his fastball is really good up there. Both guys, you know, you’re not worried about them when they come in the game. You’re very confident behind them and it’s easy to play behind them when they’re doing their thing.”
With the Auburn offense performing well above the numbers posted during the regular season the Tigers head into the College World Series a confident baseball team. Still an underdog with Mississippi State and Vanderbilt considered two of the favorites to win the title this year, Owen said this team believes it can continue this run and make even more noise in the coming weeks.
“Right now, I feel like we’re playing our best baseball for sure and the offense is really starting to come around,” Owen said. “Some of the guys who were struggling early, have found their footing and they’re starting to swing the bats." Auburn has boosted its team batting average from .260 to .265 since beginning play in the NCAA Tournament.
"Maybe early in the season there was some times that we needed to make sure we kept them off the board and now it’s like, we put up 13 runs in the first inning," Owen said. "We’re as hot as anybody,so why not us?”
Auburn will practice on Friday at TD Ameritrade Park before taking part in the opening ceremony for the College World Series later in the day. The Tigers practiced at Council Bluffs High in Iowa on Thursday.
OMAHA, Nebraska--When the Auburn Tigers take the field on Sunday for their first game of the 2019 College Baseball World Series, Coach Butch Thompson will hand the ball to sophomore left-handed pitcher Jack Owen to get the team off to a good start.
Coming into the season hoping to get into the rotation with Davis Daniel and Tanner Burns both returning and a big group of talented newcomers, Owen has worked his way to the No. 1 spot for the Tigers with injuries to both Daniel and Burns despite dealing with an injury of his own during the season.
Preparing to play Auburn's biggest game of the season and on the biggest stage in college baseball, Owen said he can’t wait to get the ball against Mississippi State.
“You grow up watching on TV,” he said of the College World Series. “It’s always been a dream of mine, and now we’re here. It’s going to be awesome.”
“It’s every time you open up Twitter or something, you see another tweet about it, it hits you again that you’re actually going.”
For Owen it will be his first time facing Mississippi State in his two seasons at Auburn. Used mostly in midweek starts as a freshman, Owen was injured when the Tigers made the trip to Starkville this season and missed one of his SEC starts.
Entering Sunday’s 6:30 p.m. CDT game with a 4-2 record and an ERA of 2.83, Owen was dominant prior to suffering tendinitis in his throwing arm the opening weekend of SEC play against Tennessee. Settling back in as a starter, Owen said he’s ready for his first crack at a potent Mississippi State lineup.
“For me, I haven’t seen them and they haven’t seen me,” Owen said. “Right now, I like where I’m at, just because they haven’t gotten...yeah, they’ve probably watched video or whatever, and I’ve seen them play on TV multiple times, but like they haven’t been in the box against me and I haven’t gone on the mound against them. Even though it is one of our west rivals, it’s fair game right now.”
While Owen has returned to give Auburn a solid number one option, the sophomore has only gone more than five innings one time in his last six starts since returning to the rotation. That means the Tigers will likely lean on middle relievers Elliott Anderson and Ryan Watson to bride the gap to closer Cody Greenhill.
Combining to allow six earned runs on 11 hits in 13 innings in five NCAA Tournament appearances this postseason, the juniors have become a key part of this Auburn run, Owen pointed out. “They’re two of our favorite guys,” he said. “Elliott is Mr. Reliable and Watty is starting to get a feel for his slider and his fastball is really good up there. Both guys, you know, you’re not worried about them when they come in the game. You’re very confident behind them and it’s easy to play behind them when they’re doing their thing.”
With the Auburn offense performing well above the numbers posted during the regular season the Tigers head into the College World Series a confident baseball team. Still an underdog with Mississippi State and Vanderbilt considered two of the favorites to win the title this year, Owen said this team believes it can continue this run and make even more noise in the coming weeks.
“Right now, I feel like we’re playing our best baseball for sure and the offense is really starting to come around,” Owen said. “Some of the guys who were struggling early, have found their footing and they’re starting to swing the bats." Auburn has boosted its team batting average from .260 to .265 since beginning play in the NCAA Tournament.
"Maybe early in the season there was some times that we needed to make sure we kept them off the board and now it’s like, we put up 13 runs in the first inning," Owen said. "We’re as hot as anybody,so why not us?”
Auburn will practice on Friday at TD Ameritrade Park before taking part in the opening ceremony for the College World Series later in the day. The Tigers practiced at Council Bluffs High in Iowa on Thursday.