The Auburn Tigers baseball is the team that represents Auburn University in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most of the other Auburn athletic teams, the baseball team currently participates in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers play their home games on campus at Plainsman Park, and they are coached by Butch Thompson.
History Auburn Baseball has won six SEC championships, three SEC Tournament championships, appeared in 25 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 overall record.
On September 1, 1999, it was announced that 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. 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.
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.
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. At Auburn, he took over a very young baseball team that included two freshman all-American selections, Hunter Morris and Brian Fletcher.
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.
Stadium
Plainsman Park 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.
In the 2026 Auburn Regional Final on June 1, 2026 versus Milwaukee, a new attendance record of 8,228 was set at Plainsman Park.
Head coaches Records are through the 2024 season TenureCoachSeasonsWon–loss recordWinning pct.NCAA tournaments 1933 Sam J. McAllister 1 5–4 .556 1934 William Herschel Bobo 1 1934–1939 Dell Morgan 6 1940 Porter Grant 1 4–5 .444 1941–1942 Jimmy Hitchcock 2 1943–1946 Bob K. Evans 2 1947–1948 Danny Doyle 2 1949–1950 Johnny Williamson 2 21–23 .477 1951–1957 Dick McGowen 7 90–76–2 .548 1958 Joe Connally 1 17–8 .680 1959–1962 Erk Russell 4 59–37–1 .620 1963–1984 Paul Nix 22 515–376 .578 4 1985–2000 Hal Baird 16 634–328 .659 9 2001–2004 Steve Renfroe 4 145–92 .612 3 2005–2008 Tom Slater 4 115–113 .504 1 2009–2013 John Pawlowski 5 167–126 .570 1 2014–2015 Sunny Golloway 2 62–50 .553 1 2016–present Butch Thompson 10 306–221–1 5 Totals 18 coaches 86 24
Year-by-year results
*Final rankings are from Collegiate Baseball Division I Final Polls (1959–2006) Official 2007 NCAA Baseball Records Book *Auburn baseball history year-by-year results Auburn Baseball History Year-by-year resultsYearCoachRecordNotes1933 Sam McAllister 1934 Herschel Bobo 10-8-11935 Del Morgan1936 Del Morgan 13-51937 Del Morgan1938 Del Morgan1939 Del Morgan1940 Porter Grant1941 Jimmy Hitchcock 12-11-11942 Jimmy Hitchcock 10-81943 Bob Evans 8-31944 Bob Evans1945 Bob Evans1946 Bob Evans1947Danny Doyle1948Danny Doyle1949Johnny Williamson 9–101950Johnny Williamson 12–131951Dan McGowen 14–111952Dan McGowen 13–11–21953Dan McGowen 9–121954Dan McGowen 17–51955Dan McGowen 9–161956Dan McGowen 12–111957Dan McGowen 16–101958Joe Connally 17–8 SEC Champions1959Erk Russell 15–11–11960Erk Russell 15–81961Erk Russell 14–11 SEC East Champions1962Erk Russell 15–71963 Paul Nix 17–8 SEC Champions, Lost to Florida State in Gastonia Regional1964 Paul Nix 21–7 SEC East Champions1965 Paul Nix 13–7 SEC East Champions1966 Paul Nix 14–121967 Paul Nix 31–10 College World Series (4th place), SEC Champions1968 Paul Nix 22–121969 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 College World Series (8th place) 1995 Hal Baird 50–13 Lost to Oklahoma in Oklahoma City Super Regional 1996 Hal Baird 32–24 1997 Hal Baird 50–17 College World Series (6th place) 1998 Hal Baird 46–18 Lost to Florida State in Tallahassee Super Regional 1999 Hal Baird 46–19 Lost to Florida State in Tallahassee Super Regional 2000 Hal Baird 41–20 Lost to Stetson in Atlanta Regional, Baird retired following the 2000 season 2001 Steve Renfroe 37–21 Lost to Florida State in Tallahassee Regional 2002 Steve Renfroe 34–23 2003 Steve Renfroe 44–21 Lost to Ohio State in Columbus Regional 2004 Steve Renfroe 32–24 Steve Renfroe fired after season 2005 Tom Slater 34–26Lost to Florida St. in Tallahassee Regional Final 2006 Tom Slater 22–34 2007 Tom Slater 31–25 2008 Tom Slater 28–28 Tom Slater resigned after the season 2009 John Pawlowski 31–25 John Pawlowski hired in off-season 2010 John Pawlowski 43–21 Lost to Clemson in Auburn Regional Final 2011 John Pawlowski 29–29 2012 John Pawlowski 31–28 2013 John Pawlowski 33–23 John Pawlowski fired after season 2014 Sunny Golloway 28–28 Sunny Golloway hired on June 14, 2013. 2015 Sunny Golloway 36–26 Golloway was fired following the 2015 season. 2016 Butch Thompson 23–33 Butch Thompson was hired on October 22, 2015 2017 Butch Thompson 37–26 Lost to Florida St. in Tallahassee Regional final, June 5, 2017.2018Butch Thompson 43–23Lost to Florida in Gainesville Super Regional2019Butch Thompson 38–26College World Series (7th Place)2020Butch Thompson 13–5*season cancelled before SEC play2021Butch Thompson 25–272022Butch Thompson43–21College World Series (5th Place)2023Butch Thompson34–23–1Lost to Southern Miss in Auburn Regional2024Butch Thompson27–26
Auburn Tigers in the NCAA tournament 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.
YearRecordPctNotes 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. 2025 3–2 .600 Winner of Auburn Regional. Eliminated by Coastal Carolina in the Auburn Super Regional. 2026 4–3 .571 Winner of Auburn Regional. Eliminated by Ole Miss in Auburn Super Regional.TOTALS
Auburn's first-team All-Americans PlayerPositionYear(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 Casey Mize Pitcher 2018† ABCA, BA, NCBWA, PG Ryan Bliss Shortstop 2021 NCBWA Sonny DiChiara First Base 2022 ABCA, BA Ike Irish Catcher / OF 2025† ABCA, BA, CB, D1, PG Source: ABCA: American Baseball Coaches Association BA: Baseball America CB: Collegiate Baseball NCBWA: National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association LS: Louisville Slugger † Denotes consensus All-American
Player awards
National awards Rotary Smith Award Tim Hudson (1997) Collegiate Baseball Freshman of the Year Award Hayden Gliemmo (1998) Pat Duke (1958) Auburn 1st All-American
SEC Awards Player of the Year Award Tim Hudson (1997) Hunter Morris (2010) Freshman of the Year Award Hunter Morris (2008)
Coaches awards
SEC Awards SEC Coach of the Year Dell Morgan (1937) Joe Connally (1958) Paul Nix (1963, 1967, 1976, 1978)
References
External links