AU BASEBALL: Tigers hit field Wednesday for 1st fall practice

By: Special to the News AU Media Relations | Opelika Auburn News
Published: September 16, 2009

After waiting all summer for the start of the fall season, the Auburn baseball team had to hang on one more day, as weather postponed Tuesday’s scheduled workout — the first of the fall.

Instead, the Tigers will take to the field, kicking off the new season at 3:30 p.m. today. Scrimmages, which will be open to the public, are scheduled for this weekend at 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.

In John Pawlowski’s first season as head coach, the Tigers went 31-25, and missed a trip to the SEC Tournament, finishing 11-19 in conference play.

The team returns 23 letter winners off of the 2009 team, including the leading hitter in junior infielder Justin Hargett (.330) and the top reliever in senior Austin Hubbard (12 saves, 56 strikeouts).

The coaching staff will also try to infuse 13 newcomers onto the team, which includes 2009 MLB draft picks RHP Garrett Bush (15th round), RHP Stephen Kohlscheen (30th round) and LHP Cole Nelson (45th round).

Pawlowski will have a pair of new assistants in the dugout as well with the additions of Link Jarrett and Ty Megahee.

Megahee joined the staff on Tuesday, after previously being at Monmouth University as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, helping the team to a regional appearance in 2009.

“We are very fortunate to have Ty Megahee join the Auburn baseball program. His experience as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator and a trip to the NCAA Regionals last year will certainly help us as we continue to move the program forward,” Pawlowski said.

In Megahee’s only season at Monmouth, he was the hitting and infield coach while also spearheading the program’s recruiting efforts.

Last year, the team hit .318 and set a school record for stolen bases (100) in a single season, winning the 2009 Northeast Conference Tournament Championship and a berth in the Oxford, Miss., Regional. Four Monmouth players were named to the all-conference team and two previously undrafted players were selected during the June MLB Draft.