Butch Thompson on Auburn in pitching duel in opening contest against Penn

The Auburn Tigers are in a tight one during their opening contest of the Regional Round of the NCAA Tournament. As the host team of their group, Auburn should anticipate getting the absolute best out of every opponent they face.

And that is exactly what they are getting from the Ivy League champions, the Penn Quakers. Penn is up on Auburn through five innings, leading 1-0. But before heading into the fifth, the team at ESPN caught up with Tigers skipper Butch Thompson to get his thoughts on Friday’s pitcher’s duel.

First up, Thompson addressed the lack of offense by the Tigers in the game thanks to the performance of Penn pitcher Ryan Dromboski.

“It was some shadows early. He has done an amazing job. He is the storyline of our offense not getting going. Lefties are seeing him better, and our righties keep getting out the same way. So I think it’s more with the right-handed hitters to make an adjustment here.

Dromboski has been nearly unhittable in Friday night’s contest. The Quakers’ ace pitcher has faced 20 batters allowing just two hits and walking two more batters faced. But the best stat of the night is his strikeouts. Dromboski struck out eight of the 20 Auburn batters he’s faced.

As for Auburn’s starting pitcher on the night, Chase Allsup, he has fared fairly well in Friday’s game as well. And Thompson credits his pitcher’s performance to a change in approach as they entered the regional round.

“We’re in the postseason now. He is kind of scratched the wind up. I think he’s in the zone a whole lot more. A couple of disadvantaged counts and fastballs were gotten to by the middle of their line, which is good by those guys.

Allsup has faced 19 batters in the game allowing three hits with a walk and recording seven strikeouts of his own. Unfortunately, he did allow one run to score in the top of the fourth, giving Penn the 1-0 lead they still enjoy.

There is still time for Auburn to make a comeback in the game as they head into the bottom of the sixth inning. But the Tigers’ bats will need to come alive soon and disrupt the control Dromboski has had over the game.

Otherwise, they will start off their regional round 0-1, a position no host team wants to find themselves in to start.