04/15 at 12:29 AM

Tony Caldwell said he didn’t make mistakes at the plate last weekend.

He made pitchers pay for theirs.

“The biggest thing about it was just not missing a pitch,” the Tigers’ senior catcher said. “I hit the pitchers’ mistakes.

“Everything fell into place. It was just awesome.”

Caldwell broke out of a season-long swoon in a big way during the span of three games at Kentucky, going 8-for-14 (a .571 average) with three home runs and 10 RBI against Wildcat pitching.

All three home runs and seven of his RBI came on a 5-for-5 Saturday night.

“Coach has been telling me it’s going to happen, it’s going to come, just keep working hard,” Caldwell said. “I feel like I just relaxed and played and had a lot of things go my way.

“I’d hit two home runs in a game several times. Never three.”

Caldwell entered the weekend hitting .268 with three home runs and 12 RBI.

He showed some signs of turning things around at the plate during Auburn’s six-game SEC losing streak against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.

He hit .294 (5-of-17), but he still wasn’t feeling like the player that hit .349 as a junior.

“I was calling for help,” Caldwell said. “The biggest thing was trying to stay positive and serve my teammates, but on the other hand, I was like, ‘What’s wrong? Why am I not getting hits? I know I’m a better hitter than what I’ve been showing.’”

After last weekend, his batting average is up 45 points to .313, he matched his season home run total Saturday night and his RBI mark nearly doubled.

Head coach John Pawlowski said it’s been a long time coming.

“Tony certainly didn’t get off to the start that he wanted, and he was a little frustrated,” Pawlowski said. “I told him to keep swinging and keep working. Great to see him get the results that he did.”

Caldwell said one of his main goals this season has been to keep his defensive game up, no matter how well he’s hitting.

After shuffling around between right field, catcher and left field last season, Caldwell has planted himself firmly behind the plate this year, except for one game each at right and designated hitter.

He said it’s where he belongs.

“I knew I was going to be a catcher when I was 6 years old,” Caldwell said. “I’ve always felt comfortable back there. It’s uncomfortable when I’m in the outfield or somewhere else. That’s when I have to think the game instead of just playing.”

Caldwell has exhibited that comfort by making baserunners think twice before they test his arm.

The three-time Johnny Bench award nominee has thrown out 50 percent (15-of-30) of would-be base stealers this season, with his 15 runners caught leading the SEC.

“Really, it’s my arm,” Caldwell said, joking. “Nah. Our pitchers are quick to the plate, want to give them credit. I have an average arm to get it there in time. It takes everything to work together: It’s got to be a good pitch, the hitter’s got to miss it, and the infielder’s got to be there to make the tag.”

Caldwell has also embraced his role as a steward for the Tigers’ young staff this season.

Auburn lost two of its top three starters from last year’s team.

“Especially the younger guys, they’ve learned to listen to him because he has experience,” Pawlowski said. “He’s a leader back there. When you have a veteran catcher back there, I think it can only help your pitching staff.”

OHS grad to start for Auburn

Opelika High grad Zach Blatt is slated to make his first collegiate start for Auburn tonight when it travels to take on LSU at 7 p.m.

Blatt has a 1-2 record and a 6.53 ERA in 11 appearances this year, striking out 19, walking 11 and giving up 26 hits in 20 2/3 innings.

The junior, who was a workhorse starter in Opelika’s run to the state championship series in 2008, is coming off a relief performance last Friday against Kentucky in which he gave up three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking two.

“I was just glad to get in there, pick the team up and get deep into the game,” said Blatt, who entered in the second inning last Friday. “I was just saying, ‘Pace yourself, breathe.‘ It was something I hadn’t done in a while.”

Blatt has a 3-2 record, three saves and an ERA of 6.22 in 43 career relief appearances, striking out 56 and walking 31 in 72 1/3 innings.

He’ll be the seventh different Auburn pitcher to start a game this season.

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