Former Auburn pitcher Brent Schoening dies at age of 31

Schoening was a three-year letterwinner at Auburn, earning All-Southeastern Conference and third-team All-American honors as a junior while helping lead the program to an NCAA Super Regional appearance.

In his three-year career, Schoening posted a 29-9 record with a 4.02 earned run average. The Columbus, Ga., native is third all-time in school history in strikeouts (327), fifth in victories (29), sixth in games started (52), and eighth in innings pitched (325).

“It is truly a sad day for me personally and for the Auburn baseball family with the loss of Brent,” said former Auburn baseball coach Hal Baird. “While we were well aware of his recent struggles, nevertheless, it’s a stunner to lose someone like Brent. The courage he demonstrated as player at Auburn was also relative the way he fought this battle.

"It’s no coincidence that his three years at Auburn was arguably the best three-year period in the history of the program. Brent will be missed those that he touched, and I’m very honored to have coached a person of his character.”

As a junior in 1999, Schoening was named a Collegiate Baseball third-team All-American, after posting of the better single seasons by a pitcher in Auburn history.

Schoening’s Auburn career resulted in the most successful three-year span in terms of wins in the program’s history. From 1997-99, Auburn won 142 games, reaching the College World Series in 1997, winning an SEC Tournament title in 1998 and advancing to NCAA Super Regionals in 1999.

Schoening was a fifth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 1999
and spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, concluding his career in
2005 with the Rochester Red Wings, the AAA affiliate of the Twins.

Born on April 7, 1978, in Baton Rouge, La., Schoening was a two-time Georgia 3A Player of the Year at Columbus High School, leading the
school to a state title in 1996. He is survived by his wife Lauren,
parents Ed and Elizabeth Schoening and sisters, Julia and Jennifer.