AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn’s baseball season had hardly been over for 15 minutes when head coach John Pawlowski started his post-game press conference by thanking his players.

“They worked so hard this year to come this far,” Pawlowski said, saving answers for the team’s season-ending NCAA regional loss to Clemson for later. “I look at the beginning of the season and where we were. I’m just really proud of this team.”

The Tigers’ postseason run might have ended sooner than they would have liked, but it doesn’t change the giant step forward the program made in Pawlowski’s second year.

Thanks to a strong class of juniors recruited by his predecessor, Tom Slater, Pawlowski led Auburn to 43 wins, the seventh most in school history. The Tigers ended a series of droughts, earning an NCAA berth for the first time since 2005, qualifying for the SEC tournament for the first time since 2003 and winning the SEC West for the first time since 1995.

“It means a lot to have the fans believe in Auburn baseball again,” shortstop Casey McElroy said.