AUBURN – No. 16 Auburn scored in every inning but one and recorded 13 hits as it took down Alabama State 13-9 on Tuesday night at Plainsman Park, giving Butch Thompson win number 300 as the Tigers’ skipper.
“That's one of those longevity deals, right? So thankful for it. Thankful for every one of them here at Auburn. It has been amazing to me and Robin and strike one, strike two and strike three. It's been a special place to us, and the players that are currently on this roster made me feel really good after the ball game," Thompson said.
Auburn blasted two home runs and five hits for extra bases as four Tigers recorded multiple hits.
“The offense was a catalyst tonight. I don't think we were charged with an error, so we played good," Thompson said.
With the Tigers holding a 5-2 lead, it was an action-packed fourth inning as Alabama State struck for four runs in the top half to take the lead. With runners on the corners and two outs, Auburn starter Alex Petrovic gave up an RBI-single to end his night. Jackson Sanders entered out of the bullpen and gave up two hits and a run without recording an out, giving way for Jett Johnston, who left two Alabama State runners stranded in scoring position with an inning-ending groundout.
But Auburn didn’t shy away as it recorded its second grand slam in as many games off the bat of Lucas Steele in the home half to put the Tigers back up three, 9-6.
“It was a hitters count. I was looking for a fastball to ambush, and that's what I got. So, I took my best swing on it, and that's what happened," Steele said.
Alabama State scored two more runs in the top of the seventh. With no outs and the bases juiced due to two walks and a single given up by Dylan Watts, who started the inning out of the bullpen, Carson Myers entered and gave up two runs on a hit as the Hornets cut into the Tiger's lead, making it a 10-8 ballgame. The Hornets added one more in the ninth on a sacrifice fly.
“We have these things defensively pitching called shutdown innings. Every time we score, they try to go out there and throw a shutdown inning," Steele said. "If they don't, we try to go out there and score more than we gave up. And I guess that's the name of the game."
The Tigers got the scoring started as Eric Snow led off the bottom half of the first with a double. An at-bat later, Cooper McMurray traded places with him to give the Tigers a quick 1-0 lead. But the Hornets answered quickly in the top of the second with a two-run shot over the wall in center off the bat of Kameron Douglas.
Auburn went on to score two more runs over the next two frames as Deric Fabian and Cade Belyeu singled to lead off the second inning. Eric Guevara stayed hot since his return from injury and recorded his fifth double of the year with a two-RBI gapper to right center. Bub Terrell later drove Guevara in with a screamer to right field to put the Tigers back on top, 4-2.
The Tigers tacked on one more run in the third as Belyeu ripped a double down the line in right to score Lucas Steele.
Auburn added three insurance runs in its last two plate appearances with a two-RBI single in the seventh and a wild pitch that allowed Bristol Carter to score in the eighth.
Petrovic went 3.2 innings in the start and gave up five hits and five runs. Four Tigers saw action out of the bullpen, but Johnston shined as he held the Hornets scoreless for 2.1 innings to record the win. Myers recorded save number three on the year, giving up just one run in three innings pitched to finish it out.
“Seeing Jett make them uncomfortable makes me want to go out there and make them even more uncomfortable," Myers said.
Auburn will return to action with a weekend series on the road against No. 24 Kentucky beginning on Friday. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
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