In its first in-state showdown of the season, No. 6 Auburn baseball toppled Samford 6-2 on Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
Despite committing four errors in the field, Auburn used its 11th double-digit strikeout performance of the season from its pitching staff – which marks seven straight games doing so – as Andreas Alvarez, Jett Johnston and Garrett Brewer combined for 12 strikeouts on the night.
Auburn placed its leadoff man on in six of eight innings, and it paid off in the early goings as the Tigers took advantage of a leadoff walk and a pair of sacrifice flies to draw first blood in their first at-bat.
Again in the second, Mason McCraine drew a walk to lead things off and was plated as Bristol Carter singled through the left side with two outs.
After working out of a jam with runners on the corners and one out in the first inning, Alvarez worked his third consecutive scoreless frame before the Tigers added one more run on an opposite-field blast from Eric Guevara to lead off the home half.
Alvarez kept the Bulldogs off the board in his five innings of work, recording eight strikeouts, which tied his season-high, and giving up three hits for his first win of the season.
Jett Johnston relieved Alvarez to start the sixth frame and worked two quick outs before giving up a deep shot over the wall in left center off the bat of Samford’s Cade Carr, his first of the season, cutting the Tigers’ lead to 3-1.
With two out and the bases loaded in Samford’s half of the eighth, right fielder Cade Belyeu hauled in a miraculous diving catch and doubled up the runner on second to end the inning, though the Bulldogs plated one of the flyout.
Auburn tallied three runs in the seventh and eighth frames with a pair of RBI singles from Chris Rembert and McCraine in the former and an RBI groundout off Bub Terrel’s bat in the latter before Brewer worked a scoreless ninth to give the Tigers their 35th win at home dating back to last season.
The Tigers will stay at Plainsman Park this weekend with a three-game series against Winthrop beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every day.
