April 16, 2006
AUBURN, Ala. -
Box Score in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Auburn starter Chris Dennis limited Mississippi State to two runs on four hits in five innings of work and Andy Bennett finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs as the Tigers defeated the No. 8 Bulldogs, 7-3, on Sunday afternoon to take the series from MSU.
"We played well in all three phases of the game - pitching, defense and hitting - and that was the key to the game," AU Head Coach Tom Slater said. "Chris Dennis has shown that, when healthy, he can give us a solid five-inning outing every time out and he was certainly healthy today."
After allowing a single run in the first, Dennis (2-3) settled in nicely, allowing just three more hits as the Tigers moved to 18-21, 6-9 SEC on the year. The win was the first for Dennis since the season-opener.
"I felt good throughout my work this week and I was feeling good and was confident today," Dennis said.
The Tigers took the lead for good in the bottom of the second at 2-1 as Justin Bristow's sacrifice fly to left scored Bennett, who had led off the inning with a single.
AU scored another run in the fourth as Russell Dixon roped a double to left center to score Luke Greinke, who had reached on an error, to bring the score to 3-2 Tigers.
The Tigers added two insurance runs in both the fifth and seventh innings as Bennett drove in three of those runs when he reached on a fielder's choice in the fifth to score Boutwell and singled in the seventh to score Mike Bianucci and Josh Donaldson.
Bianucci belted his team-leading seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the first to knot the game at 1-1.
Peter Wiggins also bounced back nicely on the hill for the Tigers as he allowed just two hits in three full innings of relief of Dennis.
"This was a day where we needed Peter to throw well for us and he gave us three solid innings," Slater said.
The Tigers will get back on the road for a game at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, home of the Biscuits, for a 6:30 p.m. CT game with Troy on Wednesday.