Feb. 24, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - Ben Jones was a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run and a career-high five RBI while Dexter Price was exceptional in his Auburn debut as Auburn steamrolled past Lipscomb, 17-4, on Tuesday afternoon to snap a two-game losing skid. Auburn hit four home runs in the game, including two by Tony Caldwell, as the team reached double-digit home runs (10) in just its fourth game of the season and improved to 2-2 on the young season.
"Dexter went out there and did a great job. He was around the plate for six innings and looked really composed and had a lot of poise and that really set the tone for us," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "Ben stepped up and had a great game for us and that was a key for us. Up and down the lineup we had several guys with multiple hits and walks and it was a very good offensive performance for us."
Price (1-0) held Lipscomb scoreless for the first five innings, scattering three hits over the first five innings. By the time Lipscomb (0-4) put a run on the board in the sixth, it was already behind 10-0 thanks to a four-run inning in the first and fourth for the Auburn offense. Price finished the afternoon allowing two runs on five hits and a walk in six innings, striking out four.
"Overall for a first time, I was pretty happy," Price said. "I thought this was a chance to step in and prove myself to hopefully get a chance next weekend."
Jones smacked his first home run since February 25, 2008, with a runner on and Auburn already up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. His shot to right-center was the first of two homers in the inning for Auburn, which sent nine men to the plate in the inning, as Kevin Patterson sent one over the wall in right two batters after Jones for the 4-0 lead.
"We were hot tonight. We swung the bats well, got on base, drew walks and got hit by pitches. We had a very efficient offense," Jones said.
Trent Mummey scored five runs from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 and getting hit by a pitch a school-record three times as Auburn was plunked by the Lipscomb pitching staff seven times in the game.
With Auburn up 5-0 in the third, Caldwell delivered the first of his two home runs in the game as he led off the inning with a shot over the wall in left. He would also lead off the seventh with a solo homer to center as Auburn has now had a player hit multiple home runs in three straight games.
All nine players in Auburn's starting lineup scored at least one run in the game and the team collected a season-best 15 hits and a season-high eight walks to go along with the seven hit batters.
Auburn went up 10-0 in the fourth as Jamie Drinkard had an RBI single to score Casey McElroy, who was hit by a pitch, Joseph Sanders was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jones delivered a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle.
Auburn answered Lipscomb's two-run sixth by putting another four runs on the board in the bottom half of the frame. Drinkard drew a one-out walk and came home on Jones' single down the right field line. Kevin Patterson then singled in Mummey and Jones while Brian Fletcher came home on the same play as the Lipscomb right fielder mishandled the ball after picking it up to make it 14-2.
Auburn closed out its scoring with three in the seventh as Hargett walked and scored on an error and Mummey reached on a fielder's choice and scored on the second wild of the inning to make it a 17-2 advantage.
Lipscomb scored two in the ninth off of Zach Blatt, who made his Auburn debut.
Lipscomb starter Charles Williams (0-1) surrendered the first six runs of the game in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss.
Auburn returns to the diamond on Thursday evening in Tallahassee, Fla., when it plays at No. 5 Florida State at 6pm ET at Dick Howser Stadium. The game will be televised live regionally on Fox Sports Florida in north and central Florida only.
Auburn 17, Lipscomb 4 (Feb 24, 2009 at Auburn, Ala.)
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Lipscomb............ 000 002 002 - 4 9 2 (0-4)
Auburn.............. 411 404 30X - 17 15 0 (2-2)
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Win-Dexter Price(1-0) Loss-WILLIAMS(0-1) T-2:56 A-1780
HR AU - Ben Jones (1); Kevin Patterson (1); Tony Caldwell 2 (2).
