March 4, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - Trent Mummey, Joseph Sanders and Casey McElroy each hit three-run home runs as Auburn cruised to a 14-2 win over Davidson on Wednesday night at Plainsman Park. The three combined to drive in 10 of the team's 14 RBI as Auburn collected its third straight win to move to 5-4 on the season.
"When you look at the lineup from top to bottom we contributed in a lot of different ways," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "One of the things we put a lot of emphasis on is making sure when we get a pitch to hit, guys are turning it loose. We put some good swings on some balls early."
Mummey's fourth home run of the season came in the bottom of the second with Auburn already ahead 1-0 thanks to Ben Jones' first-inning sacrifice fly. Wes Gilmer led off the second with a single and moved to second on a McElroy sacrifice bunt before Justin Hargett drew a walk. Mummey then lashed a shot to right, equaling his home run total from his freshman season in just the ninth game of 2009.
Davidson (4-4) held Auburn scoreless in the third but that would be the only inning that Auburn was held off the board as Auburn put up another three runs in the fourth on Sanders' sixth home run of the season. Hargett and Mummey drew one-out walks to get the rally going before Sanders' deposited his shot over the wall in left, also equaling his home run total from last season.
"Our offense came through real well tonight," Sanders said. "We saw a lot of pitches. We were looking for some balls up in the zone and we jump on fastball that are up. They left a few of them up and we did some damage tonight."
With the lead already at 7-0 after four, starter Dexter Price (2-0) had more than enough cushion as the true freshman went 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out a career-high five to pick up his second win in as many appearances.
Auburn tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth on Hargett's two-out, two-run single and then scored single runs in the sixth and seventh, running through seven Davidson pitchers through the first 6 1/3 innings. Kevin Patterson's two-out bloop single to center in the sixth scored Jones from second and then Sanders' fielder's choice in the seventh scored McElroy after the freshman drew a walk and moved up two bases on a pair of passed balls.
Auburn closed out the scoring in the eighth as McElroy hit his first home run of the year, sending it to straight-away center. Brian Fletcher reached on an error with one out and Dan Gamache drew a walk before McElroy laced a 1-0 pitch for Auburn's 20th home run of the season.
Davidson starter Andy Bass (0-1) took the loss, allowing Auburn to score a single run in the first before giving way to the eight relievers that followed him on the night. Of the nine pitchers that saw action on the mound, eight of them allowed at least one run on the night.
Zach Blatt threw the final two innings for Auburn, striking out three, allowing just one baserunner.
Auburn's 20 home runs is the most by an Auburn team nine games into a season and is nine more than the 1998 team that set the school record with 87 homers in a year had set at the same point in the season.
Mummey, who extended his hitting streak to a personal-best nine games, has now scored 19 runs on the season.
Auburn will now turn its attention to the Brown Bears, which come to Plainsman Park this weekend for a four-game series beginning Friday at 6pm CT.
Auburn 14, Davidson 2 (Mar 04, 2009 at Auburn, Ala.)
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Davidson............ 000 010 100 - 2 7 4 (4-4)
Auburn.............. 130 321 13X - 14 12 1 (5-4)
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Win-Dexter Price(2-0) Loss-Bass(0-1) T-2:54 A-1733
HR DAV - Shore (1).
HR AU - Trent Mummey (4); Joseph Sanders (6); Casey McElroy (1).