March 6, 2010
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn bats pounced on the Miami (Ohio) pitching from the get-go, scoring seven runs on nine hits over the first three innings and rode the arms of Grant Dayton and Stephen Kohlscheen to a series-clinching 13-5 win on Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park. The win extended Auburn's winning streak to five games and moved Auburn's record to 8-2 on the year.
"The tone was set real early by Grant Dayton. Grant went out there and retired the first 10 hitters of the game and when you can do that and play solid defense, it's a real good formula to getting off to a good start," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said.
Dayton, who had not earned a win since March 13, 2009 at Tennessee, found his groove with the first hitter of the game and cruised for the first three-plus innings, retiring the first 10 hitters he faced, six on strike outs. His shutout was spoiled with a fourth-inning RBI single but the junior lefty didn't let it faze him as he rolled through 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven, his most strike outs in his last six outings.
"My arm felt great today and I was able to utilize my fastball better and hit my spots," Dayton said. "Pitching with a lead is a whole lot easier to do than pitching from behind."
Hunter Morris had a powerful day at the plate, smacking four hits in five at bats, including his first home run of the season, a two-run laser off the batter's eye in center with one out in the sixth. The four hits were the most for Morris in a game this season and marked the second time in his career he has had a four-hit game. Coupled with a pair of doubles, Morris drove in two and scored three from his three-hole position.
"I went in to today with the simplest approach I could, going back to when you are little kid, just seeing the ball and hitting the ball," Morris said. "I tried to keep my stance and stride as simple as possible and really attack the ball."
Brian Fletcher (2-for-3, 2 HBP, 2 R, RBI) ran his hitting streak to 15 games dating to last season with a third-inning single and then added to his team lead in homers when he launched his sixth home run of the season following Morris' blast in Auburn's five-run sixth. The blast was the 33rd of the junior's career, tying him with Casey Dunn (1996-99) for eighth on the school's home run list, and also gave him a SEC-best 24 RBI on the season.
Stephen Kohlscheen pitched the final 3 1/3 innings to earn his second save of the season. Entering in the sixth with two down and a man on second following a Cory Klenke (2-for-4, R, RBI) run-scoring double, he induced a grounder back to the mound to finish off the inning.
Auburn finished the game with a season-high four home runs as Creede Simpson (1-for-5) hit a liner over the monster in left with one out in the first for his first of the season and Kevin Patterson (2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI) hit a two-out solo shot off the fair pole in right in the fifth for his second of the season to join Morris and Fletcher's back-to-back shots in the sixth.
Auburn went up 2-0 in the first on Simpson's home run and a Casey McElroy (2-for-4, 2 RBI) RBI single, extended it to 3-0 on Justin Hargett's (1-for-5, R, RBI) second-inning sac fly and then opened the flood gates with a four-run third, highlighted by Justin Bryant's (1-for-3, R, 2 RBI) two-run double. Miami (2-6) starter Reece Asbury (0-2) surrendered the first six of Auburn's 13 runs on eight hits, leaving in the third without recording an out in the frame.
Ryan Jenkins finished the game 2-for-3 with the second three-RBI game of his career.
Auburn will attempt to get its first series sweep of the season on Sunday at 1pm. Starting on the mound for Auburn will be Jr. LHP Cole Nelson (2-0, 0.73 ERA) while Miami will send Fr. RHP Brooks Fiala (0-0, 6.75) to the hill.
Auburn 13, Miami (Ohio) 5 (Mar 06, 2010 at Auburn, AL)
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Miami (Ohio)........ 000 112 100 - 5 10 0 (2-6)
Auburn.............. 214 015 00X - 13 16 1 (8-2)
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Win-Grant Dayton(1-1) Save-Stephen Kohlscheen(2) Loss-Asbury,Reece(0-2) T-2:58 A-2830
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