April 17, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Cory Luckie's complete game five-hitter was just what the doctor ordered for the No. 23 Auburn baseball team, which tied its SEC series with No. 18 Vanderbilt with a 12-2 win on Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Field. Brian Fletcher (3-for-6, 3 R) homered twice and drove in four runs as Auburn improved to 24-12, 8-6 SEC.
"We came up with some big hits and put some pressure on them early in the game and defensively we were really solid," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "It starts with the guy on the mound. What a gutsy performance by Cory today. He issued two walks, he filled the zone up all day long and he kept the leadoff guys off all day long. That is just a solid performance when we really needed one."
Luckie, who was named the starter following Friday night's loss, allowed a first-inning, one-out double before retiring 11 of the next 12 hitters he faced, issuing a third-inning leadoff walk, which was erased by a double play, the fourth turned by Auburn on the weekend. After allowing two runs on three hits and a walk in the fifth, he rebounded to retire 13 of the final 14 Vanderbilt hitters to throw Auburn's first complete game since May 10, 2008 and run his record to 4-2 on the season.
"I knew that if I kept the ball down I would be fine the whole game," Luckie said. "I can't say enough about the defense today. Wes (Gilmer) made some great plays over at third and the outfielders tracked down some balls."
With Luckie sizzling on the mound, the offense was paced by Fletcher, who hit a three-run home run in the second to put Auburn up 6-0 and then a solo shot in the sixth that gave Auburn a 10-2 lead. The two homers give him 12 on the season and 39 for his career while the four RBI gives him 44 on the season.
"We just want to put the ball in play and make something happen and luckily I was able to do it (in the second), putting one over and giving us three runs," Fletcher said.
Trent Mummey also homered for Auburn, giving Auburn a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The home run was his fourth in eight games since returning from a severely sprained ankle that kept him out of the first 28 games. His ninth-inning RBI single pushed the final two runs across the board for Auburn and gave him 15 RBI for the year.
Jack Armstrong (5-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season as the sophomore right hander couldn't get out of the third before being charged with eight runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks.
Justin Fradejas (2-for-5, 2 RBI) extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a third-inning, two-RBI single to put Auburn up 8-0 while his seventh-inning bunt base hit was his 10th of the season.
Hunter Morris also extended his hitting streak to a personal-best 11 games with his first-inning double. Morris would come around to score to put Auburn up 3-0 following a Casey McElroy sacrifice fly and a Tony Caldwell RBI single to give Luckie a 3-0 cushion before the lefty even stepped foot on the mound.
Justin Hargett's fifth-inning single scored Auburn's other run, brining Dan Gamache home following a two-out double as Auburn scored nine of its 12 runs with two outs.
Vanderbilt (28-9, 7-7 SEC) avoided the shutout with two runs in the fifth. Curt Casali walked and scored on an Anthony Gomez RBI single and Joe Loftus doubled and scored on a Brian Harris single.
The two teams will play the rubber game at 1pm CT on Sunday in a game that will be televised live on ESPNU. Jr. LHP Grant Dayton (4-1, 5.18) gets the ball for Auburn while Jr. RHP Taylor Hill (3-3, 3.51) will get the starting nod for Vanderbilt.
Auburn 12, Vanderbilt 2 (Apr 17, 2010 at Nashville, TN)
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Auburn.............. 332 011 002 - 12 16 0 (24-12, 8-6 SEC)
Vanderbilt.......... 000 020 000 - 2 5 2 (28-9, 7-7 SEC)
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Win-Cory Luckie(4-2) Loss-Jack Armstrong(5-1) T-2:22 A-2527
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