March 5, 2011
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Brooks Beisner finished with three RBIs and was a triple shy of the cycle while Zach Alvord went 2-for-4 with three RBIs as the No. 25 Auburn baseball team defeated No. 18 College of Charleston, 7-4, on Saturday afternoon at The Ballpark at Patriots Point. Derek Varnadore improved to a perfect 3-0 for Auburn, working into the seventh while scattering four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out five.
"Today wasn't as good as last week, command-wise, but I was able to mainly work off fastballs again," Varnadore said. "The slider came late again, but the change-up was really good and we got a lot of guys swinging and missing on it."
Ethan Wallen earned his third save of the season and second of the weekend for Auburn (8-3) as he relieved Varnadore in the eighth with Auburn leading 7-2 and the bases loaded and none out.
Auburn, which has outscored its opponents 35-4 over the first three innings of games this season, continued its early dominance as the plate as it scored a single run in the first on Casey McElroy's two-out solo home run to center, his second in as many days.
Charleston answered with an unearned run off of Varnadore in the bottom of the first, ending his string of consecutive scoreless innings at 16 1/3 innings, only to have Auburn score two in the second and two in the third to lead 5-1 after three.
Alvord's two-run single back up the middle pushed the Auburn lead to 3-1 in the second while a Beisner (3-for-4, 2B, HR, 2R, 3 RBI) two-out, two-run double in the third pushed the lead to four runs.
"Anytime you can get a two-out hit, coach (Pawlowski) always talks about those being big hits," Beisner said.
Auburn extended its lead to 7-1 in the fifth as Beisner hit a two-out solo home run to left and then Wes Gilmer (1-for-3, BB) doubled and scored on Alvord's single to left.
"I knew he would probably coming fastball on the first pitch and he threw it right there, belt-high in and I just put a good swing on it," Beisner said.
College of Charleston (9-2) got a run back in the sixth when Marty Gantt led off with a triple and scored on a groundout to make it 7-2. The run was the first earned run allowed by Varnadore this year, who threw 21 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
Charleston knocked Varnadore out by drawing two walks and a single to load the bases with none out in the eighth, summoning Wallen from the bullpen. Jose Rodriguez (0-for-4) drove in a run on a fielder's choice and then a Jesse Mesa single made it 7-4 before a groundout ended the inning.
Wallen sat the College of Charleston ninth down in order.
Josh Renfro (2-1) took the loss for Charleston, allowing five runs on eight hits in four innings.
Of Auburn's seven runs, five of them scored with two outs in the inning.
Auburn will play its final game of the CofC Classic tonight at 8pm ET against Western Kentucky. The game was originally scheduled for Sunday but was moved up due to the impending weather in the Charleston area.
Auburn 7, Col. of Charleston 4 (Mar 05, 2011 at Charleston, SC)
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Auburn.............. 122 020 000 - 7 14 1 (8-3)
Col. of Charleston.. 100 001 020 - 4 8 1 (9-2)
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Win-Derek Varnadore(3-0) Save-Ethan Wallen(3) Loss-Josh Renfro(2-1) T-2:20 A-1019
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