Feb. 17, 2017
By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Keegan Thompson's first start in nearly two years could hardly have gone better. Six scoreless innings in an efficient 64 pitches in Auburn's 9-0 win Friday over George Washington at Plainsman Park.
"Felt good. Just trying to go out there, throw strikes. Let the defense work," said Thompson, starting at home for the first time in 671 days. Thompson missed the 2016 season, recovering from elbow surgery.
"Defense played great," said Thompson of Auburn's first inning. "First play of the game, diving play in left. And then a relay to get him at third. That was just big."
Thompson, who became the first Auburn pitcher to make two Opening Day starts since Levale Speigner in 2002-03, allowed four hits, only two after a shaky first inning.
"They put the ball in play. They didn't like to get down in the count. They put the ball in play early, which helped us out a lot. Kept the defense on our toes. They made good plays. Helped me out a little bit," said Thompson, whose last home start was March 18, 2015.
Thompson, a freshman All-American in 2014, and Auburn's Opening Day starter in 2015, walked one batter. He did not record a strikeout.
"After that first inning, kind of got the adrenaline calmed down a little bit," he said. "Just try to go out there and throw."
Thompson improved to 13-6 in his career, earning his first victory since April 11, 2015.
"I took it head on," said Thompson. "Early in the rehab process, it was monotonous, doing the same thing every day for the first four months. Once the throwing program got there, it moved on a little quicker. Last year, not being able to play, it hurt. Nice to get back out there and throw again."
Thompson, who threw 47 strikes Friday, said his arm felt fully recovered by last summer, allowing him to take a break in the fall to prepare for this season.
"Today, I felt really good. Had my velocity up a little bit more," he said. "It's one hundred percent."
Auburn cleanup hitter Daniel Robert went 4-for-4 with a double, triple, two runs scored and an RBI.
"It was awesome," Robert said. "Whenever you're playing with Keegan on the mound, get a couple runs early and you know you've got a pretty good chance to win. Everybody let up after we scored those two runs in the first inning, knowing we have such a dominant pitcher on the mound. It was great to see him back out there."
Auburn and George Washington are scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.
"He didn't give a lot of freebies," said Auburn coach Butch Thompson. "And I think that's how you can wind up at the end of the day with a bunch of zeros on the board. All of those dominoes fell in place for him after not being on the mound for so long. That was really positive to see."