Feb. 18, 2017
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AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Casey Mize and Cole Lipscomb dominated the early game and Auburn Baseball split a doubleheader with George Washington, winning game one 2-0 before falling 9-5 in game two Saturday at Plainsman Park.
"It was a long day," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "Our goal today was to see if you could focus over a long period of time. Two nine-inning games is new for us with this team from starting in January. We played so clean in that first game, a 2-0 ballgame. We had a 9-0 game and then a 2-0 game, and both games were pitched beautifully, defended beautifully and I thought we hit the ball hard."
Mize (W, 1-0) and Lipscomb combined for a two-hit, 11-strikeout shutout performance in the opening game. It was the first time that Auburn opened a season with back-to-back shutouts since 1928.
Mize pitched five innings with seven strikeouts, no walks and just two hits allowed on 75 pitches.
Lipscomb took over in the sixth and completed the game to earn his second career save while striking out four with no hits allowed.
Both of Auburn's runs in game one came in the fifth inning with Blake Logan plating Jonah Todd on a base hit to right and Luke Jarvis lacing a single to left center to bring Logan home for the 2-0 lead.
Daniel Robert had two hits, his second-straight multi-hit game to open the season.
George Washington's Brady Renner (0-1) surrendered both runs. He struck out three with no walks in five innings.
In game two, the Tigers and Colonials traded blows for the first eight innings with Auburn holding a 5-4 advantage heading to the ninth. George Washington then scored five in the ninth off a pair of relievers to clinch the game.
Auburn (2-1) used four pitchers with Gabe Klobosits getting the start. He pitched four innings and surrendered five hits, two runs and earning three strikeouts. Calvin Coker (2.2), Ryan Watson (0.2) and Daniel Sprinkle (1.2) also saw action on the mound.
GW closer Eddie Muhl (1-0) earned the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. Starter Shane Sweeney allowed four runs in 4.2 innings pitched.
Dylan Ingram led the Tigers with two hits and three RBI. Estes had three hits.
Mark Osis, Bobby Campbell and Robbie Metz each had two RBI. Campbell led GW (1-2) with three hits.
Auburn and George Washington close out the weekend series Sunday at 12 pm.