March 3, 2017
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AUBURN, Ala. -- Junior right-hander Keegan Thompson tossed seven one-hit scoreless innings as Auburn baseball defeated Lipscomb 8-0 Friday at Plainsman Park for the Tigers' NCAA-leading fifth shutout of the season.
"I didn't think he was as sharp as he had been. He hadn't walked a guy until he got to the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, the first two outings," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "He had a couple of walks in the first four innings today, and was kind of loopy and long. What I learned about Keegan, what I love so much today, is that when he's not at his best he goes with what he's got and he figures it out. He really got his curveball going and we talked about his slider last week. He just kept finding a way to take the sting out of their swing."
Thompson retired 14-straight before exiting following the seventh. He has opened the season with 21 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest streak for an Auburn pitcher since Bryan Woodall completed 21.2 scoreless innings to begin the 2007 season.
Thompson improved to 3-0 and finished the day with five strikeouts with two walks.
"I had a third inning walk, and that was the last person I allowed on base," Thompson said. "I had a couple of walks early, but again, I just tried to pound the zone and let the defense work behind me."
Bowen McGuffin plated Luke Jarvis for the first run of the game in the second. Three batters later Jonah Todd extended his streaks to six-straight games with a RBI and 10 straight with a hit when he drove home McGuffin.
Todd finished 3-for-4 at the plate, his fourth three-hit game of the season.
McGuffin scored on a single by Jay Estes in the fourth and Josh Anthony followed with a bases-loaded infield single to plate Sam Gillikin and give the Tigers a 4-0 advantage.
Blake Logan hit a 2-run single in the fifth to make it 6-0 before scoring on an Estes run-scoring single. Sam Gillkin added a run in the eighth on a base hit up the middle that plated Jarvis for an 8-0 lead.
Gillikin, Estes, Jarvis and Anthony each had two hits as the Tigers equaled their season high with 15 hits. McGuffin finished 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored.
Daniel Robert doubled in the first and walked twice to extend his on-base streak to 25 games, the most since Damek Tomscha reached in 32 straight (2013-14).
Lipscomb starter Brady Puckett (4.1 IP, 12 H, 7 R) was charged with the loss and dropped to 2-1. Zeke Dodson and Allan Hooker recorded hits for Lipscomb (6-3).
Auburn and Lipscomb continue the series Saturday at 12 pm CT.