April 21, 2017
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AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Daniel Robert, Josh Anthony and Dylan Ingram each homered as No. 10 Auburn baseball took the series opener with No. 16 Arkansas 15-2 Friday at Plainsman Park.
"The boys came out swinging the bat," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "We talked about having six home runs in the last five games and whatever we hit, three or four of them tonight, they were huge. None was bigger than the one to get us started, getting the three hits right out the gate with Jonah Todd, Jay Estes and Daniel Robert. We just kept setting the tone. We were able to flip the lineup, and everyone is just contributing.
"The extra base hits, us not walking any batters, and them walking eight. That's one of the things we're trying to hang our hat on, being able to pound the ball in the strike zone in SEC play with our pitching staff. We got out of here with nine innings and no walks, and that's huge."
Auburn (29-11, 11-5 SEC) hit three home runs in the game and has hit nine in the last six games after tallying only 10 in its first 34 games. The Tigers finished with a season-high nine extra-base hits and tied the season-best total of 15 hits overall.
The 15 runs scored by the Tigers Friday are the most for the program in a SEC game since a 15-8 win at Kentucky on April 9, 2011.
Keegan Thompson (5-1) struck out seven in six innings and allowed only two runs. He improved to 12-2 in his career at Plainsman Park. Calvin Coker pitched three scoreless innings for his first career save.
Auburn batted around in the first inning plating five runs on six hits. Jay Estes scored Jonah Todd on his 14th double of the season. Daniel Robert followed with a 3-run home run, his fourth, and Josh Anthony drove in two more on a single to left for a 5-0 lead.
Arkansas (31-9, 11-5 SEC) scored two in the top of the third, but The Tigers answered with a huge bottom half plating eight runs on five hits and three walks. Bo Decker singled home a run and Jonah Todd plated one on a sacrifice fly. Conor Davis added a 2-run single and Dylan Ingram drove in a run on sharp single off the third baseman.
The highlight was a 3-run home run off the scoreboard in left by Anthony, his first of the season, that extended Auburn's lead to 13-2.
Anthony finished 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI. Robert was 2-for-4 with a homer, double and three RBI. Davis was 2-for-4 with two RBI and his ninth double. Decker was 2-for-4 with a RBI.
It was the first time this season Auburn scored four or more runs in an inning twice in a game. Eight runs in the third equaled the team's season-best total in a SEC inning. The Tigers have scored four or more runs in an inning 16 times this season.
Ingram's fourth home run of the season extended Auburn's lead to 15-2 in the fifth. He finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs, two walks and the 2-run homer.
Arkansas starter Blaine Knight (6-2) was chased after just 2.1 innings after allowing eight runs.
The Tigers and Arkansas play game two of the series Saturday at 1 pm CT.