May 17, 2018
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AUBURN, Ala. ââ'¬" No. 22 Auburn continued to play well at home as the Tigers jumped out to an early lead and ultimately led from start to finish in an 11-4 win against LSU Thursday night at Plainsman Park.
The win was Auburn's (36-18, 14-14 SEC) eighth straight at home dating back to Apr. 15, and the Tigers improved to 28-5 at Plainsman Park this season. The team has scored a combined 76 runs during the home winning streak.
Freshman right-hander Tanner Burns (5-4, 3.33) kept LSU's (32-22, 14-14 SEC) bats quiet for most of the evening, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts en route to earning the win. Burns turned the ball over to Cody Greenhill after 6.0 innings, and his fellow freshman took it from there as he earned his fifth save in 3.0 scoreless innings.
The game marked the fifth time in the last six SEC series the freshmen duo of Burns and Greenhill combined for the win.
"Tanner Burns, he did a good job of getting the leadoff guy," head coach Butch Thompson said. "I thought that was huge in the ballgame. I couldn't be more proud of it being a big game back at home and him just driving the ball in the strike zone, especially the fastball. Cody Greenhill, kind of the same thing we've come to expect from him."
Auburn got off to a hot start and took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning as Will Holland led off his third straight game with an extra-base hit ââ'¬" this one a double to straightaway center field. After advancing to third on a hit-by-pitch later in the inning, Holland eventually gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead as he scampered home on a wild pitch.
After LSU retired the first two batters in the bottom of the second inning, Josh Anthony got a two-out rally started with a single to right. Anthony advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt, and Holland continued his successful day with a RBI single. Steven Williams then blew things open with a no-doubt homer run to right ââ'¬" his 10th of the season. Brendan Venter came to the plate two batters later and extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games with a RBI double to left to make it 5-0.
LSU threatened after a one-out single and error put runners on the corners in the top of the fifth, but Anthony made a heads-up play and cut down a run at the plate for the second out of the frame. Three-hole hitter Austin Bain then stepped in the box and lifted what appeared to be an inning-ending fly ball to center field. However, Jay Estes lost the ball in the twilight sky and a pair of runs came in to score.
With the lead cut to 5-2, Auburn responded in the bottom of the fifth. Estes led off the inning with a double, and the Tigers eventually loaded the bases after a walk and hit-by-pitch. Holland improved upon his near-perfect day as he went the other way on a two-strike pitch and scored Estes from third. With the bases still loaded, Brett Wright won a 10-pitch at-bat and, like Holland, flipped a two-strike breaking ball into right to drive in a pair and extend the lead to 8-2.
LSU responded in the top of the sixth as the visiting Tigers took advantage of one of few mistakes made by Burns. With a runner on first, Jake Slaughter turned on the first pitch he saw from the right-hander and drove it over the wall in left. Burns retired the next two batters to get out of the inning before giving way to Greenhill.
Auburn carried its momentum into the bottom of the seventh as a trio of walks loaded the bases for Venter, who came through with a two-RBI double to left before scoring on a single up the middle from Estes to conclude the offensive output in the game.
Holland highlighted the Tigers offensive production as he turned in his first career four-hit performance with a pair of doubles, three runs and two RBI. He and Williams reached base a combined nine times in the game. Venter stayed hot from the plate as he extended his aforementioned hitting streak with a 3-for-5 night and drove in three runs. Estes also extended his career-long hitting streak to nine games and turned in two or more hits for the eighth time during the streak.
Auburn and LSU will continue the three game series tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network. The Tigers will celebrate Senior Day before junior Casey Mize (9-3, 2.73) toes the rubber opposite LSU's Ma'Khail Hilliard (8-4, 3.66).