AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn split Sunday's doubleheader against Middle Tennessee, winning game one, 10-7, before losing the series finale, 4-3, in extra innings.
"We were locked in playing as hard as we could," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We didn't score in the last six innings, but Trace Bright was great. He just kept pitching. Even after giving up a three spot, he came back and put up zeros."GAME ONE
Auburn wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, striking for seven runs in a first inning that featured six singles. The first five batters reached on four singles and a walk and nine of the first 10 Auburn hitters reached as the Tigers ultimately sent 12 to the plate to begin the game.
Ryan Dyal got the scoring started with his team-best 21st RBI of the season, and Bryson Ware followed two batters later with a RBI single of his own. After the first out was recorded, Brody Moore, Cole Foster and Jake Wyandt also tallied RBI knocks in the frame. Moore's RBI single marked the 100th hit of his Auburn career. Blake Rambusch drew a bases-loaded walk, and Kason Howell capped off the seven-run frame with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Auburn added three runs in the third inning after singles from Wyandt and Howell put runners at first and second. Run-scoring singles from Dyal and Brooks Carlson followed by a RBI double from Ware double gave Auburn a 10-0 lead.
Howell went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and one RBI to lead the way offensively. His three-hit performance was his fifth of the season. Dyal drove in multiple runs for the seventh time this season, including the fifth time in a span of six games.
By the end of the sixth, Middle Tennessee had cut the Auburn lead in half after a pair of two-run homers and a RBI single.
With the Blue Raiders threatening again in the seventh, Chase Allsup picked off a runner at second and recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
Middle Tennessee continued to fight back with a run in the seventh and eighth innings to make it a 10-7 ballgame.
Blake Burkhalter entered with the tying run at the plate and nobody out in the eighth and worked the last two frames without giving up a run or a hit to earn his third save of the season. He retired six of the seven batters he faced with two strikeouts.
Auburn tallied 12 hits in the win, and eight of the nine Auburn starters recorded a hit through the first three innings of the game.
Tommy Sheehan (1-0, 2.53) earned his first win of the season on the mound for the Tigers. The graduate transfer tossed a season-high 3.2 innings in relief and allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout.
GAME TWO
Similar to game one, Auburn found the scoreboard early in game two, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Garrett Farquhar lined a single to load the bases for the Tigers in the bottom of the frame, and three consecutive RBI singles from Cam Hill, Wyandt and Rambusch gave the Tigers the early advantage.
Having only allowed one unearned run in three starts and 17.0 innings entering the game, junior right-hander Trace Bright put up three zeroes to start his outing, but Middle Tennessee tied the game with a three-run fourth inning. Threatening the take the lead with two runners in scoring position and one out, Bright limited the damage with back-to-back punchouts to end the threat.
After escaping the fourth, Bright faced the minimum in his next two frames and ultimately turned in his third straight quality start. He worked six innings and allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
After a double from Hill and a single from Rambusch, Auburn put the go-ahead run 90 feet away in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. The late opportunity was erased after Auburn ran into an out at second base to end the inning.
Burkhalter entered in relief for his second appearance of the day in the seventh inning. He turned in a scoreless inning while setting Middle Tennessee down in order to keep the game knotted at three.
Middle Tennessee led off the eighth with a double to right center. A walk and single followed that to load the bases for the Blue Raiders, who took a 4-3 lead on a bases-loaded walk.
Ben Bosse tight roped out of the inning after entering in a bases-loaded jam with one out. The freshman only needed one pitch to escape the inning after inducing a double play.
Down to the team's last chance, Moore lined a one-out single into left field to put the tying run on base. However, the next two pinch hitters were retired to end the game.
Rambusch went 3-for-4 and Hill went 2-for-3 to lead the way from the plate in game two.
Tigers split doubleheader with Middle Tennessee
