AUBURN, Ala. – Bouncing back from a hard-fought loss against a top-10 foe and a late travel schedule Sunday night, No. 14 Auburn responded by defeating Samford 12-3 Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
"I couldn't be more pleased in how they carried themselves and how they worked yesterday, prepared for today, and then executed when they got to the game," head coach Butch Thompson said.
Conner McBride (1-0, 2.08) earned his first win in an Auburn uniform with an efficient 5.0 innings pitched. He allowed one run on two hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
"I felt like I got the rust off (last week), was able to get the first one out of the way and was able to lock in today," McBride said. "To be on a weekly routine, I just felt like myself and was able to attack the strike zone after not being able to compete for so long."
The junior right hander retired the first 10 batters he faced and allowed just two batters over the minimum to step to the plate, ultimately needing just 63 pitches, including 44 strikes, to work through the fifth.
"McBride set the tone. He just settled the game," Thompson added. "I thought he was in command. Sometimes the ability to command the baseball means a lot, and he had more than one pitch working. He really took the sting out of the swing, and the guys played well behind him."
Offensively, Auburn's one through four hitters in Cooper Weiss, Ike Irish, Bobby Peirce and Cooper McMurray went a combined 7-for-11 with 10 runs scored and five RBI. Hitting out of the leadoff spot for the fourth straight game, Weiss matched a program record with four walks and stole a single-game record four bases for the second time already this season.
"A spark for us on the other side was Weiss," Thompson added. "He was ready to move and was on the attack. That brought a good energy for our team, and we got some good swings off tonight, there's no doubt about that."
Weiss now has 10 stolen bases on 11 attempts through eight games and is reaching base at a .526 clip this season, including drawing a team-high 11 walks.
"I enjoy creating chaos for a defense," Weiss added. "I think I told (Karl Nonemaker) at some point in the fall, 'I just want the third baseman to be on the grass, the first baseman to acknowledge I can push bunt and the outfielders to be on the warning track because I can hit it over their head.' The leadoff position for me is that in a spot in the lineup. I just relish it."
After McBride needed just nine pitches to work a clean first inning, Auburn wasted no time in getting its pitcher run support with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Weiss drew a leadoff walk and stole second and third before scoring on Peirce's RBI triple down the first base line. McMurray then sent the next pitch offered by Samford starter John Malone over the wall in left center for his third homer of the season.
Samford faced the minimum in the second, but the Tigers exploded for five runs to extend the lead to 8-0 in the third. Weiss walked for the second time and stole his third base of the game before scampering home on a Samford error. After another walk and hit batter, Deric Fabian lifted a sacrifice fly deep to center field, and Christian Hall followed with a no-doubt homer off the back of visitor's bullpen wall.
The Bulldogs managed a run on a ground-rule double, infield single and sacrifice fly in the fourth, but Auburn answered with two runs in its half. Weiss reached via walk for the third time, matched his own single-game record from earlier in the season with his fourth stolen base, and scored on Irish's RBI double to left. McMurray later scored Irish on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 10-1.
Samford took advantage of some free passes and an error to score a pair of runs in the sixth innings, but the Tigers got them back with Weiss scoring on a wild pitch in the sixth and Mason Maners' second home run of the season in the seventh.
Auburn ultimately got 15 players in the game, including Cole Edwards hitting a single to center on the first at-bat of his Auburn career.
Dylan Watts made his second appearance and turned in 1.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout, while Parker Carlson and Cameron Keshock each turned in a scoreless inning in their season debuts.
The Tigers continue the homestand with a three-game series against UConn (2-4) Friday through Sunday at Plainsman Park.
No. 14 Tigers bounce back with 12-3 win vs. Samford
