AUBURN, Ala. – No. 25 Auburn hit four home runs and led from start to finish to secure its series sweep of Wright State with a 9-4 win Sunday afternoon at Plainsman Park.
Along with the season-high four home runs, all nine players in the lineup recorded a hit for the second time in three games this weekend. Five players in Eric Snow, Ike Irish, Cooper McMurray, Cole Edwards and Chase Fralick collected multiple hits.
“That was my favorite offensive performance that we’ve had this year because they were able to save a few guys from not being ahead of the scoreboard the first two days,” head coach Butch Thompson said. ‘That’s usually what happens. It’s hard to sweep somebody because you’re going to get their best. You’ll get what they saved, and they played a different style today.”
Kickstarted by a two-run homer from Irish in the bottom of the first, the Tigers scored six of their nine runs on the long ball. Bristol Carter added a two-run homer in the fifth, and Bub Terrel and Edwards hit back-to-back solo homers in the seventh.
“I was working on staying simple in batting practice and I was like ‘Dang I might’ve found something here,’” Irish said. “Of course first swing I hit a backside homer. I think it got my mind off thinking too much and it got me to just be simple again.”
The Tigers (7-1) jumped out to an early as Irish hit the third pitch offered from Wright State starter Chet Lax over the wall in left center for a two-run home run. Snow started the game with a single to left the pitch prior.
Not only did Irish hit the home run, but he also threw out four baserunners in the first seven outs of the game.
Leading 2-0, Auburn added to its lead after Irish was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single from McMurray and scored on a RBI groundout from Deric Fabian.
An inning later, Fralick hit a leadoff single before Carter launched his first home run in an Auburn uniform over the War Eagle Wall to extend the lead to 5-0.
Wright State loaded the bases with a double, hit by pitch and walk in the fifth, ending Christian Chatterton’s day on the mound. Cam Tilly inherited the bases loaded with one out but minimized the damage to one run with a groundout and strikeout.
With two out and one on, Wright State put together a two-out rally with a base hit down the first base line followed by a three-run homer to right to cut its deficit to one.
With the series the closest it had been, Bub Terrell and Cole Edwards combined efforts to extend Auburn’s lead by two with back-to-back home runs to make it a 7-4 ballgame in the bottom of the seventh. Wright State reliever Garrett Peters retired the first two batters of the inning, but Terrell hammered his second home run of the series over the right field wall. Edwards hit the next pitch over the left field, marking his first career home run. The two balls exited Terrell and Edwards’ bats at 112 and 111 miles per hour, respectively.
The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, capping off the scoring in the contest on a two-RBI single from Fabian. It marked the senior’s second game of the season with three RBI.
“I think the best part about hitting where I’ve been hitting is the guys further up in the order have been getting on,” Fabian said. “I really couldn’t do it without my teammates being on base. They’re working good at-bats and getting on, allowing me to do what I’ve been doing.”
Right-handed pitcher Jett Johnston (2-0) earned his second win of the week with 2.0 more scoreless innings. He entered with a one-run lead and held the Raiders in check to thwart their chances of a comeback.
Following Johnston, right hander Hayden Murphy turned in a scoreless ninth inning with a walk and strikeout. The junior pitcher was up to 98 miles per hour on the mound.
Auburn finishes off its stretch of nine home games in the first 12 days of the season by hosting Samford Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.