Auburn hammers Georgia Tech
AUBURN | No. 13 Auburn pounded out 14 hits including seven for extra bases in a 12-7 win over Georgia Tech Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit as the Tigers improve to 16-1 on the season.
“Good win and our offense has continued to be a hallmark of us playing good baseball,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “We played great. I think we scored in the first four innings of the ballgame.”
Elliott Anderson (3-0) earned the win holding the Yellow Jackets to three runs on two hits in 3.1 innings out of the bullpen. Jack Owen earned his second save of the season allowing just two hits, no runs and striking out five the final 3.0 innings.
Five Auburn pitchers combined to issue 10 walks, hit one batter and throw three wild pitches. Starter Ryan Hoerter lasted 1.0 inning allowing a hit and walking four.
“The thing that we’re still trying to figure out, especially our bullpen and even our starter today, jut the ability to shove the ball in the strike zone and understand the tenets of the ballgame of getting ahead and staying ahead,” Thompson said.
“We had some moments. Hoerter threw a great first inning and then couldn’t find the strike zone. Anderson came in and gave us a little bit but then threw some balls late for us. Welby Malczewski did really good going into the ballgame getting a double-play ground ball but then lost the strike zone a little bit. Jack Owen took us to the finish line and that’s six scoreless innings for him.”
Auburn looked like it would run away with the game scoring seven runs in the first four innings including a two-out, two-RBI double by Josh Anthony in the first inning, a solo home run by Will Holland in the second, and an RBI-single by Jay Estes and a bases loaded walk by Edouard Julien in the fourth.
The Yellow Jackets answered with five runs in the fifth on three hits, three walks and one hit batter, before the Tigers put the game away with five runs in the sixth as Julien had an RBI double, Luke Jarvis an RBI single, Steven Williams a two-RBI double and Conor Davis an RBI single.
“I loved the five-run sixth inning because it was ever Georgia Tech, their team met, they came out in the fifth and put five runs on us and made it 7-5 and it was game on,” Thompson said.
“The resiliency of our offense just sticking together and come back and score five runs and get us back to that seven-run lead and we were able to get to the finish line with Jack Owen tonight.”
Jarvis, Brendan Venter, Anthony, Estes and Julien had two hits apiece while Williams, Anthony, Julien and Holland had two RBI apiece. Holland hit his second home run and Auburn's 20th of the season.
Auburn returns to action Wednesday against Memphis. First pitch at Plainsman Park is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on SECN+ and WatchESPN. No. 6 Texas A&M visits for the SEC opener this weekend.
***NOTES***
** Freshman right-hander Cody Greenhill is out this week with mononucleosis. He’ll be reevaluated on Monday. Greenhill is 1-0 on the season and leads AU with a 0.49 ERA and three saves.
“To my understanding it’s just a weekly check of the blood work to see where we’re at,” Thompson said.
** Senior left-hander Andrew Mitchell is still experiencing tightness in his forearm and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday. Mitchell, who hasn’t pitched since Feb. 27, has thrown 9.1 scoreless innings with 16 strikeouts.
** The Memphis game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. but was moved ahead three hours due to the forecast of rain moving into the area Wednesday night. Sophomore Ryan Watson (0-0, 4.15) will start against Memphis.