Auburn powers past Iowa
Auburn hung in there against Brody Brecht and then feasted on Iowa’s bullpen.
The 14th-ranked Tigers exploded for five runs combined in the 7th and 8th innings for a 7-5 comeback win over the 18th-ranked Hawkeyes in the Jax College Baseball Classic at 121 Financial Ballpark.
Auburn improves to 5-0 on the season.
Mason Maners started the rally with a leadoff solo home run well over the right field wall in the seventh to tie the game 3-3. After a walk to Ike Irish, Iowa reliever Jack Whitlock retired the next two batters before Bobby Peirce drove a two-run home run over the wall in right center.
Christian Hall led off the eight with a solo home run and Cooper Weiss added a sacrifice fly.
“The biggest win was being able to get (Brecht) out of there earlier in the game than later,” Maners told the Auburn Network. “We had a lot of confidence after getting him out knowing we had so many good hitters.”
Auburn’s bullpen made sure the lead stood up.
John Armstrong allowed just one hit in 2.2 innings with two strikeouts and Cam Tilly (1-0) earned the win holding Iowa to one hit in 2.0 innings with three strikeouts.
“It feels awesome. I was just telling myself to breath, use my stuff and then attack,” Tilly told the Auburn Network. “It feels great to have the coaches’ trust to put me out there in such a big situation.”
Will Cannon picked up his first save of the season allowing a two-run home run in the ninth.
"The three relievers that came into the ballgame tonight did not walk a batter,” AU coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network. “They were good. All three shoved the ball in the strike zone and I think that’s how we got to the finish line once our offense cranked up.”
Auburn got on board in the third on a two-out, RBI-single by Irish. Hall added a two-out, RBI-single in the sixth.
Hall was 2 of 4 with two RBI, Peirce 1 of 4 with 2 RBI and Maners 1 of 2 with two runs scored and one RBI.
AU starter Chase Allsup struggled to find the strike zone early allowing three runs on five hits, three walks, one hit batter and one wild pitch in 3.1 innings. The right-hander struck out five on 80 pitches.
Brecht, Iowa’s starter, held AU to two runs, one earned, on two hits in 6.0 innings. The projected high MLB draft pick struck out 11 on 99 pitches.
“We just saw a top 10 pick overall and he was really hard on the righties,” said Thompson. “We weathered the storm. This feels like an SEC game on the road on a Friday night. We’re going to see these types of arms all year long.”
The Classic continues with Auburn playing Wichita State Saturday at noon CT and No. 10 Virginia Sunday at 3 p.m.