Freshman powers Auburn to blowout win
AUBURN | Steven Williams took care of a lot of firsts Saturday.
In his first college at-bat, the true freshman belted a 3-run home run over the left-centerfield wall. Williams added RBI-singles in the second, third and fourth innings, and a sacrifice fly in the fifth to lead the Tigers to a 25-1 win over Longwood at Plainsman Park.
The Tigers improve to 2-0 on the season.
“Steven Williams debut as an Auburn Tiger was really fun to be in the dugout and watch up close,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “You cannot sit here and not talk about the offensive performance, but I think he caught so well we didn’t notice him. I’m equally as happy how he caught behind the plate as his offensive performance.”
Williams, who was tabbed by Baseball America as the nation’s No. 15 freshman, finished 4-of-4 with three runs scored and seven RBI.
“Hitting a home run, it was kind of surreal running around the bases. I’ve always been a huge Auburn fan and it really is like a dream come true, so today was pretty big,” Williams said.
Williams wasn’t the only newcomer to star for the Tigers. In his first start, freshman Edouard Julien was 3-of-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Junior college transfer Brendan Venter was 2-of-4 with three runs scored and five RBI including a 3-run home run in the second.
Will Holland was 3-of-6 including a 2-run home run in the third and Josh Anthony was 3-of-4 with three runs scored and two RBI. Jay Estes, Dylan Ingram and Jeremy Johnson had two hits apiece.
Auburn totaled 22 hits including four doubles and three home runs.
“You just feel like there’s more power top to bottom and with those two lefties (Williams and Julien) in there, it made us feel like we really stretched the lineup with a lot of threats in it,” Thompson said.
Auburn starter Davis Daniel (1-0) earned the win with 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out three, allowing one hit and issuing one walk on 52 pitches.
Six Auburn pitchers closed out the game with one inning apiece including freshmen Ryan Hoerter, Jack Owen and Peyton Glavine.
For the second-straight game, Auburn didn’t commit an error.
The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on SECN+. Tanner Burns, who is Baseball America’s No. 1-ranked freshman, will start his first college game for the Tigers.