AUBURN | It was a record-breaking day at Plainsman Park.
No. 17 Auburn beat Alabama A&M 33-0, the most runs in program history. The Tigers also set a school record with 11 doubles and tied a record with 27 hits.
In two games, the Tigers out-scored the Bulldogs 51-2 to improve to 5-0 on the season.
“It was a good night for us,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “I told the team I just respect the professionalism. It’s one of the most complete games that I’ve been a part of in a long time and since I’ve been here.
“Just from the standpoint of professional at-bats, I thought our guys maintained the focus throughout the ball game.”
After failing to score in the first two innings, Auburn erupted for five runs in the third and 14 in the fourth. AU added four runs in the fifth, five in the sixth, four in the seventh and a single run in the eighth.
Brody Moore led AU at the plate going 4 of 6 with two runs scored, two doubles and seven RBI. Bryson Ware was 3 of 5 with six runs scored, a double, triple and four RBI, Tyler Miller 3 of 4 with three runs scored, one home run and four RBI, and Garrett Farquhar 3 of 4 with four runs scored, two doubles and one RBI.
A total of 12 Auburn players had at least one hit and 10 had two or more.
“It’s just a tribute to all the work we’ve put in ever since our season got cut short last year,” said Moore. “It’s given us different approaches on different pitcher and I think it’s all kinda just falling into place. It was falling into place tonight.”
Judd Ward, Brayton Brown, Josh Hall, Steven Williams, Kason Howell and Cole Foster all had two hits apiece. Williams had four RBI, Howell three, and Ward and Brown two RBI apiece.
The previous record was in a 32-9 win over Troy March 2, 1994 in which AU also had 27 hits. That 94 team made it to the College World Series. The previous doubles record was 10 against Tennessee in 2010.
Jake Sokol (1-0) earned the win in his first college start. The freshman allowed one hit in 4.0 innings with six strikeouts and three walks. Blake Burkhalter, Hayden Mullins, Joseph Gonzalez, Seb Thomas and Carson Skipper threw a scoreless inning apiece to complete the shutout.
“The last three relievers of the ball game — Gonzalez, Thomas, Skipper — I think they threw about 28 pitches and about 24 strikes. That’s doesn’t always happen in a game that’s already been decided,” Thompson said.
Auburn returns to action this weekend at the Round Rock Classic in Round Rock, Texas. The Tigers will play Oklahoma Friday at noon CT, Baylor Saturday at noon and Texas A&M Sunday at 11 a.m.