Tigers storm back to remain undefeated
No lead has been safe against this Auburn team.
The 18th-ranked Tigers rallied from a five-run deficit behind three-run home runs by Josh Anthony and Brett Wright to beat UAB 11-8 at Regions Park Tuesday night.
“What we overcame was four double plays,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “That’s pretty positive because that was tough and that looked like a long night for the Tigers. But the resiliency of our guys and Josh Anthony was a big spark and then Brett Wright, we had two big swings there late in the ball game that brought us all the way back.
“I just appreciate our guys for continuing to want to lock in and play and finish the game the right way, and they were rewarded for it.”
Auburn improves to 13-0 on the season, tying the 2001 team for the second-best start in school history. Five of those wins have come with the Tigers trailing or tied going into the eighth inning.
The Blazers built an 8-3 lead after six innings before Auburn’s bats came alive. Anthony hit a two-out, three-run home run in the seventh and Wright capped off a four-run eighth with a three-run home run over the left field wall.
Cody Greenhill finished off UAB with two perfect innings to earn his third save of the season. The freshman right-hander struck out three.
“He’s done that at a high rate for us and I think this may have been one of his best outings tonight,” Thompson said.
Corey Herndon (1-0) earned the win holding the Blazers without a hit in the seventh.
Jay Estes led Auburn at the plate going 3-of-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Edouard Julien and Will Holland had two hits and one RBI apiece.
The Blazers jumped on Auburn starter Ryan Hoerter for four runs on three hits in 3.0 innings. The true freshman, making his first-career start, struck out one, issued two walks, hit one batter and threw two wild pitches.
UAB added two runs off Elliott Anderson in the fifth inning and two more off Calvin Coker in the sixth.
Auburn returns home this weekend for a three-game series against Northeastern. Game times are 6 p.m. CT Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.