AUBURN | Nothing like a trip to Russ Chandler Stadium to get Steven Williams’ bat going.
The Auburn senior went 2 of 4 with four RBI to lead the Tigers to a 7-3 win over No. 20 Georgia Tech Tuesday night in Atlanta, breaking AU’s five-game losing streak.
“Steven just had a good look,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network. “In the last decade, one of the biggest home runs we’ve had hit in our program, if not the biggest, was hit right here by Steven. I’m glad to see him get comfortable. He worked hard and caught the whole game for us.”
Williams hit a 2-run home run in the second inning and drove in two more with a double in the eighth.
It comes nearly two years after Williams earned 2019 Atlanta Regional MVP honors, which included a walk-off, 3-run home run to beat Georgia Tech Saturday and then a game-winning two-RBI double to eliminate the Yellow Jackets Sunday.
“I guess I just see it pretty well here,” Williams told the Auburn Network. “It’s definitely a lefty-hitter friendly park. I’m just proud of the team. We did a pretty good job all-around and we’re going to carry this into this weekend.”
Auburn got on board early as Bryson Ware crushed a 2-run home run off the scoreboard in left-center. Ryan Bliss followed four batter later with a 2-out, RBI-single to give AU a 3-0 lead.
Georgia Tech cut it to 3-2 in the fourth on a 2-run home run by Drew Compton before Williams answered with a 2-out, 2-run home run in the sixth. He added the 2-out, 2-run double in the eighth to extend AU’s lead to 7-2.
Ware was 1 of 3 with three runs scored and two RBI. Bliss, Rankin Woley and Cole Foster had one hit apiece. Judd Ward walked three times and scored two runs. Five of AU’s seven runs came with two outs.
Trace Bright (3-3) started and earned the win holding the Yellow Jackets to two runs on three hits in 4.0 innings. He struck out one and issued one walk on 39 pitches. Peyton Glavine threw 2.0 hitless innings and Seb Thomas threw a perfect seventh.
Cam Hill allowed a run on a hit and two walks in the eighth before Will Morrison came on to get the last two outs. Carson Swilling struck out the side in the ninth.
“Carson really put the icing on the cake,” said Thompson. “Just a good job by Carson. A much-needed win for us. I told them we’ve got nine games these two weeks. I believe in my heart nothing we see over the next couple of weeks is as good as what we’ve been seeing recently.”
Auburn, 13-16 overall and 1-11 in the SEC, returns to conference play Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network for the first of three games at Alabama. Friday’s game will be 6 p.m. and Saturday’s 4 p.m., both on SECN+/ESPN+.