Luke Greinke: strolls into home plate as freshman Hunter Morris celebrates during Saturday’s 12-1 win over East Tennessee State. Kyle Cooper / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Auburn baseball’s 2008 season began in dominating fashion Friday night and carried throughout the weekend, outscoring East Tennessee State University 42-10 over the four game series.
The Tigers won all four games of the season, opening series against the Bucs where fans caught a glimpse of the potential powerhouse that could be the Auburn offense.
All-SEC and Major League draft pick Mike Bianucci took the first pitch of the season he saw and took it hard, hitting a two run home run off ETSU starter Brandon Langston.
Langston hung a slider, and there was no doubt where the ball was heading.
ETSU left fielder Derek Trent took two steps back and hung his head.
“I was looking fastball first pitch, and he hung a slider and I got a good piece of it,” Bianucci said.
After Bianucci’s home run left Plainsman Park, ETSU coaches decided to not let the Tigers’ right fielder do any more damage.
Bianucci didn’t get a chance to swing the bat the rest of the night, walking four times.
Head coach Tom Slater wasn’t surprised by the Bucs approach to Bianucci with a freshman batting behind him.
“He joked with me he walked half as many times today as he did his freshman year,” Slater said. “He’s a very accomplished hitter in college thus far, and he’s probably going to see a lot of that. Last year a lot of people chose to pitch to Josh and not pitch to Mike. It’s not anything he’s not used to.”
Freshman first baseman Hunter Morris wasn’t able to capitalize on Bianucci’s walks, going 1-5 in the fourth spot in the order and prompting the intentional passes to Bianucci.
“With a young hitter like Hunter behind me, that probably what’s going to happen early on until he proves himself, and he will,” Bianucci said.
“Hunter is going to have to prove himself.”
Morris responded in Saturday’s game, going 3-4 with a walk and three RBI’s behind Bianucci.
“Hitting behind Mike, I am going to get every opportunity to see pitches and drive in runs,” Morris said. “Yesterday I was anxious and out in front of everything. Today I was able to relax and it felt a lot better.”
Freshman Cory Luckie got the start on the mound in Saturday’s game and didn’t fail to impress in his Auburn debut.
The All-State pitcher and class valedictorian from Prattville allowed only two hits and one run in his five innings of work.
“Cory had everything going for him today,” Slater said, “He kept them off balance, throwing the breaking ball for strikes, the change-up was good and he located his fastball.”
Scott Shuman and Bradley Hendrix didn’t surrender another hit the final four innings as Auburn dominated ETSU in the second game of the series 12-1.
Auburn fans showed up late, but packed Plainsman Park following the Auburn-Alabama basketball game.
3,934 fans came to see Auburn top ETSU 12-4 Sunday afternoon, improving their record to 3-0.
After an impressive first start pitching Friday night, Greinke posted a career-high five RBIs starting in center field in the third game of the series.
Greinke went 3-5 with a three-run homer in the fourth.
Sophomore Austin Hubbard pitched the final game of the series Monday, giving up only two runs en route to the 12-2 victory
