Auburn defeats Virginia Military Institute in 4-game sweep over weekend
No. 3 Mike Bianucci: makes contact with the pitch. Bianucci leads the team in slugging percentage and tied for second in home runs with two. JD Schein / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The Auburn baseball team concluded a strong third week of the season by sweeping the Virginia Military Institute Keydets in a four-game set last weekend.
The Tigers ran their record to 10-4, while Virginia Military Institute fell to 4-7.
Auburn put a six spot in the board in its first at bat Thursday night and coasted to a 9-3 win in the opening game of the series.
Luke Greinke doubled, and Justin Hargett walked to start the first inning.
VMI right fielder Brian Sandridge then misplayed a ball off the bat of Mike Bianucci, allowing Greinke to score.
Following another walk, Joseph Sanders broke the game open with a three-run double.
A Kevin Patterson single and Matt Hall RBI-groundout made it 6-0 after one.
That was plenty of support for AU starter Grant Dayton, who was making his first collegiate start. Dayton struck out eight in six innings to preserve his first win.
The only run he allowed came in the sixth, when Mike Roberts blasted a pitch to center that eluded outfielders long enough for him to score for an inside-the-park homer.
Down 4-1 after four, VMI pushed three runs across the plate off of Tiger starter Bradley Hendrix in the top of the fifth to tie the game.
With two on, VMI’s Shane Geisslinger singled to score a run and to put runners on the corners.
Geisslinger and Sam Roberts then executed a double-steal to add another run, before a Mike Roberts single made it 4-4.
Auburn tried a double-steal of its own in the seventh. With two out, the Tigers had Bianucci on third and Hunter Morris on first.