In a highly anticipated opening day for Auburn baseball, Alabama State stunned the crowd of more than 3,500 fans as they cruised to a 9-3 victory with six different pitchers, which is their first win over Auburn in eight tries.
"It will definitely be a memorable experience for a home debut, definitely one I won't forget for the rest of my life," head coach Sunny Golloway said. "I think all in all what it comes down to is we've got to do a better job coaching."
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Justin Camp started strong on the mound for the Tigers while only allowing one hit and striking out a career-high seven batters through five innings. But through Auburn's first five innings they were struggling as well, only having two hits and the score remained 0-0 through five.
Then in the top of the sixth the momentum of the game changed.
Alabama State loaded the bases with their first three batters of the inning then right fielder Cesar Rivera bunted for a successful hit to make it 1-0. Then a poor executed bunt ended up flying over the right side infielders to make it to right field and add another bases loaded RBI bunt for a hit. Then Camp walked in a run and Reid Carter came out of the bullpen to take the mound with the bases loaded and two outs.
Carter successfully got out of the inning by catching a line drive right back at him.
In the bottom of the sixth Anfernee Grier led off by hitting a stand up double down the right field line, which was Auburn's first extra base hit of the season. Dan Glevenyak then layed down a sacrifice bunt to advance Grier to third. Then Ryan Tella hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 3-1. Alabama State ended the sixth with three consecutive outs and then added another run in the seventh to increase their lead to 4-1.
Auburn showed more sparks of offense in the bottom of the seventh when two consecutive hitters were hit by pitches. Then Blake Austin responded while he was in a full count with a stand up double to score both J.J. Shaffer and Damek Tomscha. Damon Haecker kept the rally going with a single to advance Austin to third. With one out already, Auburn ended the inning with two consecutive outs.
In the top of the eighth Alabama State put the game out of reach starting with a lead off triple by Emmanuel Marrero. Branden Castro followed with a single up the middle to drive in the run. Alabama State's No. 9 hitter then hit a standup double off the wall to make it 6-3. Auburn then subbed out Trey Cochran-Gill for closer Terrance Dedrick with one out.
Two errors and two hits followed to make the score 9-3.
Auburn did not get a hit in their last two at bats and the score remained 9-3.
"Right now the coaches are going through a learning process because I don't think the players have changed much," Golloway said. "They bought in completely in the fall and then I haven't seen much of what we did in the fall so we're going to have to have a heart-to-heart and figure it out."
Auburn's next game is at Plainsman Park this Friday Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. against Arkansas Pine Bluff.
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