Auburn dropped its fourth game in a row on Tuesday, March 8, against the ninth-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The story of this game is offense, or lack thereof, as the Tigers only scored one run and only their second run over the past 35 innings.
The season started with Auburn relying on offensive power to cover weak pitching, but the script has seemingly been flipped. Andrew Mitchell put together another good performance on the mound, going for five innings, allowing four hits and one run. In Mitchell’s last 16 innings pitched he had 16 strikeouts and allowed only one run.
“Andrew Mitchell got to 15 consecutive scoreless innings [today],” said coach Butch Thompson. “A month ago I don't think I could have seen that, so that is a confidence boost to go out and play against a team of this caliber and get four goose eggs. But I can't skirt around the lack of offense.”
Auburn scored quick in the first inning following an RBI from Niko Buentello, his 23rd of the season, which leads the SEC, and held the lead until the fifth inning when Georgia Tech eventually brought in a run.
Auburn was able to escape a bases loaded situation in the fifth, but the lack of offense led to a quick three outs. In the sixth, the Yellow Jackets stayed hot and brought in another two runs to take the lead for the first time all game.
Auburn was only able to produce two base runners in the last four innings, but Thompson emphasized that it is key to stay calm through this lull.
“I think the easy thing is for me to panic or for the players to panic, and I am already starting to see a little lack of confidence but that is the easy way out — the ‘woe is me’ or to scream and yell,” Thompson said. "I think the hard thing is to stay patient and keep believing in our guys, knowing we have two good days of practice coming up. We’re going to take the hard route by staying with it and continuing to work and going back to the basics.”
The Tigers have two off days before returning to action in Plainsman Park for a weekend series against Oral Roberts. The first game will be Friday at 3 p.m.
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