Auburn won its seventh MAX Capital City Classic in eight years over the Crimson Tide at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery Tuesday. Auburn’s 10 runs were the most scored in the history of the annual contest.
Auburn wasted no time putting the heat to their bats as the Tigers burned the Tide in the 10-1 victory. They scored runs in each of the first six innings.
A 3-run home run by Blake Logan and a triple by Joshua Palacios helped give the Tigers a strong 4-0 lead after the first inning. Logan and Palacios combined with Jordan Ebert, who singled, and Niko Buentello, who doubled, to hit for the cycle in the impressive first inning.
Logan told himself to find a good pitch to hit, which worked well.
“He threw me a breaking ball, and for some reason I was thinking he might do it again,” Logan said. “He did, and I just ended up running into it and put one out.”
This was Logan’s first home run in over two years.
“I’m just glad we won,” Logan said. “Alabama’s a big rivalry for us and the fans, so it means a lot to come out with the win."
The Tigers scored runs in each of the first six innings. Anfernee Grier had three hits, including his seventh home run of the season, which he nailed 400-plus feet off the scoreboard in left-center field. This gave the Tigers an 8-1 lead after the fourth inning. Unfamiliar with the field, he wasn’t quite sure how well he hit the ball.
“I guess I put a good swing on it,” Grier said. “It carried out for me. I’ll take it.”
Grier noted that this win is more special than others, given the deeply-rooted Auburn and Alabama rivalry.
“It’s always fun to beat Alabama,” Grier said. “I was always growing up an Auburn fan, never really liked Alabama growing up. Any time I get a chance to play against them it’s fun. And it’s even better when you win.”
Coach Butch Thompson was happy with the team effort after the Arkansas series, where the team had 31 hits in three games and left 38 men on base.
“I’ll continue to credit our whole staff for staying together,” Thompson said. “That’s good offense, when you just stay after it. The guys were really focused tonight and I’m proud of that.”
Thompson, in his first year as head coach at Auburn, was similarly excited by the rivalry like his players.
“That’s what I dreamed of, that I’d get to play in that rivalry,” Thompson said. “That’s neat.”
Auburn scored 10 runs on 15 hits. Alabama scored one run on eight hits.
Andrew Mitchell pitched six innings, striking out five and allowing one run, and earned the win for Auburn.
Gordon Cardenas threw three scoreless innings to tack on his second save of the season.
Auburn improved to 12-13 on the season, while Alabama fell to 15-9.
The Capital City Classic does not factor in SEC standings, but Auburn returns to SEC play against No. 15 LSU this weekend at Plainsman Park beginning Friday at 6 p.m. LSU comes into the series having dropped its last two conference series.
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