After Sunday night’s heartbreaking extra-inning loss, Auburn had one final chance to clinch its first Super Regional appearance since 1999. Florida State junior pitcher Will Zirzow gave the Tigers no reason to celebrate Monday night.
Zirzow threw a complete game shutout, holding Auburn to two hits and leading the Seminoles to a 6-0 victory in the Tallahassee Regional championship.
“I thought we were going to get them,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. “They won and they have a feeling in their program of an expectation of winning, and that’s what we’re trying to build. Hopefully we can get there very soon.”
Florida State dominated Monday night from start to finish, grabbing a 1-0 lead just two batters into the game on an RBI double to Dylan Busby. The double was sandwiched by two walks, and that was all for Auburn starter Gabe Klobosits, who was lifted from the game without recording an out.
The Seminoles added a second run in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Cal Raleigh.
The game remained 2-0 as Zirzow went to work, mowing down nearly every Auburn hitter he faced. The Tigers did not get their first base runner until the fifth inning when Dylan Ingram was hit by a pitch.
Blake Logan, who had Auburn’s only two hits, recorded the Tigers’ first hit of the ballgame in the sixth inning.
The Seminoles scored four runs in the final three innings off Auburn relievers Andrew Mitchell, Ryan Watson and Corey Herndon.
Zirzow, who had a previous career-high of five innings pitched, finished with a career-high nine innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts.
“I thought we were very professional preparing for this ballgame, we were excited to compete in this ballgame and he threw an amazing game,” Thompson said. “I want to give credit where credit is due. I thought, of course, that was the difference in the ballgame.”
Steven Wells finished the night 2-for-2 with his first home run of the year. Quincy Nieporte, Drew Mendoza, Busby, Raleigh and Wells each had one RBI for the Seminoles.
Auburn junior reliever Calvin Coker threw five scoreless innings out of the Auburn bullpen following Klobosits’ short start. He lowered his ERA to 3.78.
Although Auburn’s season came to an abrupt halt in Tallahassee, the Tigers made significant progress in year two under Thompson.
After finishing last season 23-33 and missing any type of postseason play, Thompson was extremely pleased with the progress this season.
“As a head coach, you always wish you could have done something for your players to help them just one more inch,” Thompson said. “I want to release our players from that, because they did everything in their power for us all year.
“We’ll go to the drawing board to try to get better, but I’ve never been more proud of a group that I’ve had an opportunity to work with than this year’s team.”
Auburn finished the season 37-26, and had just its first winning record in the SEC since 2010 and second since 2003.
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