No. 20 Auburn completed its sweep of Wright State with a 6-0 win on Sunday. The Tigers move to 10-3 on the season.
Leading the charge for Auburn was catcher Matt Scheffler. He went 2-for-2 with a career-high four RBIS. He hit a double and a single and walked twice in the game.
“It was a good day,” Scheffler said. “I was trying to get a job done, trying to find consistent barrel.”
“We had our best hitters up at the plate in the first,” said Auburn head coach Butch Thompson. “You get a very tight strike zone, and then we were fortunate with Matt Scheffler’s first ground ball there to third base that that gets through and winds up being a double and clearing the bases. If that doesn’t happen then that can be a completely different ballgame.”
Scheffler scored on a single from Rankin Woley, and Auburn took an early 4-0 lead. Auburn scored one more in the bottom of the third on double by Kason Howell that drove in Scheffler. In the bottom of the fifth, Scheffler singled in another run to give the Tigers their 6-0 lead.
The Tigers combined for eight hits and five walks on Sunday. Scheffler and Ryan Bliss both had two runs on the day, with Judd Ward and Conor Davis accounting for the other two.
On the mound for the Tigers on Sunday afternoon was Bailey Horn. Horn held the Raiders at bay for five innings. The left-handed junior allowed no runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Richard Fitts came into the game to pitch in the sixth inning. He struck out the first three batters he faced. He pitched 2.1 innings, allowing no hits, walks or runs while striking out three.
“They [the pitching staff] all had one plan, and it was to attack the strike zone,” Scheffler said. “I definitely think it showed with throwing a lot of strikes, and then putting the ball in play and letting the defense work.”
After Fitts, Auburn brought out freshmen pitchers Hayden Mullins and Mason Barnett to close out the game. The two combined for 1.2 innings of work, allowing no runs or hits. Mullins walked two and struck out one. Barnett walked one and struck out two.
The Tigers’ pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts on the day while allowing five walks and six hits. None of the Auburn relief pitchers allowed a hit.
“Those guys can be so talented, and to be able to throw to that zone I think was really good,” Thompson said.
Auburn will face Samford on Tuesday at Plainsman Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CST.
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