The No. 15 Auburn Tigers secured the series against Eastern Kentucky 6-1 on Saturday, thanks to its veterans leading the charge.
“There’s something about opening weekends that you just want guys to get out there and lay some good tracks,” said head coach Butch Thompson. “We’re not there, and it’s good to lay some tracks and get some things out there, but we need to try to build off of today.”
The Colonels learned from yesterday’s game, with their defense being more equipped to contain the Tigers’ offensive weapons. But EKU couldn’t keep Auburn down for long, as Thompson’s offense responded in the third and fifth innings.
“We swung it well,” said graduate Bobby Peirce. “We pitched pretty good, so today definitely felt a little more normal of a game.”
After two scoreless innings, Auburn found some offensive momentum in the bottom of the third. Veteran Peirce got things started with a triple that sent senior Javon Hernandez and senior Caden Green home to score.
After Peirce’s triple, redshirt junior Cooper McMurray stepped up to the plate, hitting a two-run homer over the right-field wall. Sophomore Chris Stanfield followed the veterans’ lead with his own triple.
Peirce returned in the eighth to extend the Tigers’ lead with a home run sent flying over the left-field wall, going out 365 feet.
“I won’t say it’s the furthest I’ve hit, but I don’t want to say it was a cheap one,” Peirce said.
Being named player of the game, Peirce led the Tigers’s offense with two hits, two runs and three RBIs. Following Peirce’s lead, Stanfield had two hits, and McMurray had one run, one hit and two RBIs.
Fans have seen some new and old faces on the mound this weekend, all showcasing their competitive spirit and skills during their respective outings.
“So, we’re learning a lot about ourselves, but these are guys we’re counting on these first two days in a big, big way,” Thompson said. “ I thought everybody that threw was competitive. I think everybody with another outing has got something to work on to keep getting sharper.”
Facing 37 total batters, Saturday’s pitching staff collected nine strikeouts, six walks, one wild pitch and two hit-by-pitches, allowing four hits and one run.
After missing the duration of the 2022-23 season, redshirt junior Joseph Gonzalez started on the mound for the Tigers.
“It feels good to be back and to play with the boys,” Gonzalez said. “My command was a little off at first, but then I got it going, and the sinking got better through the game. So, I just kept trusting my defense. They’re the ones making me look good, you know.”
Auburn pitcher Joseph Gonzalez in the game against Eastern Kentucky on Feb 17, 2024.
Gonzalez allowed only two hits and one run, accompanied by three walks and two strikeouts in five innings pitched, earning him his first win of the season.
Sophomore Zach Crotchfelt relieved Gonzalez in the sixth. In 1.1 innings pitched, Crotchfelt allowed two hits and no runs with two strikeouts.
Junior John Armstrong replaced Crotchfelt on the mound in the seventh, pitching 1.2 innings where he had two walks and two strikeouts. Junior Will Cannon closed out for the Tigers with three strikeouts and one walk in the ninth.
Fans were introduced to some of Auburn’s newest additions with graduate Christian Hall, freshman Sam Robertson and freshman Cade Belyeu all making their first appearance in orange and blue.
With a chance of a sweep, the Tigers wrap up their series against the Colonels on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.
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Caitlyn Griffin is a sophomore from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. She started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
Twitter: @caitlyngrif99
