Auburn baseball secured a decisive 10-4 midweek victory over UAB at Regions Field on Tuesday night. The Tigers rallied late, scoring seven runs in the eighth inning to snatch the win from the Blazers and keeping Auburn undefeated in midweek games this season.
Head coach Butch Thompson praised his team's resilience following the win.
"The guys just hung in there offensively. We really stung some balls," Thompson said.
This sentiment was echoed by Bobby Peirce, whose go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning proved to be the turning point of the game.
“It’s a good win, just competitive all the way around,” Peirce added. “We put up a seven-spot there in the eighth inning, so that was big just to get something going. Cade Belyeu leading us off there with a pinch-hit double and then hitting another one later in the inning, that was pretty awesome.”
The Tigers' bullpen played a crucial role in the victory, holding UAB scoreless from the fourth inning onward. Pitchers Parker Carlson, Alex Petrovic, Zach Crotchfelt and Hayden Murphy combined forces to shut down the Blazers, allowing just one hit in the final 6.1 innings.
Crotchfelt and Murphy combined to retire 11 of the 12 batters they faced in the last 3.2 innings, both striking out a pair and turning in season-long outings.
“Once we got to the bullpen tonight, they really showed up,” Thompson said. “Zach Crotchfelt was great. That’s the best I can remember Hayden Murphy looking. He just leaned on strike one and got ahead of the batters in the last two frames and carried us home."
Crotchfelt, who earned his first win of the season, spoke highly of his teammates' efforts.
“I just wanted to go out there and be able to put up some zeroes for my guys and give us a chance to comeback and win the game," Crotchfelt said. "Credit to Cade and Bobby there really getting it done. That was huge and propelled us to get the win.”
Offensively, Auburn's bats came alive in the eighth inning, with four consecutive two-out hits contributing to the seven-run outburst. Cooper Weiss, Ike Irish, Cooper McMurray and Peirce all delivered clutch hits to propel the Tigers to victory.
Weiss, Irish and McMurray each drove in two runs, while Peirce matched a season-high with three RBIs. Additionally, Christian Hall extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a solo homer in the sixth inning.
Despite falling behind early, Auburn remained composed and resilient, ultimately securing its 17th win of the season. With stellar performances both on the mound and at the plate, the Tigers demonstrated their ability to compete at a high level and overcome adversity.
The win marked Auburn's fifth comeback victory of the season when trailing entering the sixth inning or later, showcasing the team's resilience and never-say-die attitude.
The Tigers look to carry this momentum into the upcoming weekend series – the beginning of an eight-game homestand for Auburn – against No. 4 Tennessee as they continue their quest for success in the Southeastern Conference.
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Patrick is a sophomore from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
