After losing six straight games, the Auburn Tigers got back in the win column on Tuesday night at Plainsman Park with a 12-8 win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
It looked as if Auburn was going to run away with it, in dominating fashion early on as the Tigers scored eight runs on six hits in the bottom of the first inning. But that was not the case as a little ‘déjà vu’ struck the fans in orange and blue after the pitching staff allowed seven runs in three innings for the Yellow Jackets to make it a one run ball game in the fourth.
“You know, we kind of limped around and we just had that rhythm that we’re still in, and a couple mistakes and they drove all the way back,” said Auburn head coach Butch Thompson.
However, the Tigers used another big inning in the sixth, scoring three runs, to pull away just enough to secure the victory.
Auburn got off to a fast start offensively in the home half of the first. Cooper McMurray and Cade Belyeu both drew walks and Chris Stanfield singled to right field to set up an early opportunity for freshman Eric Guevara to light a spark for the Tigers.
Riding the momentum from Sunday’s game against Kentucky, Guevara hit a blooper to left field, scoring both Belyeu and McMurray. Deric Fabian kept the scoring going as he singled through the right side of the infield to score Stanfield from second. Cole Edwards recorded an infield single to set up another opportunity with bases loaded for Cale Stricklin. Stricklin striped a double to the gap in left-center field, scoring Guevara and Fabian.
After striking out in his first plate appearance, Cooper Weiss homered over the wall in left field to clear the bases and give the Tigers a comfortable 8-0 lead.
Scoring three runs in the second and third innings to cut into the Tigers lead, a big swing in the fourth inning off the bat of Matthew Ellis gave the Yellow Jackets a fighting chance, making it a one run ball game in the fourth.
The Tigers didn’t shy away, though, after being held scoreless for four innings. Weiss led the inning off with a replica of his swing from the first inning, sending a home run over the wall in left field. Two singles from Christian Hall and Stanfield and a hit-by-pitch from Belyeu gave the Tigers another bases loaded opportunity. Guevara walked, scoring Hall and a wild pitch allowed Belyeu to score.
Drew Burress homered in the seventh to add one more run for the Yellow Jackets, but Auburn countered with McMurray roping a single to right field, scoring Cale Stricklin from second.
Weiss led the Tiger’s at the plate with two home runs and four RBIs. McMurray finished 3-for-4 with a single RBI.
“Cooper Weiss was great tonight, the two home runs, I think that was player of the game for the team. McMurray had great at-bats. He had the ground-rule-double and the RBI to right field,” Thompson said.
The Tigers used a plethora of arms out of the bullpen. Joseph Gonzalez got the start on the mound for the Tigers and went three and two/thirds innings giving up five runs on six hits.
Christian Herberholz relieved him with two outs in the third inning and gave up two runs on one hit. Hayden Murphy recorded the win in relief going one inning, allowing one run. Drew Nelson, Cameron Keshock and Parker Carlson each got an inning of work with all three holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless.
“I thought Murphy, Nelson and Keshock absolutely did a great job for us,” Thompson said. “Murphy was in a one run game and came out and attacked. Thought I just saw good attack out of all of them.”
Up next for the Tigers is a trip to Starkville, Miss for a three-game series against Mississippi State beginning on Friday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CST with television coverage on the SEC Network.
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Logan Fowler is a junior from Sumiton, Alabama, majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in Spring 2024.
