Auburn baseball picked up their first ranked win of the season by defeating in-state foe, No. 24 Troy by a final score of 7-6 in an electric, walk off fashion.
Coming off a 14-6 victory over Holy Cross, the Tigers continued their momentum into their one game series against the Trojans as Butch Thompson’s team was able to improve to a 3-1 record behind a strong bullpen performance and stellar games at the plate from Deric Fabian and Ike Irish.
Carson Myers started the game off by tossing a scoreless frame in the first inning, and the bats exploded in the bottom of the inning as the offense got off to a commanding start. An early single from Irish and a hard-hit grounder from Lucas Steele scored a run and put the Tigers in a threatening position to record a crooked number. Fabian capitalized on the opportunity by launching an opposite field three-run home run over the right field wall which extended the Tigers lead to 4-0.
Unfortunately for Myers and Auburn, Troy was able to bounce back quickly in the second inning as three runs were scored early in the inning off five hits, including two doubles bouncing off the warning track. Myers was one out away from escaping the inning with the lead, but Trojans first baseman, Blake Cavill forced a walk which proved to be costly as Brooks Bryan delivered with a single up the middle, giving Troy the lead. Fellow left-hander, Jackson Sanders relieved Myers of his duties and forced a flyout to right field to end the top of the inning with the Tigers in a 5-4 deficit.
In the top of the third inning, Troy continued to have success against the left side as Peyton Watts tripled off Irish’s glove in right field in a near attempt to make a leaping grab, and Mike Bello drove in Watts to plate the Trojans sixth run of the ballgame.
The bottom of the third and top of the fourth innings were clean frames in the run column, but Auburn looked as if they would shrink the deficit in the bottom of the fourth as Bristol Carter drew a walk to load the bases. Unfortunately for Auburn, the free base was to no avail as Belyeu struck out on a full count to send the game to the fifth inning.
The Tigers diminished their deficit to just one run in the fifth inning as Steele drove in Irish with a sac fly, making the score 6-5 with just three innings to play.
Auburn pitcher Cam Tilly threw his second straight no-hit inning in the sixth inning, and Eric Snow led off the Tigers half of the inning with a double which prompted Troy manager, Skylar Meade to make a pitching change. Chase Nelson entered from the bullpen and balked prior to throwing a pitch causing Snow to advance to third base and giving Auburn a very enticing chance to tie up the game. Bub Terrell did just that as he recorded an RBI with a ground ball to the right side. The inning ended as Belyeu was thrown out attempting to steal second base and the game moved to the seventh inning in a stalemate.
Butch Thompson’s bullpen continued to terrorize their opponents and improve Auburn’s odds of a victory as Tilly pitched yet another hitless inning in the seventh. Right-hander Jett Johnston entered the game in the following inning to relieve Tilly of his duties as he shut the Trojans out in the eighth and ninth innings to take the ballgame into the bottom of the ninth.
The Tigers came up to bat hopeful to avoid extra innings and secure the lead for the first time since the first inning. Bub Terrell led things off with a line drive single up the middle, which was bobbled by the Trojan’s center fielder, allowing Terrell to advance to third base on an error. Troy intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases full with no outs and Irish stepping up to the plate. With a 2-1 count, Irish ripped a line drive to left center field, scoring the winning run.
“I think the thing that set that at bat up was the at bat on the walk,” tonight’s hero Irish on what propelled his success in the final at bat. “It was like an eight pitch walk, and finally I felt like myself again and it has been a long time coming.”
Auburn will look to continue their momentum into tomorrow as they take on North Alabama at home. First pitch is set for 4 P.M. CST and the game will be televised on SEC Network+.
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Will is a freshman majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @willdembo
