The Tigers rolled over the Tide to win the series Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader, losing the first game 6-5 but then clinching it in the second with a 7-5 win.
“I thought it was my favorite day with this group of guys,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “I just didn’t think they blinked. We had an extended period of time in between games. We played great last night, and we played with a will to have success in this league today. I’m thankful for that. If we can capture that and break this down tomorrow and Monday, we can grow and gain something.”
The Tigers' first game was tied at four apiece heading into the ninth inning. With a runner on second in the top of the inning, Alabama hit a two-run homer to regain the lead they had earlier. Auburn could not get on base in their final at-bats as the Tide closed out the game to win the first of two.
Alabama won that game thanks to having six runners in scoring position compared to Auburn’s two, as well as boasting a .270 batting average to the Tigers .258.
The Tigers second game of the doubleheader was a bounce-back game for them as they were able to persevere and make some adjustments.
“The next six weeks are going to be the same way, and we have to love this,” Thompson added. “We have to embrace it and want to be right in the middle of it. Sometimes you get knocked down. Today was one of those days of persevering because I can’t get them out on the field and train them that way. They have to go through that. To come back and win game three against a club that is really good, I'm impressed with our club today.”
Auburn’s hit total was much improved in this one as the Tigers doubled the Tide’s hits 12-6, boasting a .375 batting average.
Auburn got out to a 6-3 lead early by the end of the third inning giving them some cushion to ease off the pressure. Unfortunately, the Tide answered late at the top of the seventh with two runs hit off sophomore Ryan Hetzler to build some momentum.
Hetzler then calmed himself after the two runs he had given up and responded by retiring all of Alabama’s hitters in the final two innings to clinch the series win for the Tigers.
“It’s very special to be trusted like that,” Hetzler said. “I had a shaky first inning, but Coach Thompson came up to me and said it was either going to be a win or a loss by me. It feels great to have that trust out there and just to know I have the whole team behind me.”
Auburn (22-10, 6-6 SEC) will travel for a midweek matchup against No. 22 Georgia Tech (25-6, 10-4 ACC) Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT following it up with a return home to host a series against No. 5 LSU (30-3, 10-2 SEC) next weekend.
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William Halliday is a junior journalism major from Memphis, Tennessee. He started with the Plainsman in fall 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @wphalliday3
