Auburn delivered its most dominant offensive performance of the season Thursday night, overwhelming South Carolina 24-2 in the opening game of a Southeastern Conference series at Plainsman Park.
The Tigers (34-15, 14-11 SEC) pounded out 18 hits and scored in every inning from the second through the fifth, while limiting the Gamecocks (26-24, 5-20 SEC) to just four hits and two runs.
“Really resilient,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. “Everyone notices the big things. There were some little things — that’s the stuff coaches like. Those are the things I witnessed tonight that make me feel like we’re still locked into trying to play good baseball and respecting the game.”
Auburn’s offensive explosion forced South Carolina to cycle through four pitchers. None of the Gamecocks’ hurlers managed an earned run average below 5.66 for the game, and each struggled to keep Auburn’s lineup off the bases.
Senior first baseman Cooper McMurray and sophomore third baseman Eric Guevera led the offensive onslaught. McMurray launched two home runs, while Guevera added a triple, drove in multiple runs, and hit a grand slam as part of a nine-run fifth inning.
“If you see the guy in front of you doing it, it gives you a lot more confidence,” Guevera said. “Believing in yourself and saying that you know you can do it. Our job at the end of the day is to get the guy that’s behind us up to the plate.”
Auburn fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first but responded quickly. The Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the second when designated hitter Lucas Steele smashed a solo home run over the right field fence. That shot opened the floodgates as Auburn scored 23 unanswered runs over the next four innings.
On the mound, Auburn starter Cam Tilly pitched five strong innings, allowing one run in the first before retiring the side in each of the next four frames.
“It was really easy, just with the offense coming out,” Tilly said. “The defense played well behind me. We knew they were a ground-ball team, and the defense was ready for that. So, you know, just getting ahead early in counts helped a lot.”
Auburn’s nine-run fifth inning proved the breaking point for South Carolina. Guevera’s grand slam was the highlight, capping off a relentless barrage that left little doubt about the outcome. The Tigers batted around in that inning and posted a team batting average of .541 for the night.
Despite the blowout win, Auburn players and coaches emphasized the importance of staying focused as they look to close out the series.
“Big turnaround,” said Guevera. “Get some rest. Be ready to get out there tomorrow.”
“Consistent resiliency,” added Thompson. “Be consistent in those at-bats. That’s what I try to draw into them.”
The Tigers will wrap up the series Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. CST at Plainsman Park. Both games will be broadcast on SEC Network.
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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
