No. 11 Auburn baseball won its third straight game Tuesday night, taking the midweek matchup against the Samford Bulldogs 14-2.
In what was a bullpen game, Auburn’s batters gave its pitchers nothing to worry about, going up seven runs in the first inning and never looking back. This win adds to a streak of solid play from the Tigers, who, after losing five out of their last six matchups to end March, have put up an 8-4 record in April, taking three SEC series in the process. Auburn will be hoping to continue the great offensive play as they look to take on No. 14 Oklahoma at home this weekend.
The Tigers would jump on the Bulldogs’ pitching very early in the game. In the top of the first inning, the Tigers would put up nine runs on seven hits. The scoring began with a two-run home run by surging third baseman Eric Guevara, followed three batters later by another two-run homer from first baseman Ethin Bingaman. Already up 4-0, the Tigers would see their next six batters reach base, with five of them coming around to score. The Tigers go into the bottom of the first up 9-0, the most runs scored in a single inning by the team all season.
Auburn’s pitching-by-committee approach would prove effective in Tuesday’s matchup. Starter Griffin Graves would run into trouble in the first inning, surrendering a two-run homer to Samford catcher Cade Carr. The junior would bounce back in the second inning, however, throwing a scoreless inning to end his night on a positive note.
Auburn’s bullpen would not surrender a run the rest of the game. LJ Cormier would relieve Graves at the top of the third, putting together his most impressive performance of the season. In two scoreless innings, the freshman would record five strikeouts while allowing only one hit. Abe Chancellor and Christian Chatterton would post back-to-back scoreless innings in the fifth and the sixth, before sophomore Marcel Kulik would force a run-rule victory, striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh.
After their nine-run first inning, the Tigers' offense would keep its pace. Auburn would put up two more runs in the top of the third on a solo homer from DH Eddie Madrigal and an RBI double from the red-hot Mason McCraine. Another run would be scored at the top of the 4th on an RBI walk by center fielder Bristol Carter, putting the Tigers up 12-2. With the run-rule already in play in the fifth inning, Auburn would tack on two more insurance runs on an RBI double from second baseman Chris Rembert, who would eventually score as well on a wild pitch to put the Tigers up 12 runs.
Auburn now looks to take down No. 14 Oklahoma in the hope of claiming its fourth straight SEC series win. First pitch Friday night between the Tigers and Sooners is set for 6 p.m. CDT at Plainsman Park. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
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Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
