MONTGOMERY, Ala - (EETV) Auburn takes down South Alabama besting the Jaguars 6-5. The Auburn Tigers stay undefeated in midweek games this season at 6-0 this season and their 13th straight.
The game started out tame and quiet until the bottom of the third inning when the Tigers batters came out hunting fastballs. And fastballs they found starting with a leadoff single from Gavin Miller followed by a fielders choice from Brody Wortham. Carter Wright then decided to get in on the action with a hard single through the left side setting up an opportunity for leadoff man Kason Howell who hits a three-run home run to put the Tigers up by three runs early in the ballgame.
The Jaguars starting pitcher Sam Knowlton was yanked in the 3rd after five hard-hit balls in a row and an infield single. Knowlton is credited with the loss in 2.2 innings pitched with three earned runs and five hits.
The contagious hitting continued into the fourth inning after a leadoff walk from Justin Kirby followed by a single from Chris Stanfield. The Tigers added back-to-back, two-out, RBI singles from Wright and Howell raising Auburn's lead to 5-0.
The game quieted back down for another two innings before the Jaguars started to claw back in the seventh. Hayden Murphy gave up a leadoff walk and the very next batter Colson Lawrence drives a ball over the left field wall for a 2-run homerun.
Head Coach Butch Thompson then went to the bullpen and called on John Armstrong to finish out the inning. Kirby makes an incredible grab in rightfield and throws home with enough zip to hold the runner at third saving the Tigers another run.
The outfield play was outstanding all night long with multiple run-saving plays from Kirby, Howell and Stanfield.
The Tigers scratch an insurance run back in the bottom of the inning however with a sac fly from Ike Irish after a leadoff double from the red-hot Howell who had advanced on a wild pitch.
More trouble for the Tigers in the top of the eighth as Armstrong gives up a leadoff walk later followed by back-to-back home runs from the Jaguars. The first comes from Lawrence who gets his second homer of the night, scoring two runs, before Cole Ketzner's solo shot. Armstrong's night was finished after recording the final out of the 8th with 2.0 innings pitched, two hits and three earned runs.
Lawrence not only hit two home runs for the Jaguars but also pitched allowing no hits, no runs and one strikeout in his 1.1 innings of mound time.
Chase Isbell was called to save the tight 6-5 Auburn advantage game. Isbell proved useful for the Tigers, recording a one-two-three inning. Isbell is credited with a save, his third in just three opportunities.
Starting Pitcher Drew Nelson gets the win after allowing just one hit in his 4.0 innings of work.
The Tigers will be back in action in Plainsman Park this weekend for their first home SEC series, against the Georgia Bulldogs. The first game of the series is Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT.
