AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) - Auburn's plate discipline backed by strong performance from the Tiger's pitching staff leads to a 7-2 win against the UAB Blazers.
The Tigers took advantage of a struggling night from the UAB pitching staff, working 10 walks and getting plunked on base four times. Off these free passes, three turned into runs for the Tigers. Javon Hernandez added two RBIs to his resume after walking with the bases loaded twice and Deric Fabian also had two RBIs on two groundouts.
Ike Irish added another run in the form of a solo laser shot into the batter's eye in center field. Irish seems to have added more power in the offseason, in 2023 he totaled just six homeruns, in the fourth game of this season he has already reached a third of that total with two on the season thus far.
A costly error from the UAB defense gave Auburn its final two runs of the night in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Defensively the Tigers took full advantage of their pitching staff featuring six different arms in the win. Starter Connor McBride led the Tigers through the first 3.2 innings giving up two hits, two walks, four strikeouts and one earned run. Hayden Murphy was then chosen to close out the fourth inning getting a strikeout after allowing a single.
Griffin Graves, credited with the win for the game, commanded the fifth and sixth innings in his collegiate debut going 2.0 innings allowing one hit, with no runs or walks allowed and dishing out 2 K's. Tanner Bauman was another arm utilized in the matchup, striking out the side in his lone inning of work.
UAB out-hit Auburn 6-3, however, perseverance was the name of the game for the Tiger's pitching staff, causing the Blazers to leave 10 men stranded on base. Auburn managed to pitch out of every hole they dug for themselves. Auburn also did a good job keeping the ball in the infield; five of UAB's six hits were infield singles.
UAB scored first in the ballgame. Taking advantage of a leadoff walk, UAB designated hitter Brayton Brown advanced to second on a bunt and stole third, putting himself in position for right fielder Reed Latimer to knock him in on a groundball to third. UAB would score again in the ninth taking advantage of yet another leadoff walk.
The Tigers will look to continue their hot start this Friday, Feb. 23 at the Jax College Baseball Classic starting at 5 CT against Iowa, currently ranked 18.
