Connor McBride, a junior, led the way in the Tigers’ rout of Samford. The San Diego native was stellar in his 5.0 innings of work, sitting down the first 10 hitters he faced. Auburn head coach Butch Thompson called McBride the Tigers’ “player of the game.”
The Tigers’ offense stayed hot, as they beat the Samford Bulldogs 10-3 at Plainsman Park on Tuesday evening. The Tigers have now beaten Samford in four straight contests.
The Auburn offense got started early in the first inning, after Bobby Pierce tripled down the right-field line and scored Cooper Weiss. Cooper McMurray, the next batter, crushed a two-run home run to left center field to give the Tigers an early 3-0 lead.
On for relief for Samford, Heath Clevenger got into trouble in the bottom of the third. After Weiss led off the inning with a walk, Ike
Irish attempted a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error by Clevenger allowed Weiss to score.
Later in the inning, Christian Hall connected with a pitch over the heart of the plate for a three-run home run over the right field wall. The graduate transfer gifted himself and his team a great present on his 23rd birthday.
The home run was part of a five-run barrage, giving the Tigers an 8-0 lead, with McBride still dealing. McBride faced the minimum through 3.1 innings before Garrett Howe's ground-rule double in the fourth inning. A John Anderson sacrifice fly would score Howe.
McBride finished 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on two hits, and striking out five Bulldog hitters.
“I just felt like I got the rust off and be able to lock in and be on weekly routine,” said McBride. “Just be able to feel like myself and attack the strike zone after not being able to compete for so long.”
In the bottom half of the inning, Irish and McMurray each earned an RBI, extending Auburn's lead to 10-1.
Samford responded in the sixth inning with a pair of runs. A leadoff walk and a Javon Hernandez error at second base came back to bite the Tigers, as both runners came around to score.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Copper Weiss walked for the fourth time, tying Auburn's single-game record. Weiss scored all four times he reached base.
“I enjoy being I enjoy creating chaos for defense,” said Weiss. “I just want the third baseman beyond the grass the first baseman to acknowledge I can push but then I want the outfielders on the warning track because I can hit over their head and hit over the fence.”
The No. 14 Auburn Tigers will be back in action on Friday at home against the UConn Huskies. The three-game weekend series marks the second time Auburn and UConn have met on the diamond.
