AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) – Chase Fralick and Derec Fabian lead the Tigers to 10-4 series-opening win against Old Dominion.
Old Dominion jumped to an early lead in the top of the 1st inning with a towering solo-shot by designated hitter Efrain Morales off starter Sam Dutton.
Auburn scored their first runs in the 3rd when the top of the lineup came to bat for their second time. Singles by Eric Snow and Cooper McMurray put themselves in position to score from an Ike Irish groundout. Fabian and Fralick followed suit, each with an RBI single.
Fralick led the team with four RBIs, three of which came on a base-clearing double in the seventh to bust the score wide-open for the Orange and Blue. Fralick continues to cause issues for opposing pitchers as his average sits at .478.
“I’m just going in and trying to help my team,” said Fralick. “Every at-bat I’m trying to do what I can to get the team better and get that W at the end.”
Fabian had three RBIs including a solo home run tipped off the centerfielder’s glove and over the wall. Fabian now leads Auburn in RBIs with 18.
Dutton opened the series for the Tigers and went 4.2 IP, allowing two earned runs on eight hits, while fanning five.
Senior John Armstrong, a returning player who ate a good chunk of innings for the Tigers last season, got his first stretched outing in the ballgame. Armstrong, credited with win, went 2.2 IP allowing no runs and just one hit, striking out a couple. The pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts total. This marks the sixth game in a row where the staff has struck out nine or more batters.
“Big confidence booster for sure,” said Armstrong. “It was good to feel a lot better, like physically, so just getting back out there was really exciting for me.”
The Tigers will return for game two against Old Dominion on Saturday, March 8 at 5:00 p.m. with Cade Fisher on the bump.
