Auburn baseball continued their impressive non-conference run as they swept the Winthrop Eagles by a combined score of 24-1. With the sweep Butch Thompson’s club will move to an overall record of 13-2 heading into the conference season.
In the dominant 10-0 victory in game 1 that resulted in a run rule Auburn’s offense was powered by super sophomore Chase Fralick as he opened the scoring with a three run shot in the bottom half of the first inning and center fielder Bristol Carter also showed up and showed out as on the day he went 2-3 with two walks and a two run homer that put the Tigers up 5-0 in the 4th. Eric Guevara joined in on the homerun party as he launched a two-run bomb over the left center fence for his only hit of the day and the final of Auburn’s 10 runs. Jake Marciano continued his impressive stretch by going six full innings with six strikeouts, one walk, and only three hits surrendered in the shutout performance.
Game 2 saw more of the same from Auburn’s hitters as they got off to another hot start by posting another three-run spot in the first via a groundout by Fralick that allowed Carter to score and then a two-run single by UAB transfer Todd Clay brought home Brandon McCraine and Guevara. Chris Rembert continued to impress since returning from an almost injury in the first weekend of the season against Youngstown St as two of his three hits resulted in a combined three RBI. Jackson Sanders posted the best start of his Auburn career by fanning an even 10 batters in his seven scoreless innings of work and only gave up one walk and two hits.
In the finale the Tiger offense did not score until the 3rd when Mason McCraine singled home Fralick and Cade Belyeu. McCraine then again added three more RBI to his line by grounding in Bub Terrell in the 5th and then in the 7th lined a double that brought home both Fralick and Terrell. Auburn’s final runs of the series came in the 8th as Taylor Belza launched a homerun to right center and Guevara sac flied in Belyeu to make it a 8-1 score that would hold all the way home. Butch Thompson elected to use four pitchers in game 3 with Christian Chatterton looking the best as over his 2.2 innings he set down three on strikes with only three hits given up and no walks issued.
Top Tiger: This week’s “Top Tiger” is none other than the Opelika native himself Jackson Sanders. Sanders posted his best career start in his young Auburn tenure with 10 Ks, one walk, and two hits over a very impressive scoreless seven innings of work.
Auburn will host UAB on Tuesday and try to exact some revenge as the Blazers scored an upset last against the Tigers. Butch Thompson’s squad will then make their first true road trip of the season as they will travel to Missouri in the first SEC action of the campaign. War Eagle!
