Auburn Baseball: Auburn Sweeps Day, Series over Bryant

Auburn Baseball moves to 8-0 on the season after winning two over Bryant on Saturday, sweeping the series.

Due to rain expected in the Auburn area Sunday, Auburn (8-0) and Bryant (0-6) concluded their three-game series on Saturday by playing two. A middle-inning offensive surge led Auburn to a 13-4 victory in game one, with the Tigers besting the Bulldogs in a pitchers duel, 3-1 in game two. With the wins, Auburn is now 8-0, their best start since 2001.

Game One, Auburn defeats Bryant 13-4

Auburn got on the board quickly in game one, by scoring four runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, all with two outs. With two on, Josh Anthony put the Tigers ahead by scoring Conor Davis from 2nd base on a single, giving Auburn the 1-0 lead. Dylan Ingram would reach base on the next at-bat by walking on four pitches, loading the bases for Will Holland. A wild pitch during Holland’s at-bat would be enough to advance all runners, including Brendan Venter who scored from third base. After Holland walked, Steven Williams singled to right field, scoring Anthony and Ingram.

The Bulldogs tied the game by scoring two runs each in the 3rd and 4th innings, setting up Auburn for another middle-inning offensive explosion. Davis, Jeremy Johnson, and Edouard Julien were responsible for Auburn’s six-run sixth inning. Davis scored three on a bases-clearing double, Johnson plated two on a single to center field, and Julien capped scoring in the inning by scoring Davis on a single. Conor Davis would add one more to his RBI total in the 7th inning after a bases-loaded walk. Anthony and Jay Estes would also score a run in the 7th, giving Auburn the 13-4 win.

Davis led all batters with 4 RBI, ending game one 2-for-3 with a double. Anthony, Williams, and Johnson had 2 RBI each. Elliot Anderson earned the win out of the bullpen after not allowing a hit in 2.1 innings of relief. Starter Davis Daniel lasted 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.

Game Two, Auburn downs Bryant, 3-1

Those fans who respect a great pitching battle got their money’s worth in the second game of the evening. Freshman Tanner Burns turned in another great outing in his second collegiate start, and Calvin Coker shut the door in Auburn’s 3-1 win over Bryant, securing the series sweep.

Burns tossed seven complete innings, allowing a run on two hits while striking out 8 batters. While his stats were impressive, many eyes were focused on Burns’ velocity. The Decatur native showed speeds of up to 95 miles per hour, according to the broadcast on SEC Network+.

On the other side, Bryant’s Vigo Morgese set a career-high in strikeouts with 8 in six complete innings, allowing three hits and no runs.

After a Tyler Panno RBI double put Bryant on the board in the 4th inning, Auburn finally retailiated by tying the game on a fielder’s choice in the seventh inning. Edouard Julien reached base with two on, scoring Brett Wright from third base. Auburn broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth inning after Brendan Venter nailed a solo home run over the left field monster, giving Auburn the 2-1 lead. Auburn scored once more in the inning on a bases-loaded walk.

Coker took over for Burns in the 7th inning on the mound, and allowed two hits while striking out four, earning his second win of the season.

Next Up for Auburn

Auburn’s mid-week contest will take them away from home for the first time this season. The Tigers make the trek south to Mobile to face the South Alabama Jaguars at Stankey Field on Tuesday at 6:30 P.M.

South Alabama will enter the game with a 7-1 record, ranked #24 by Baseball America. Key wins for the Jaguars this season include Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Southern Miss. Most recently, South Alabama swept Hartford in a three-game series in Mobile.