Feb. 24, 2018
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- Box Score | Game 1
- Box Score | Game 2
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- Highlights | Game 2
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- Photo Gallery | Game 2
AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn picked up wins number seven and eight on the season by defeating Bryant, 13-4, in game one and following it with a 3-1 win against the Bulldogs in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Plainsman Park.
With an 8-0 record, Auburn continues its best start to a season since beginning the 2001 campaign with a 13-0 mark. The Tigers' 8-0 record marks the sixth time the team has started a season with eight or more consecutive wins.
"It's mental," said head coach Butch Thompson. "Can you lock in and focus? It wound up being a good day. There were some challenges along the way. Our offense in the first game, they played so well. It was probably our best first inning. Bryant was a great team to play. It was really neat because Elliott Anderson bounced back for us. Calvin Coker three out of four times has looked special."
The Auburn bullpen continued to pitch well as the unit allowed no runs over 7.1 innings while giving up just five hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.
With 31 more runs in the series against the Bulldogs, the Auburn offense has totaled 74 runs through eight games, including 41 that have come with two outs.
GAME ONE
Auburn picked up where it left off on Friday as the Tigers scored four runs in the first inning of Saturday's opening game. The Tigers scored six more in the sixth inning, marking the team's seventh frame with four or more runs this season.
Right-hander Davis Daniel threw 3.2 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Anderson (1-0, 0.00) relieved Daniel with two outs in the fourth and shut the Bulldogs down with 2.1 innings of perfect baseball to earn his first win of the season.
For Bryant, starter Jack Patterson threw 4.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Reliever Nathan Wrighter (0-1, 45.00) suffered the loss. As a team, Auburn drew seven walks and was hit by four pitches in the game.
After jumping out to the aforementioned early lead behind, which was highlighted by a two-RBI single from Steven Williams, Bryant cut Auburn's advantage in half in the third with a two-run homer by Nick Angelini. In their next at-bat, the Bulldogs tied the game in on a RBI double from Sam Owens and a RBI single from Ryan Ward.
However, the Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 9-0 from the bottom of the sixth inning on and cruised to the win. Jeremy Johnson got things started with a two-RBI single back up the middle to help Auburn reclaim the lead, 6-4. With the bases loaded and one out, Conor Davis then ripped a bases-clearing double to center field to extend the Auburn advantage. Pinch-hitter Edouard Julien came through with a RBI single through the right side to cap off the six-run frame and push the lead to 10-4.
Auburn tacked on three more runs in the seventh thanks in part to a Jay Estes single through the left side. Davis draw a four-pitch walk to bring in another run and Josh Anthony finished off the scoring in game one with a sacrifice fly to right field.
After Anderson's 2.1 innings of perfect relief, freshmen hurlers Cody Greenhill and Ryan Hoerter combined to pitch the final 3.0 innings in scoreless fashion. Greenhill struck out four and Hoerter added a punchout in the ninth.
Davis paced the Auburn offense by going 2-for-3 with four RBI. Luke Jarvis and Williams also two hits apiece, while Anthony, Williams and Johnson each drove in a pair.
GAME TWO
Runs were at a premium through the first seven innings in game two of the doubleheader, but the Tigers were able to secure their third come-from-behind win this week after scoring the game-tying run in the seven and the go-ahead in the eighth.
Brendan Venter played the role of hero for the second time in five days as he launched a 0-1 pitch from Bryant reliever Craig Lacey (0-1, 22.50) over the wall in left field to give Auburn a 2-1 lead. The Tigers added an insurance run later in the inning when Anthony drew a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a RBI double from Tyler Panno in the top of the fourth inning, and Auburn tied the game as Brett Wright scored on a fielder's choice after starting the bottom of the seventh with a double to left field.
Reliever Calvin Coker (2-0, 0.96) pitched the final 2.0 innings and allowed no runs on two hits with four strikeouts. It was Coker's team-high fourth appearance of the season.
Freshman Tanner Burns made his second start in an Auburn uniform and threw 7.0 innings of one-run baseball. The Decatur, Ala., native allowed two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He retired the final 11 batters he faced, and his 7.0 innings pitched were the most by an Auburn pitcher this season.
Venter's go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth capped off an impressive week for junior infielder. He went 10-for-18 from the plate and reached in 17 of his 25 plate appearances, including the walk-off hit against Georgia State on Tuesday.
Auburn hits the road for the first time this season with a midweek matchup at South Alabama on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT.