AUBURN, Ala. – No. 20 Auburn turned in an all-around effort in a 7-2 win against Wright State Friday Night at Plainsman Park.
Tanner Burns, Carson Skipper and Cody Greenhill combined to match a season high with 14 strikeouts while the defense didn't record an error for the fifth time this season.
Conor Davis led another double-digit hit effort as he went 3-for-3 with two runs, one double, one home run and two RBI. Davis matched a career high in hits and homered for the third straight game.
"Just overall I thought it was more of what I'm used to seeing with this group of returners," head coach Butch Thompson said. "I think I saw a level of aggression, but also controlling the barrels enough to not strikeout and have some quality at-bats even the innings that we didn't score. It was great to see, and now you want to make sure that we come out and pick up where we left off tomorrow."
Burns (2-1, 3.52) earned the win in a gutsy, 5.0-inning effort. The junior righty allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with one walk and a season-high eight strikeouts.
Skipper and Greenhill worked 1.0 and 3.0 innings in relief, respectively, and faced two batters over the minimum in the last four frames. Greenhill struck out five in the contest.
"The energy was up tonight," Greenhill said. "The dugout stayed in the game. We were moving runners and getting base hits. It was great. Tanner filled up the zone and so did Skipper."
Davis got the Auburn offense started with a solo home run off the scoreboard in left-center, sparking a three-run second inning. Rankin Woley and Brody Moore each drove in a run on RBI singles in the home half.
"I was just trying to be aggressive and stay in my legs like I've been working on," Davis said. "I'm feeling a lot better. I've been working hard to stay behind the ball, just attack and swing at pitches I want to."
After Wright State cut the lead to one with two runs in the top of the third, the Tigers answered with three more in the bottom of the inning. Davis drove in his second run of the game on an opposite-field double before Matt Scheffler and Kason Howell each drove in a run.
Burns worked a quick fourth inning with a pair of strikeouts, but Wright State threatened again in the fifth with runners on second and third and one out. However, Burns got a strikeout and Moore made a diving stop in the hole to escape the jam and preserve the four-run lead.
Woley led off the next half inning and greeted the Wright State reliever with a solo home run to left field, his first of the season.
Nine of Auburn's 10 hits came from its four through eight hitters, who went a combined 9-for-18 with five runs and seven RBI in the game.
Game two of the three game series between the Tigers and Raiders is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.