Friday’s season opener gave the early impression of an offensive slugfest before Auburn ran away late.
Auburn (1-0) led Eastern Kentucky (0-1), 8-5 through five innings before scoring nine runs over the 6th and 7th innings to put the run-rule into effect. The Tigers outhit the Colonels, 11-7 on its way to 17-6 season-opening win Friday night at Plainsman Park.
A sold out crowd watched Auburn earn its first win of the season, and were entertained early as the Tigers scored seven runs in the first two innings.
A bases-loaded walk put Auburn ahead, 1-0 in the bottom of the first. The walk led to a three-run blast by [autotag]Chris Stanfield[/autotag] to extend the lead to 4-0. Eastern Kentucky answered in the top of the 2nd inning with two home runs to trim Auburn’s lead to 4-3. The Tigers took control of the game again in the 2nd inning with the highlight being [autotag]Ike Irish[/autotag]’s two-run single to extend the lead to 7-4.
That single would provide two of the four RBI that Irish produced on Friday, with the final two scores coming off of a tape-measure solo blast in the 4th and a groundout in the 6th to score [autotag]Deric Fabian[/autotag].
Auburn solidified the game over the 6th and 7th innings. A groundout, an error, and two bases-loaded walks led Auburn to a five-run 6th inning. Auburn experienced its fourth bases-loaded walk in the 7th inning, which made way for a three-run double by [autotag]Cooper Weiss[/autotag] to end the game.
Irish led the way in hits with four, and joined Stanfield by recording four RBI in Auburn’s first win of the season. Weiss was next in line with two hits and three RBI. [autotag]Tanner Bauman[/autotag] earned the win in relief by striking out one batter in 1 1/3 innings. Starter [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag] went 4 2/3 innings, where he allowed five hits and three earned runs while striking out five batters.
Auburn goes for the series win Saturday. [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] returns to the mound for Auburn, going against Quinton Hall of Eastern Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.
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