March 5, 2019

By George Nunnelley

Auburn Athletics

Offense leads Tigers to win vs. UT Martin

AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn offense totaled a season high in runs and hits as the Tigers secured its fifth straight win by defeating UT Martin, 15-9, Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.

Auburn’s 15 runs on 18 hits surpassed the team’s 13-run and 15-hit effort in the series finale at UCF. Six Tigers recorded multiple hits on the night, highlighted by a season-high four hits for Will Holland and three hits apiece for Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) and Everett Lau, who each homered in the contest.

“It was kind of back-and-forth like the Sunday UCF game, and to see the offense kind of lock it down was good,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Will Holland gets four hits. That’s huge. Backside (home run) for Edouard Julien, and Everett Lau, who got some more at-bats, he went backside in that four-run inning. That was really pretty, and his three-run homer distanced the ballgame. We had some good at-bats.”

Auburn (10-2) scored a run in seven of eight innings and crossed the plate in each of the last six frames, outscoring the Skyhawks (4-7) 14-3 from the third inning on.

Holland, Steven Williams, Julien, Ryan Bliss and Lau accounted for 14 of the team’s 18 hits. Lau led the way with a season-high five RBI, while Julien and Bliss also drove in a pair of runs. Williams has now recorded multiple hits in five straight contests, and Bliss extended his hit streak to 10 games.

“If the pitching can’t set the tone, then I really give a lot of credit to our offense tonight,” Thompson added. “We could’ve made a lot of excuses. Our offense kept their wits about them and gave us a chance to score. We outlasted them at the end.”

Freshman right-hander Richard Fitts (1-0, 4.26) earned the first win of his Auburn career as he pitched two innings of relief and allowed one run on two hits with a strikeout.

After falling behind 6-1 through two innings, Auburn used a four-run frame in the bottom of the third that was highlighted by five straight two-out hits to get right back in the game. Bliss started the rally with a RBI double into the gap in right-center field, and Judd Ward capped it off with a RBI single through the right side.

An inning later, Julien blasted his fifth home run of the season to tie the score, 6-6.

UT Martin got the run right back in the top of the fifth, but Auburn answered again as Williams hit a two-out RBI single to right field. It was the team’s sixth two-out run in the contest.

The two teams continued to go back-and-forth as the Skyhawks took advantage of a leadoff double in the sixth inning to take an 8-7 lead.

However, Auburn scored for the fourth straight inning to draw back to even. Bliss stole third and tied the game as the throw sailed into left field. After Ward walked and Kason Howell stole third, Matt Scheffler gave the Tigers their first lead of the game on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Leading 9-8 in the bottom of the seventh, Lau extended the Auburn advantage by launching a three-run home run over the right field wall, marking the first home run of his Auburn career.

UT Martin scratched a run across in the top of the eighth, but the Tigers capped off the scoring in the contest with a three-run bottom of the frame. Julien recorded his third hit and drove in his second run on a RBI single up the middle before Bliss hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field. Lau drove in the final run, his fifth of the game, on a fielder’s choice.

Auburn and UT Martin will finish off the double midweek Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.