Feb. 24, 2015
TECH STARTERS: Spingola/CF, Smith/1B, Johnson/RF, Murray/DH, Gonzalez/LF, Gold/3B, Bailey/2B, Pabst/C, Justus/SS, Schniederjans/SP.
AUBURN STARTERS: Grier/CF, Haecker/2B, Ebert/RF, Robert/1B, Tackett/DH, Gilliken/LF, Nulph/SS, Logan/C, Deese/3B, Thompson/SP.
THE BASICS:
• Auburn got a gem from starting pitcher Keegan Thompson and defeated Georgia Tech, 7-1, Tuesday night at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala.
• Thompson, who was a Freshman All-America last season and Auburn’s normal Friday night starter, scattered six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts to improve to 2-1.
• Tech (5-3) and Auburn (7-2) met on the diamond for the first time since 2005 and the Tigers are set for a return trip to Atlanta on March 24.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
• The Tigers struck for two runs in the third, two in the fourth and took firm control with a three-run fifth inning that made it 7-0.
• Blake Logan was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs to pace the Tigers.
• Auburn closer Justin Camp pitched the final two innings with four strikeouts.
• Tech’s Thomas Smith extended his hitting streak to six games with a 1-for-4 effort, but freshman Kel Johnson’s hitting streak was halted at seven.
• Tech had chances early as Daniel Spingola led off the first with a single and A.J. Murray led off the second with a base hit, but neither scored.
• Sophomores Arden Pabst and Brandon Gold each chipped in doubles. Pabst doubled off the wall to lead off the sixth and eventually scored.
• The loss fell to sophomore starter Ben Schniederjans (4.0 innings, four runs, four walks, one strikeout).
• Sophomore reliever Matthew Gorst fired the final two innings for the Jackets and set down the Tigers in order with three strikeouts.
QUOTEABLE:
“He (Keegan Thompson) is very good and he over-matched us tonight. Between him and (Justin) Camp, we saw more velocity than we’ve seen to date. He commanded everything well. But we banged into two double plays with guys on, and we had lead-off guys in the first and second. So you have to credit him (Thompson), he was able to get out of those situations. I was encouraged by what I saw from Gorst tonight, he pitched well and we’ll need him to be a consistent option from the bullpen. We’ve got to bounce back with a big series at home this weekend against Indiana State.”
— head coach Danny Hall
UP NEXT:
The Yellow Jackets host Indiana State this weekend at Russ Chandler Stadium. The series is underway Friday at 4 p.m. Tech’s game tomorrow versus Georgia State has been cancelled with no make-up date announced.
