March 18, 2003
ATLANTA – Tug Hulett drove in three runs and Bobby Huddleston and Javon Moran both hit home runs to lead 11th-ranked Auburn (19-5) to a 7-5 win over No. 2 Georgia Tech (17-2) on Tuesday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Auburn starter Levale Speigner (5-0), pitching in a designated staff day, earned the win after working three shutout innings and striking out four batters. Josh Bell recorded the final three outs and escaped a ninth inning jam to record his first career save.
Auburn built a 6-0 lead through the first fourth innings. Clete Thomas led off the game with a double and scored on a RBI groundout from Tug Hulett before the Tigers broke our for four runs in the third inning. Bobby Huddleston hit a two run homer, his team-leading seventh of the year, and Hulett added a two-run double. A RBI double from Chuck Jeroloman made the score 6-0 in the top of the fourth inning.
The Yellow Jackets scored three times in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 6-3. Tech loaded the bases with no outs before Tyler Greene drew a walk, Jake Hall followed with a RBI groundout and Eric Patterson added a sacrifice fly.
A solo home run from Javon Moran, his second of the season, gave the Tigers a 7-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning. The Yellow Jackets answered in the bottom of the inning when Matt Murton tripled to center field and scored on a RBI single from Clifton Remole.
Georgia Tech mounted one final rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Murton led off the inning with a solo home run, his fifth of the season, to trim the lead to 7-5. Tech put the tying runs on base with one out when Mike Nickeas struck out but reached on a wild pitch and Micah Owings drew a walk, but Bell retired Brandon Boggs and Tyler Greene with a pair of groundouts to end the game.
The Yellow Jackets had at least one hit and left at least one runner on base in all nine innings of the game. Remole, Murton, Owings and Mike Nickeas each had two hits for the Yellow Jackets, who outhit the Tigers 12-8.
Tech starter Micah Owings (4-1) took the loss, surrendering six runs on six hits in four innings.
Georgia Tech will return to action this weekend when the Yellow Jackets host Maryland for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series. The series begins on Friday at 4 p.m., and continues on Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. each day. Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
