March 2, 2004
AUBURN, Ala. – Sean Gamble and Ben Maitland each drove in two runs and Chuck Jeroloman hit his first home run of the year to lead No. 9 Auburn (10-1) to a 6-2 win over No. 12 Georgia Tech (6-4) on Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
Auburn starter Arnold Hughey (3-0) held the Yellow Jackets to two runs, one of which was earned, on six hits in six-plus innings of work. He struck out eight batters and did not issue a walk. Steven Register earned his first save of the season by tossing three scoreless innings to close out the game.
The Tigers jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Sean Gamble’s two-out, two run single up the middle. Tech responded in the top of the second inning when a single from Mike Nickeas and a double from Micah Owings put runners at second and third with no outs. Hughey nearly worked out of the jam by striking the next two hitters, but Wes Hodges reached on third baseman Ben Maitland’s throwing error that allowed Nickeas to cross the plate and cut the lead to 2-1. Owings attempted to score from second base on the play but was thrown out at the plate.
Auburn scored three times in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead when the first four batters in the inning all reached base safely. Jeroloman led off with a single and moved to third on Josh Sullivan’s double. Maitland drove in both runners with a triple down the right field line, while a RBI single up the middle from ninth place hitter Bruce Edwards plated Maitland with the third run of the inning.
A solo home run from Jeroloman, his first of the season, extended Auburn’s lead to 6-2 in the seventh inning.
Tech had a number of opportunities to get back in the game, but the Jackets went just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position, including six strikeouts. Since the first inning of last Friday’s game against Southern California, the Yellow Jackets are 1-for-31 with runners in scoring position with 17 strikeouts.
Tech freshman Ryan Turner (0-1) took the loss in his first collegiate start, allowing five runs in three-plus innings of work. The bullpen of freshmen Lee Hyde, Blake Wood and John Goodman pitched well and kept the Jackets in the game, allowing just one run in six innings.
Tech’s Wes Hodges went 3-for-4 in the game, while Clifton Remole went 0-for-4 to snap his hitting streak at 12 games.
Tech and Auburn will play the second game of the home-and-home series on Mar. 30 in Atlanta.
The Yellow Jackets host the State University of New Jersey for a three-game weekend series at Russ Chandler Stadium. Tech and Rutgers open the series on Friday at 4 p.m. and continue on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. each day. Live statistics for the entire series will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
