AMERICUS, Ga. – The Auburn Montgomery baseball team wrapped up its season-opening four-game road swing on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Georgia Southwestern State, limiting the host Hurricanes to just three hits in a 7-0 victory.
NOTES
• AUM improves to 3-1
• Georgia Southwestern State falls to 2-1
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Junior left fielder
Matthew Zielonko went 1-3 with a home run, his first for the Warhawks, a pair of runs scored and a walk.
• Redshirt sophomore
Hayden Friesen came in to pinch hit for AUM and went 2-2 with a RBI and run scored.
• Senior first baseman
Curtiss Johnson went 2-4 with a RBI and run scored.
• Junior center fielder
Josh Flowers went 1-4 with two runs scored.
• Junior
Ryan Burkett got the win, holding the hosts without a hit for 2.0 while tossing two strikeouts and a walk.
• Junior
Brett Lightsey got the start, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
• For Georgia Southwestern State, Josh Logan went 1-3 with a double while Tyler Stewart went 3.1 innings in a start with four strikeouts and two runs allowed.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• After three scoreless innings, Zielonko sent the ball over the left field wall for a solo home run to put AUM on the scoreboard. The Warhawks added one more runs in the fourth, using back-to-back-to-back singles from Flowers, Johnson and junior second baseman
Jonathan Brandt to score Flowers and create a 2-0 lead.
• AUM added to its lead in the seventh inning, using a single from Friesen to score junior right fielder
Aaron Hill who led the frame off with a walk and make it 3-0.
• The Warhawks capitalized on a GSW error in the ninth inning with two outs to plate Zielonko and Friesen, with a double from Johnson scoring Flowers for their third unearned run of the stanza. A second Hurricanes' error in the inning allowed another AUM runner to score, with Johnson rounding the bases to make it 7-0.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• AUM finished the contest with 10 hits, two going for extra bases, and six walks. GSW tallied three with one doubles and a pair of walks.
• Georgia Southwestern recorded four errors, two in the final inning, while AUM posted none.
• The Warhawks stranded 10 batters versus three for the Badgers.
• AUM stole two bases in five attempts while Georgia Southwestern went 0-2 in stolen base attempts.
UP NEXT
AUM welcomes Tennessee Wesleyan on Friday, Sept. 9 in the Warhawks' home opener at 4 p.m.
For the latest on AUM athletics, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
