WEST POINT, Ga. – The Auburn Montgomery baseball team bested Point University 7-5 in a 10-inning bout on Friday, Feb. 8 for their third consecutive win, and fourth win in five games to begin their 2019 campaign. 
 
NOTES
- With the win, AUM's record improves to 4-1 on the season.
- The win improves the Warhawks's all-time record to 11-1 over Point, and marks for AUM's fourth-straight victory over the Skyhawks.
- AUM's record in extra-inning games in 2019 moves to 1-0.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Matthew Zielonko tallied a team-high two extra base hits in the contest. The senior outfielder also drove in and scored a run.
- Quinterrious Arrington scored a game-high two runs, while also stealing two bases and logging a base hit.
- Casey Henderson, Jonathan Brandt and Zach Feaster all recorded a hit and a run scored, with Brandt and Feaster both also collecting an RBI.
- Zach Cumbie drove in a team-high two runs on the night.
- Sam Steigert (2-0) picked up his second relief win for AUM on the mound. The sophomore reliever tossed three innings, while striking out two and surrendering just two earned.
- Ryan Burkett (1) notched his first save for the 2019 season. The crafty lefty recorded the final three outs of the game in 1-2-3 fashion to slam the door shut for the victory.
- Troy Jones tossed the first six innings for AUM on the mound, striking out six and allowing just three earned.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- AUM jumped on Point early in the second inning, after a Zielonko triple to left-center plated Feaster, who worked a one-out walk to reach base. Cumbie would follow-up with a sac fly to plate Zielonko and give AUM the early 2-0 advantage.
- AUM would add another run in the third, but Point would respond in the fourth inning with three runs on four hits to even the game at three-all.
- AUM would go on to retake the lead in the top of the seventh. After Arrington reaching base on a fielder's choice, Henderson walking and Cobb knocking an infield hit to third, Brandt would put AUM out in front 4-3 with a base knock to right center field. Feaster would follow up one batter later with a sac fly to right to bolster AUM's lead to 5-3.
- Down to their final six outs, Point would rally in the eighth with two runs on three hits, and an AUM error, to tie the game at 5-5.
- With both teams going 1-2-3 in the ninth, AUM would finally break through in the tenth. The inning began with Brandt reaching base via a fielding error, Fester singling through the left side, and Zielonko reaching base on a dropped fly ball to left. 
- Sage Smelley would plate the eventual game-winning run on a suicide-squeeze bunt with one away and the bags juiced to give AUM the lead at 6-5. 
- An Arrington RBI via a hit-by-pitch would provide AUM with an insurance run, followed by a 1-2-3 inning by R. Burkett to slam the door shut for the win
 
QUOTING THE COACH
 

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Warhawks out-slugged the Skyhawks 10 hits to nine in the game.
- The AUM pitching staff combined for a season-high nine strikeouts in the win, while the Warhawk offense struck out just three times in the game. 
- Eight of the nine starters for AUM logged at least one base hit in the victory, while five different Warhawks drove in a run.
 
UP NEXT
- The Warhawks will finish off their weekend series with Point on Saturday, Feb. 9 with a doubleheader from the AUM Baseball Complex, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

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