JACKSON, Tenn. --- Ryan Burkett tossed 5.2 innings of scoreless relief, while his brother Todd Burkett retired the game's final four batters, to help the Auburn Montgomery baseball team pick up an 8-5 series-opening win at Union University on Sunday, March 10 in Gulf South Conference play.
 
NOTES
- With the win, AUM's record improves to 11-8 overall, and 5-5 in GSC action.
- All 13 of the game's runs were scored in innings one though four in the contest. 
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- The Burkett brothers retired the final 21 batters of the ballgame on Sunday. R. Burkett (1-1) needed just 69 pitches to work 5.2 innings out of the bullpen and strike out a career-high six batters en route to picking up the win, while T. Burkett (3) used just 21 pitches to record the game's final four outs and pick up his team-leading third save on the year.
- Grayson Blackwell led AUM at the dish, tallying a team-high two base hits and two runs batted in. 
- Matthew Zielonko knocked a base hit and also drove in a pair in the contest, pushing his 2019 RBI-total to a team-high 19.
- Quinterrious Arrington and Jonathan Brandt both also logged a pair of hits in the game, with Arrington driving in a run and Brandt scoring a run. 
- Casey Henderson and Dalton Cobb both scored twice in the game, with Henderson driving in one and Cobb collecting a base hit to push his season hit total to a team-high 24.
- Sage Smelley registered a hit, a run, and an RBI on the afternoon, while Zach Feaster added a hit and a run.
- Warhawk starter Micah Henderson lasted two innings before giving way to R. Burkett, surrendering five earned runs on four hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Warhawks drew first blood in inning number one, on a Zielonko RBI fielder's choice that brought in Henderson to give AUM the early 1-0 lead. A walk, a hit batsman and a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt provided Zielonko with the RBI opportunity in the inning. 
- Union would respond with a two-spot in the bottom of the first, courtesy of a leadoff double, a hit by pitch, an RBI single and a sac fly to lead 2-1 after one.
- After both teams scored a pair of runs in the second to make it 4-3 in Union's favor, the Warhawks would retake the lead at 6-4 with a trio of runs in the third. AUM was able to take advantage of a pair of Bulldog errors in the inning, accompanied by a two-run single from Blackwell to account for the damage. 
- Union would battle back with a run in the bottom of the third, but the Orange and Black would once again retaliate in their next at bat by plating a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. A Zielonko RBI-knock to left with one out, and a Bulldog fielding error with two away, would bring in both of the Warhawk's runs in the fourth to give them an 8-5 advantage. 
- Union came their closet to scoring again in the bottom of the sixth with two on and runners on first and second. The Bulldogs knocked a two-out hit to left, but Cobb would cut down an advancing Union runner at the plate to end the inning and escape unscathed. 
- The Warhawk bullpen would allow just three base runners over the final three innings to help lock down the win. 
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- AUM outhit Union 11-8 in the contest, marking for the seventh time this season that the Orange and Black have recorded double-digit hits in a game. 
- The Warhawks committed just one error on the day, while the Bulldogs made three miscues that led to three unearned runs. 
- The Warhawks reached base to lead off an inning in five of nine frames on the day, and batted 7-23 (.304) with runners on.
- AUM left nine runners on base, while the pitching staff stranded six Bulldog base runners.
- The Warhawks did not walk a single batter after the second inning.  
 
UP NEXT
- The Warhawks will wrap up their three-game set with Union on Monday, March 11, with a double-header beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
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