JACKSON, Tenn. --- The Auburn Montgomery baseball team claimed a Gulf South Conference series two games to one over Union University with a twinbill split on Monday, March 11.
NOTES
- The Warhawks fell in game one 9-7, and won game number two of the day 4-2.
- AUM's record now sits at 12-9 overall, and 6-6 in GSC action.
- The Warhawks all-time record against Union improves to 16-8 with the completion of the series.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
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Casey Henderson and
Matthew Zielonko both logged a team-high four hits on the day, in addition to both driving in a run over the day's action. Henderson tallied a season-high thee hits in game one, while Zielonko clubbed three hit in game one, in addition to accounting for a run and a hit in game two.
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Jonathan Brandt and
Zach Feaster both recorded three hits over the course of the day, with both also scoring a run. Feaster notched all three hits in game one, while Brandt recorded two hits in game one, and drove in a team-high two runs in game two.
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Dalton Cobb scored a run and registered a hit in both games, in addition to driving in a run in game two.
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Quinterrious Arrington finished with two stolen bases on the day, upping his season total to a GSC-best 16 steals on the year. Arrington went 2-5 in game one with two runs scored.
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Grayson Blackwell added a pair of RBI's in game two for the Orange and Black.
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Wade Bannister tossed five innings of shutout relief in game one, striking out a career-high five hitters on just 57 pitches.
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Troy Jones (2-2) picked up the win on the mound for AUM in game number two. The junior right-hander surrendered just two runs over five innings of work, while striking out five.
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Todd Burkett (4) earned his fourth save on the year, and second in three games for the Warhawks. The righty reliever allowed just one hit over the final two innings of game two to secure the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
- The Warhawks got the scoring action going in inning number one of the first game, when Zielonko drove in Henderson from third base on a two-out base hit to center. Henderson doubled to left to lead off the ballgame and give AUM the run-scoring opportunity.
- Union would retaliate in the bottom half of the inning, however, by putting up two runs on three hits.
- After tying up the game at 2-2 in the second on a Feaster single to left, Union would respond by chasing AUM starter
Hank Scott their next time up and hanging up a four spot on four hits, including a three-run homer that made it 6-2.
- AUM would tally three runs over the third and fourth innings to make it a 7-5 ballgame, but Union would once again respond with a pair of runs on five hits in the fourth frame to extend their lead to 9-5.
- After adding a run in the top of the sixth on a Brandt RBI base on balls to make it 9-6, the Warhawks would go into rally mode in the ninth inning. Arrington and Zielonko would both reach base via base hit in the inning with one away, before Brandt would plate Arrington on a single to left.
- Trailing 9-7 and down to their final out, the Warhawks would get the tying run to second base, but would leave him stranded to give way to the final score.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – GAME ONE
- AUM outhit Union 16-15, marking for their second-highest hit total on the year, and their third time in four games to record double-digit base hits.
- Five players logged multi-hit games for AUM in game one, with three Warhawks recording three hits in game one of the twinbill.
- Eight of AUM's nine starters recorded at least one hit, while every player in the AUM starting lineup in game one either knocked a hit or scored a run.
- The Warhawks left nine runners on in the game, while the pitching staff stranded seven Union base runners.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
- For the third straight game, the Warhawks were able to push across a run in the first inning. The frame began with Henderson's second consecutive double to lead off a ballgame, followed by an RBI groundout by Cobb two batters later to plate Henderson and give the AUM a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
- The Orange and Black would go on to add three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth. Brandt would plate Cobb, who reached base on a leadoff single, for the inning's first run on a double down the left field line. Two more runs would come in to score on a fielding error off of the bat of Blackwell, which would give AUM a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
- Union would answer back in their next at-bat, however, by scoring a pair runs on two hits, all coming with two outs. A diving catch by
Zach Cumbie on a Union line drive with two outs and the bases loaded helped the Warhawks escape the inning holding onto a 4-2 lead.
- The Bulldogs saw their last opportunity to score come in the sixth inning, when they would load the bases with one away. T. Burkett would get a strikeout on a 3-2 count, and a pop out to short, however, to escape the inning unharmed and keep AUM on top 4-2.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – GAME TWO
- The Bulldogs outhit the Warhawks in game two, 8-5.
- Despite reaching base to lead off an inning in five of seven frames, AUM left six runners on base in game number two.
- The Warhawk pitching staff stranded 12 Union base runners in the contest.
- AUM used a season-low two pitchers in game two.
UP NEXT
- The Warhawks will take a day off from competition before returning to the diamond for a four-game road trip in eastern Florida, beginning with a 5:00 p.m. (CST) matchup at Flagler College on Wednesday, March 13.
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