MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery Baseball split its Gulf South Conference doubleheader with Alabama Huntsville on Saturday, March 19, falling 11-5 in game one and winning 5-3 in game two.
 
The split brings AUM's record to 16-10 overall and 6-5 in GSC action.
 
GAME ONE
Nick Freeman and Jackson Ceman both led AUM with three hits each while Clayton Phillips drove in a pair with a two-run homer. Brody Syer added two hits and an RBI while Zach Feaster added a hit and an RBI.
 
Andrew Cronan (4-2) shouldered the loss, surrendering eight runs over 4.2 innings of work while striking out a season-high five. Will Collins tossed a team-best two innings of work out of the bullpen with Jax Morris and Mario Galloway each making appearances out of the bullpen for the Warhawks.
 
AUM jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third on Phillips' two-run blast to left field, his first as a Warhawk. Joseph Hartsfield was hit by pitch one batter prior with one away to set the stage for Phillips' homer.
 
After the Warhawks scored another run in the third on a UAH wild pitch, the Chargers would go on to strike for seven runs on seven hits in the top of the fourth to sway the momentum in their direction. Five of the Charger's six RBI's came on ground balls with eyes that found their way into the outfield for base hits, while a bases-loaded hit batsman accounted for the other run in the frame.
 
The Warhawks got back to within striking distance in the top of the seventh, when Feaster and Syer were both able to bring home a run on RBI singles to cut AUM's deficit to just 8-5. UAH would go on to strike for two in the eighth, however, and one more in the ninth before giving way to the 11-5 final.
 
GAME TWO
Jaylon Thornton led AUM with two runs driven in on a home run in the bottom of the fourth. Feaster also went bridge, with a solo shot in the second, while Kasey Clark added an RBI double.
 
Feaster and Clark both also logged a pair of hits while Caleb Beaver scored twice and recorded a base hit.
 
Luke Turner (4-0) tossed his second-consecutive complete game to earn the victory. Turner fanned a season-high eight batters while allowing just three runs and walking only one.
 
The Warhawks cracked the board first with a run in the second on a solo shot by Feaster, his second of the 2022 campaign.
 
An RBI double from Clark doubled AUM's lead in the third while Thornton delivered the big blow in the fourth via a mammoth two-run homer to right field. The blast, which was preceded by a leadoff single from Feaster, marked for Thornton's first home run as a Warhawk.
 
UAH fought back by hanging a three-spot in the fifth, with a bases-loaded walk and a two-RBI single accounting for the damage done. Turner was able to tightrope his way out of the jam, however, by inducing a 1-6-3 inning-ending double play to keep the score 4-3 in favor of AUM.
 
The Warhawks got an insurance run back via balk in the top of the fifth before seeing the 5-3 final score.
 
The Warhawks will play the rubber match of their three-game set with UAH Sunday, March 20. First pitch from Q.V. Lowe Field is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
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