MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery Baseball Team slugged its way to a 9-1 midweek victory over south-region foe Spring Hill College on Wednesday, March 2 to improve to 11-7 overall and avenge a loss to the Badgers earlier this season.
 
Clayton Phillips drove in a game-high four runs with a pair of two-RBI hits while Zach Dew knocked a game-high three hits with a run driven in on a double. Jaylon Thornton accounted for an RBI while Zach Feaster logged a two-hit performance.
 
Will Collins (1-2) tossed a team-high 2.2 innings on the day to earn the win. The junior southpaw struck out a pair while allowing just one run in the victory.
 
Starter Mason Elmore gave up no runs on just four hits with one strikeout over the first 2.1 innings of action. Jake Chase (2), Huell Lumpkin (1), and Michael Myers (1) combined to throw the final five innings of scoreless relief out of the Warhawk bullpen.
 
After a scoreless first three innings, the Warhawks were finally able to crack the scoreboard in the top of the fourth on a Phillips two-RBI double down the left-field line. Micah Christian and Brook Brannon led off the frame with a pair of singles and were brought into scoring position on a sac bunt from Dew to set up the RBI chance.
 
After conceding the Badgers' lone run in the top of the fifth, AUM responded with four runs on two hits its next time up in the bottom half of the inning. A Badger throwing error, followed by an RBI two-bagger from Dew, a sac fly by Thornton, and a Badger wild pitch, accounted for the damage done in the inning.
 
The Warhawks padded their lead in the sixth by scoring on a SHC wild pitch, and got two more runs of insurance in the bottom of the seventh on another two-RBI knock from Phillips before giving way to the 9-1 final.
 
Despite leaving 10 runners on base, the Warhawks batted .333 (12-36) on the day. AUM pitching stranded six Badger base runners while the defense did not commit an error in the victory.
 
The Warhawks will resume Gulf South Conference play on Friday, March 4 for the first of three games at Lee University. First pitch from Cleveland, Tenn. is set for 3:00 p.m. (CST).
 
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