TAMPA, Fla. -- Zach Dew delivered a walk-off RBI single in the last of the 10th inning to help the Auburn University at Montgomery baseball team stave off elimination and capture the program's first-ever NCAA South Region tournament victory 

FROM THE DUGOUT

Score: #5 AUM 9, #8 SSU 8 (10 INN.)
Records: AUM 32-23 | SSU 31-17
Location: Tampa, Fla. | UT Baseball Field
Series: AUM leads 1-0
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HIGHLIGHTS

• After a scoreless first inning, Savannah State posted a trio of runs in the top of the second to take an early lead.
• Hayden Grier registered a sacrifice fly to trim the lead to 3-1.
• RH Frankland followed suit with a bases-loaded walk in the third frame to cut the lead for the visitors down to a run.
• Jackson Ceman reached on an error with two outs in the fourth, stole second base, and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Tyrese Rooks to tie the game at 3-3.
• The fifth inning saw the Warhawks open up a 7-3 lead thanks to a Cooper Doughman RBI double, a Jarren Wright RBI single, a Hayden Grier sacrifice fly, and a passed ball that scored Brendan York.
• A run in the seventh and a pair in the eighth helped Savannah State fight back to tie the game, but AUM answered with an RBI single to right from Dew to make it 8-7.
• The Tigers used a pinch-hit, two-out single to left to score the tying run in the top of the ninth that helped send the game to extra innings.
• Rooks doubled with one out in the last of the 10th, Kasey Clark drew a walk, and Dew delivered the game-winning base knock through the right side to help seal the program's first NCAA South Regional tournament victory. 

ON THE MOUND 

• Luke Turner drew the start and worked 1.2 innings in a no-decision.
• Brett Pitts fired 4.2 innings of relief. He allowed a run on five hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out three.
• Grant Hickman did not allow a hit, walked three, and struck out two in two-thirds of an inning.
• Michael Myers allowed a run with a strikeout in one-plus innings.
• Trey Bacon picked up his first Warhawk win with 2.0 innings to finish the game. He allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts.

MANAGER'S CORNER

• "What sticks out most about today is the fight this team displayed," said head coach Franklin Bush. By no means did we play to our standard, but we competed through the last pitch. Because of that fight, this team made history. We aren't proud of the way we played, but we are proud of this win and proud to be able to make history. We are thankful to be a part of this university and add to the storied history of this baseball program. We will recover at a high level tonight and get ready for another fight tomorrow. It's a privilege to put this jersey on and we get another opportunity to do that tomorrow. Let's get it!"

NOTABLES

• Rooks posted his team-high 25th game with multiple hits.
• Pitts made his seventh consecutive relief appearance allowing one run or less and had five scoreless appearances in that stretch.
• Rooks, Doughman, and Frankland all tallied multiple hits for the Warhawks for the second straight tournament game.
• Dew also tallied multiple hits for the 19th time this season and multiple RBIs for the 11th time. 
• Bacon picked up his first career win for the orange and black.

  UP NEXT

• AUM takes on Lee University (38-17) on Saturday, May 18 at 1 p.m. looking to stave off elimination again at the 2024 NCAA South Region tournament.

 
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