OXFORD, Ala. -- The 26th-ranked Auburn University at Montgomery baseball team erased multiple two-run deficits to secure its first-ever Gulf South Conference tournament victory on Friday night at Choccolocco Park.

The Warhawks plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to build an 8-6 advantage before spinning a triple-play in the top of the ninth inning to end Shorter's late-inning threat and seal the win.

FROM THE DUGOUT

Score: No. 26 AUM 8, SU 6
Records: AUM 31-20 | SU 30-17
Location: Oxford, Ala. | Choccolocco Park
Series: AUM leads 36-10
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HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warhawks cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the first to start the scoring. Tyrese Rooks led off with a single, and Clark followed with a one-out base knock.
• Zach Dew plated Rooks with an RBI single to center to help AUM take a 1-0 lead.
• AUM made it 2-0 after two when Jackson Ceman's ground ball to second base plated RH Frankland.
• Shorter scored two in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead.
• Frankland singled in a run in the home fifth, and Jarren Wright's heads-up base running allowed AUM to tie the score 4-4 on the play.
• The Hawks responded with a two-run single in the sixth to lead 6-4.
• Brendan York cranked his second home run of the year, a no-doubt shot to left, to pull AUM within a run.
• Cooper Doughman and Jarren Wright clubbed back-to-back doubles in the seventh frame to help AUM soar back in front 7-6, and York added a bases-loaded single to tack on an insurance run to complete a three-run inning.
• With runners on first and second and nobody out, AUM spun a triple play to end the threat and secure the win.

ON THE MOUND 

• Clay Slagle worked four innings and allowed a pair of runs on four hits with two strikeouts. 
• Ryan Slaten (3-2) notched the win with a three-inning relief appearance.
• Brett Pitts (3) closed out his third save of the year with two shutout innings. He allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out a pair.

MANAGER'S CORNER

• "As a program, we have to understand that our preparation has prepared us for the opportunities," head coach Franklin Bush said. "At times today, we wavered in the confidence of our preparation. We will learn from that heading into tomorrow. Can we match the compete we brought to the field today? That's the challenge for us. Compete at a championship level in every pitch and through every opportunity. We are looking forward to that challenge."

NOTABLES

• AUM won its first GSC tournament game since moving to Division II and joining the Gulf South Conference. The Warhawks have also tied their best win total in that period at 31 wins.
• Kasey Clark extended his team-leading on-base streak to 23 games, while Doughman extended his current streak to 18 games.
• Dew (19th), Doughman (13th), Frankland (14th), Wright (14), and York (13) all collected multiple hits for the Warhawks. 
• Wright's three-hit effort marked his sixth such game of the season, tying him with Tyrese Rooks for the team lead in that category. 
• York logged his fifth contest of the campaign posting multiple RBIs.

  UP NEXT

• The Warhawks take on sixth-seeded West Florida on Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.

 
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