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Homers Carry Auburn To 4-2 Win Over Georgia State On Tuesday Night


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Tony Caldwell hit a pair of home runs for the second

straight game and Hunter Morris chipped in with his seventh home run of

the season as Auburn defeated Georgia State, 4-2, on Tuesday night at

Plainsman Park. The Auburn pitching trio of Dexter Price, Michael Hurst

and Austin Hubbard held Georgia State to a season-low-tying five hits

and were helped by a season-high tying three double plays as Auburn won

its 13th consecutive non-conference game of the season to move to 21-10

on the year.

“This was great for our pitching staff. Michael, Dexter and Austin threw

the ball really well and we really needed that,” Auburn Head Coach John

Pawlowski said. “This game was not the prettiest game offensively but we

found a way to win and that’s the bottom line right now.”

Hurst (3-0) earned the win in his second straight appearance, entering

in the sixth with a man on and one out and a run already in to tie the

game at 1-1 but he fanned the first hitter he faced before issuing a

walk and getting a groundout to end the inning.

“Offensively it took a while for us to get going but we played good

defense and our pitching was solid,” Hurst said. “Coming up with a 4-2

win is big for our pitching staff.”

Hubbard earned his sixth save of the season and his second in four days

by throwing a scoreless two innings after relieving Hurst in the eighth

after a leadoff walk. Hubbard whiffed three of the eight hitters he

faced, though his wild pitch cost Auburn a run in the eighth.

Morris’ seventh home run of the year put Auburn up 1-0 in the third,

homering to right-center on a 3-2 pitch after falling behind 0-2 in the

count and fouling off three pitches with the count all even at two balls

and two strikes.

After Georgia State (19-10) tied the game in the top of the sixth on a

Chase Childers’ RBI single to chase Price, Caldwell launched his third

home run in his last six plate appearances dating back to Sunday’s

five-run fifth at Mississippi State to put Auburn ahead, 2-1.

“We started off slow tonight and we couldn’t put back-to-back hits

together but we were able to get a few good at bats and get enough to

get the win,” Caldwell said. “Everything is just going my way right now

and it’s good to come out and get a couple of hits every day.”

Ben Jones followed Caldwell’s seventh home run of the season with a line

drive to deep center that Georgia State centerfielder Nick Hogan made a

play on but had the ball pop out of his glove as he crashed into the

wall. With the ball rolling away from Hogan, leftfielder Jonathan

Kolowich fumbled the ball trying to pick it up, allowing Jones to circle

the bases. The triple was the first in Jones’ career and gave the team

10 on the season and a 3-1 lead.

Georgia State got a run back in the top of the eighth as Hubbard allowed

a single to the second hitter he faced after coming in for Hurst with a

man on before uncorking a wild pitch with Hogan on third to make it 3-2.

Caldwell’s sixth home run in his last 13 games gave Auburn a 4-2 lead in

the eighth as he sent one over the 30-foot-high wall in left with one

down and nobody on. The home run was the 67th of the season for Auburn

and the 38th solo shot.

Price, who didn’t factor into the decision, worked 5 1/3 innings on the

mound, allowing a run on three hits and a career-high three walks while

striking out two. After walking two in the first inning, he was able to

work three straight 1-2-3 innings thanks to Caldwell throwing out a

runner trying to steal second in the second and a double play in the

fourth when Trent Mummey chased down a ball in center and doubled the

man off first.

“Dexter got us into the sixth inning and that is what we are looking

for. His stuff was pretty good and he battled and gave us a chance. He

put the ball in play and let our defense do the work,” Paw“Trent Mummey                                                  turning that double play in center and Ben Jones running

down a ball in the ninth, those are two nice plays by our outfielders

and sometimes that’s the difference in the ball game.”

Caldwell has now thrown out 17 base runners attempting steals this

season and has caught seven in his last six games.

Georgia State starter John Locklear (4-2) suffered the loss for Georgia

State, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in 5 1/3

innings.

Auburn returns to the diamond on Wednesday at 6pm against Bethune

Cookman, which lost 12-7 at Florida on Tuesday night. Sr. RHP Paul

Burnside (0-2, 6.95) will get the starting nod on the mound for Auburn.

Wednesday night is Fan Appreciation night and there is no cost to attend

the game.

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