AUBURN, AL. – The No. 4 Auburn Tigers knocked off the Stetson Hatters 8-5 in front of a sold-out Plainsman Park to advance to the regional championship game behind eight doubles, and a gutsy performance by starting pitcher Samuel Dutton.
“Just an amazing college baseball game,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. “Two great offensive approaches, both teams had double-digit hits, and I thought the pitchers fought. Samuel Dutton absolutely fought his guts out for us to get us later in the game.”
Cooper McMurray led the charge offensively, crushing three doubles, and Eric Snow logged three hits of his own. However, it was true freshman outfielder Bub Terrell who had arguably the biggest swing of the night.
In the top of the seventh, Terrell stepped in with two outs, a full count and runners on second and third. He then delivered the biggest swing of his young Auburn career, hitting a towering fly ball off the top of the War Eagle wall in left field for a two-run double, extending Auburn’s lead to 7-3.
“I’ve been locked in since day one of regionals,” Terrell said. “I don’t feel like anybody can get a ball by me.”
Auburn’s Samuel Dutton went six innings and recorded the win for the Tigers, navigating through a tough Hatters lineup. Dutton gave up five runs, all earned, in his six innings of work, but grinded out innings and made big pitches when his team needed it.
For the second straight night, Auburn played in front of a sold-out Plainsman Park crowd, this time having 7,434 people in attendance. The Tigers have credited some of their success to the atmosphere that the fans have created.
“We can feel it’s a different atmosphere than it was when we walked in the door,” Thompson said. “And it’s real, and this is year 24 in the Southeastern Conference, and I’ve been told this multiple times, this is a true environment.”
The Tigers will look to send the Auburn family home happy with a win tomorrow and punch their ticket to the Super Regionals.
The Tigers will face the winner of Stetson and NC State, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, and will be available for listen on the Auburn Sports Network.
