AUBURN, AL – Auburn starting pitcher Bryan Woodall allowed just one run and five hits in six innings on the mound as the UNC Greensboro baseball team fell 9-2 to Auburn in the Spartans' season opener on Friday afternoon at Hitchcock Field.
Auburn (4-1) put a run on the board early in the first when Luke Greinke gave the Tigers the 1-0 on a single to center. Center fielder Bruce Edwards earned a walk and stole second before Greinke's hit brought him home. Greinke went on to score for Auburn off a single from Andy Bennett to close out the first with a 2-0 advantage.
The Tigers added four more runs in the bottom of the second to take the 6-0 lead. After an Edwards triple and two walks, Mike Bianucci singled to left field to score Edwards and Bennett sent a double down the line and drove home three more runs. One inning later, Auburn tacked on another run off a Bianucci single for the 7-0 lead.
UNCG's second baseman Tim Carrier gave the Spartans (1-0) their first run of the game in the top of the fifth. The junior sent a single to center field to bring in right fielder Sean Snell who singled to start the inning. Auburn answered back with a run in the bottom of the fifth off a sacrifice fly by Josh Donaldson.
Auburn scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth off another sacrifice fly. The Tigers grabbed a commanding 9-1 lead going into the final innings.
Senior Guy Welsh produced UNCG's second run of the game with a RBI double down the right field line, scoring Matt Gaski who walked earlier. That was as close as the Spartans got as Auburn went on to win 9-2.
UNCG starter Nick Starnes (0-1) took the loss after allowing six hits and seven runs in 2-1/3 innings pitched.
Carrier led the Spartans at the plate going 2-for-4 and collecting a RBI.
UNCG and Auburn resume the three-game series on Saturday beginning at 3 pm.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro...... 000 010 010 - 2 7 2
Auburn..................... 241 011 00X - 9 12 1
Pitchers: UNC Greensboro – Starnes; Shelton (2); Martin, G. (6); McCall (7); Gilliam (8)
Pitchers: Auburn – Woodall, Butts (7)
Win-Bryan Woodall (2-0) Loss-Nick Starnes (0-1)
- UNCG -
