Ward, Owens combine for six hits but Bulldogs fall to Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. – Redshirt freshman Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) and true freshman Sam Owens (Scituate, R.I.) combined for six hits, two runs scored and two RBI but Auburn University broke a 4-4 tie with a six-run sixth inning on its way to a 13-4 victory in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Plainsman Park.

Batting at opposite ends of the order, Ward went 3-for-5 with an RBI as the leadoff man, while Owens went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored as the No. 9 hitter. Junior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) added his first home run of the season.

GAME INFORMATION

Bryant 4, Auburn 13

Records: Bryant (0-5), Auburn (7-0)

Location: Plainsman Park (Auburn, Ala.)

W|L:  Elliott Anderson (1-0) | Nathan Wrighter (0-1)

KEY MOMENT

• With the game tied at 4-4 in the sixth, Auburn took advantage of three hit batters and two walks to score six runs and break the game open.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Auburn opened the game with four runs in the first inning. With two outs and nobody on, Conor Davis started the rally with a single up the middle. Josh Anthony scored the first run with an RBI single, a second scored on a wild pitch and Steven Williams capped the inning with a two-run single.
• Bryant cut the deficit in half with two runs in the third. Owens led off with a single to center and Angelini launched his first home run of the season over the green monster in left two batters later to make it 4-2.
• The Bulldogs then tied the game with two more runs in the fourth. Sophomore Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) singled down the right field line with one out and took second as the ball was bobbled. Owens then delivered with two outs, doubling to right center to score Cruz. Ward followed with a single up the middle to score Owens and tie the game.
• After a rough first inning, senior Jack Patterson (Suffield, Conn.) settled down to set down 10-striaght Tigers from the second through the fourth. Another two-out rally ended his day in the fifth but junior Nathan Wrighter (Windsor, N.Y.) was able to strand runners on the corners to keep the game tied.
• Auburn grabbed the lead in the sixth as the first batters of the inning were both hit with two strikes and came around to score on a single from Jeremy Johnson. A walk and another hit batter then loaded the bases and Davis cleared them with a double to center. Edourard Julien made it 10-4 with an RBI single through the right side.
• The Tigers closed their scoring with three runs in the seventh. Jay Estes drove in a run with a single before a bases-loaded walk and a sac fly scored the final two runs.

STATS

• Patterson allowed four runs on five hits, walked four and struck out four over 4 2/3 innings.
• The last of four pitchers, senior Ross Weiner (Woodbridge, Conn.) pitched two scoreless innings and recorded a strikeout.
• Ward finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.
• Owens went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
• Angelini hit his first home run of the year and finished with two RBI.
• Auburn's bullpen combined to allow just three hits over 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
• Davis finished 2-for-3 with four RBI, while Anthony, Williams and Johnson all drove in two runs.

GAME NOTES

• The Bulldogs are now 1-6 against teams from the SEC.
• The Bulldogs are 9-21-1 in the month of February over the last six years.
• Angelini's home run was the 10th of his career.  
• Sophomore James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) saw his on-base streak snapped at 11 games.
• Cruz extended his on-base streak to 18-straight games dating back to last season.
• Owens registered his first-career three-hit game and the second multi-hit game of the season.
• Ward also set a caree-high with three hits on the afternoon. It was his fifth-career multi-hit game.  

UP NEXT

Bryant and Auburn will wrap up their series with game two of the doubleheader on Saturday night.