Brian Fletcher had a pretty decent stat line Friday night — 2-for-2 with a home run, a double and three RBI.
And that was just in the seventh inning.
Fletcher started the scoring in the seventh with a solo home run to right field. He then finished it, scoring on a Tony Caldwell double more than 20 minutes later.
In between, Auburn racked up seven hits, scoring a total of eight runs, to rally past Miami (Ohio), 14-9, in their series opener Friday night at Plainsman Park.
For the night, Fletcher was 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, keeping his “clutch” season roaring along.
“I’m trying not to do too much,” Fletcher said. “Just trying to do the little things — just move guys over and things like that. I’m just thankful I’m getting the hits.”
For the season, Fletcher has 23 RBI in only nine games. He also extended his hitting streak to 14 games, dating back to last season.
“He’s been clutch,” Auburn head coach John Pawlowski said. “He likes to hit in the clutch, and he likes to be the guy. I think there’s a lot of things that separate players — guys that want to be there and guys that hope to be there. He’s certainly stepped up and he’s off to a great start.”
After leading 4-1 after four innings, the Tigers (7-2) gave up seven runs over the next two frames to the RedHawks (2-5).
In the fifth, Miami put up four runs on five hits, including a two-run single by first baseman Kyle Weldon.
That gave way to the three-run sixth.
Adam Eaton, who came into Friday night’s game with a .478 batting average, capped the inning with a two-run double off Auburn reliever Bradley Hendrix with two outs, putting Miami up 8-4.
But it wasn’t over. After trading runs in the next two at-bats, Auburn opened it up after the seventh-inning stretch.
In the inning, Fletcher led off with a solo shot, Casey McElroy had a double and a walk, Dan Gamache had a pinch-hit, two-run single and Creede Simpson scored two on an off-the-end-of-the-bat base hit down the right-field line. That all led up to Fletcher’s two-run double down the left-field line with two outs.
When the frame finally ended, Auburn held a 13-9 lead.
“It was a big momentum switch,” Simpson said. “Once that big inning occurred, we’re feeling great.”
Simpson, a former Auburn High standout, went 5-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Auburn pounded out 22 hits in the win, while Miami had 14.
“Every guy in this lineup is able to contribute and be able to get big hits for us,” Fletcher said. “It’s just nice and relaxed.”
Michael Hurst earned the win for the Tigers. The sidearmer, who came in to start the seventh inning, finished the game, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out four. His biggest inning was the top of the eighth, when he set the RedHawks down in order right after his team had that big, eight-run seventh.
“One of the things that we talked about was no rebound runs,” Pawlowski said. “He went out there (in the eighth) and gave us a 1-2-3 inning and got us right back in the dugout and kept that momentum with us and finished the game.”
Junior lefty Grant Dayton (0-1, 7.00 ERA) will get the start today for the Tigers, as they continue their three-game series with the RedHawks at 1 p.m.
Cole Nelson, the hottest pitcher on Auburn’s staff, returned to Auburn on Friday afternoon after a brief trip home to see his ill father and is expected to start Sunday in the series finale.
Nelson (2-0) has a 0.73 ERA in 12 1/3 innings pitched so far this season with 15 strikeouts.
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