The most astounding statistic to ponder after Tuesday night’s 26-6 Auburn rout over Troy?

Wipe away senior Ben Jones’ most productive night at the plate in his entire career and the Tigers still would have doubled up Troy and been just one run shy of their previous season high for runs in a game.

Jones, one of just a few seniors on the Tigers, hit two home runs and matched his jersey number with nine RBI — the most by an Auburn player in 27 years — in the Tigers’ slump-busting victory over the Trojans at Plainsman Park.

“We got hot,” Jones said.

No kidding.

Auburn’s 26 runs matched its fourth most in program history. It was more than the Tigers scored in their past five games — all of which were losses — combined.

Gone were the uppercut swings from all Tigers’ hitters from the top and bottom of the order. Gone were the blown opportunities with runners in scoring position. And gone were the frivolous solo home runs.

Even the Tigers’ five home runs Tuesday — which marked the seventh time the Tigers have hit five or more in a game this season — were more of the line-drive variety.

“We went through a period where we were missing a lot of balls, popping up and a lot of strikeouts,” Tigers coach John Pawlowski said. “I thought we did a much better job today of having a better
approach.”

That better approach was apparent early when Auburn scored three runs in the first inning without a home run — an actual sign of progress for the Tigers, who now lead the nation with 97 home runs, yet find themselves out of the SEC Tournament if it started today.

It continued throughout, as the Tigers scored runs in every inning but the third and eighth. Auburn used three separate six-run innings to turn what once was a 4-4 tie in the top of the fourth inning into its biggest margin of victory since 2007.

“Things got rolling and hitting is contagious,” Jones said. “We just did a great job with team offense.”

Jones picked up his first two RBI with a single in the first inning before hitting his first career grand slam to right-center field in the fifth. His three-run homer in the very next inning gave him the most RBI by an Auburn player in a single game since Bob Berry’s 10 against Huntingdon in 1982.

“We did a great job today,” Jones said. “Every time I came up to bat, we had runners on.”

The Tigers stranded just seven of those runners in their 22-hit effort. Every starter notched at least one hit and, with the exception of catcher Caleb Bowen, one RBI.

Bowen, though, made up for it with two runs of his own on a 3-for-5 night. Trent Mummey, Brian Fletcher and Dan Gamache — who led the Tigers with four hits — each hit home runs.

The offensive onslaught, as many records as it tweaked, didn’t match the Tigers’ biggest victory over Troy. Auburn beat the Trojans 32-9 in 1994.

They’ll have another shot at the record tonight at Riddle-Pace Field.

“This is the best time of the year to come out of a little slump like this,” Pawlowski said. “Now the real key is what are they going to do with it.”

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