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Davidson College
Auburn
Wildcats Can't Hold Off Late Auburn Rally
3/5/2008 9:06:46 PM | Baseball
Marc Gignac
AUBURN, Ala. – Tony Caldwell drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to plate the game-winning run as Auburn scored three times in its last at-bat to squeak past Davidson 8-7 in baseball action at Plainsman Park Wednesday night.
With Auburn trailing 7-5, the heart of the Tigers' order came up to face Davidson freshman reliever Mike Frongello in the bottom of the ninth. Justin Hargett led off the inning with a walk, and Mike Bianucci followed with a single up the middle.
The Wildcats recorded the first out of the frame on a fielder's choice, but Joseph Sanders drove in Hargett with a single to make the score 7-6. After the runners moved to second and third following a double steal, Davidson freshman third baseman Matt Ray tried to come home on a Kevin Patterson ground ball, but his throw was errant, allowing Auburn to tie the score 7-7. Brian Fletcher was hit by a pitch to load the bases and set the table for Caldwell's walk.
The 'Cats cut into a 3-0 Auburn lead in the top of the third inning. Ray walked and scored on a Hugh Eden double down the left field line. Brett Shore traded places with Eden on a double to right center field to make the margin 3-2.
The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the inning, but Davidson notched five runs in the fourth to open a 7-4 cushion. Jay Honeycutt was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Tommy Piacenza stroked his first home run of the year to tie the score. After a pair of Auburn errors, Shore plated a run with a two-out single, and Zach Kayne followed with a two-run double to cap the rally.
After Auburn scored a run with a pair of doubles in the bottom of the fourth, Davidson freshman pitchers Mac Hunter, Matt Sliwiak and Frongello combined to retire 11 of the next 14 batters, allowing just three walks, to preserve the 7-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
Meanwhile, Auburn's bullpen did its job to keep the Wildcats scoreless for the final five innings. Davidson managed just three hits, all singles, with two coming from Weiss and one from Kayne. With Preseason All-SoCon closer Matt Webb on the shelf with an injury, the Wildcats tried to get one more inning out of Frongello.
Shore, Kayne and Weiss each collected two hits for Davidson, which returns to action Friday, March 7, when the Wildcats host Quinnipiac at 6 p.m. at Wilson Field.
