March 4, 2003

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - - Auburn's Sean Gamble, Josh Bell and Tug Hulett each had three hits and six Tiger pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts as No. 11 Auburn defeated Samford, 11-2, Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field in nonconference baseball action. The Tigers (13-3) extended their win streak to six games while the Bulldogs fell to 3-9 on the season.

Cory Dueitt (4-0) allowed three hits in three innings while striking out five to pick up the win. Chandler Tidwell (1-1) took the loss for Samford. Tidwell gave up five earned runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings and recorded four strikeouts. The Tigers pounded four Samford pitchers for 18 hits. Matt Alling led the Bulldogs at the plate going 2-for-3. Michael Collins went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

Auburn took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on four hits. Clete Thomas doubled and scored on a wild pitch. Gamble, who reached on a single, scored Karl Amonite's ground out.

The Tigers added four runs in the top of the third. Amonite singled through the right side and advanced to third Bobby Huddleston's double to left field. Bell singled to plate Amonite making it 3-0. Hulett singled to center field to score Huddleston for the 4-0 lead. Chuck Jeroloman singled in Hulett and Bell for the final two runs of the inning.

Auburn exploded for four more runs in the top of the fifth off four hits. Hulett doubled to advance Bell who was hit by a pitch. Scott Schade's sacrifice fly scored Bell making it 7-0. Jeroloman grounded to the shortstop to score Hulett. The Tigers took a 10-0 lead on Gamble's RBI triple and Javon Moran's infield single.

Kyle Bohm's pinch-hit solo home run in the top of the sixth extended Auburn's lead to 11-0. Samford scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Richard Bishop led off the sixth with a double to right center. Collins singled up the middle to score Bishop and later scored on Ehren Wassermann's ground out to make it, 11-2.

Thomas, Moran and Jeroloman each added two hits. Sae Evans, Bishop, Ryan Williams and Heath Owen each had one hits for the Bulldogs.

Samford returns to action Wednesday when it hosts instate rival Alabama A&M at 6 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.