Andreas Alvarez delivered a strong performance on the mound, pitching five scoreless innings to help No. 6 Auburn secure a 6-2 victory over Samford at Plainsman Park on Tuesday night. This win marks Auburn’s tenth of the season.
Alvarez worked through early challenges, especially after allowing a leadoff single in the third inning. He then retired eight of the next nine batters and notched his second start this season with at least five innings pitched.
“It was kind of a struggle, and then we met as a staff, me (Everett Teaford) and (Scott Foxhall),” Alvarez said. “It was just what adjustments can we make to get back in the zone. I had my pitch count up early through three, and I was just like I have to get through five. Just being able to bear down and get back in the zone really helped me out a lot.”
During this stretch, Alvarez struck out five of those eight batters and finished with eight strikeouts—matching his season high.
“The fourth and fifth (innings) are my two favorite innings he’s thrown in a long time,” head coach Butch Thompson added. “The ball got down and it was fastball, slider. It wasn’t just one pitch. It was strike one, strike two, just finally found that rhythm.”
Samford started with runners on the corners in the first inning but failed to score after Alvarez ended the threat with consecutive strikeouts.
Auburn took an early lead when Eric Guevara hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning. In the second frame, Bristol Carter singled home another run following Mason McCraine’s leadoff walk.
Guevara continued his contribution by leading off the third inning with a solo home run to right field—his second homer in three games.
After Alvarez exited following five shutout innings, Samford narrowed Auburn’s lead with a solo home run in the sixth inning.
Jett Johnston recorded three strikeouts for Auburn during the seventh inning as part of Auburn’s eleventh game this season reaching double-digit team strikeouts. The Tigers extended their advantage by scoring two more runs in their half of that inning: Chris Rembert drove home Carter with a single before McCraine added another RBI single to score Bub Terrell from second base.
In the eighth inning, Samford scored again despite Cade Belyeu turning a diving double play from right field for Auburn. The Tigers answered immediately when Terrell grounded out to drive in another run during their turn at bat.
Auburn generated most of its offense by getting its leadoff batter on base; five out of six runs were scored under such circumstances.
The Tigers will continue non-conference play against Winthrop from Friday through Sunday at Plainsman Park.
