No. 11 Auburn defeated No. 15 Arkansas 10-2 in the opening game of their baseball series at Plainsman Park on Apr. 2, powered by a seven-run fifth inning and strong performances from pitcher Andreas Alvarez and reliever LJ Cormier.
The win gives Auburn momentum in the series, as both teams are ranked within the top fifteen nationally. Head coach Butch Thompson said, “It was a good night for us, but there’s not a lot to say. We have to get right back out here. I’m trying to stay close to the bullseye. They worked through some stuff and hard this week to get off to a good start for us in this series.”
Alvarez made his first weekend start of the season, matching his career high with ten strikeouts while allowing just one run over six innings pitched. “It was awesome. This is the first time I’ve gotten to open up a weekend series like that,” Alvarez said. “Being able to come out here with the boys swinging it and being able to get a lead like that, it just gives you all of the confidence in the world.” All nine players in Auburn’s lineup recorded at least one hit, with Chris Rembert, Bub Terrell, and Eric Guevara combining for seven hits and five runs scored.
Guevara reached base four times and hit his fifth home run of the season during an evening when his parents attended from Panama. He described how hitting became contagious among teammates: “You feel it. You see one guy do it. You see the next guy do it…it just becomes contagious…I think we saw that tonight.” Ethin Bingaman contributed three runs batted in.
Arkansas started scoring with Ryder Helfrick’s home run in the fourth inning but struggled against Auburn’s pitching after that point; Alvarez ended two threats with key strikeouts before Cormier finished out three scoreless innings for his first career save.
Thompson praised Alvarez’s performance under pressure: “I hope he gained something from that…I thought that was a moment for him, being his first SEC start, and he was able to capture it.” The two teams will meet again Friday evening.
