April 6, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Normally I don't come back to the "On The Road" feature after games, but after today's stirring victory, I felt the need to. With Auburn trailing 10-6 heading into the ninth, I did what I do for all road games and headed down to the dugout to watch what I believed would be the final half-inning of the game. Yes, it sounds like I don't have faith that we can pull it out, but that's not it at all. I just have to be down there in order to get our post-game interviews ready - pulling guys off the field and directing them to Andy Burcham or a handful of writers, which Arkansas has many, once the final out is recorded. When I went down on Saturday, student manager Jonathan Schuerholz looked at Andy Burcham and myself and told us to get ourselves back up to the press box, we were coming back (we were only down 5-4, remember). Unfortunately, that did not come true yesterday.

Today, I did the same, but this time, as I got to the dugout, I had the same jittery feeling that I had yesterday before the game. Apparently, so did the team. Rod Bramblett even mentioned on air at the start of the eighth that it looked like there was a lot of energy and life in the Auburn dugout and it looked like the team believed it was going to win. As I stood in the dugout, notepad in hand noting every pitch, I too could feel the positive vibe in the dugout (and the pure nervousness in my stomach - I think I actually ate a piece of my notepad). Each and every player believed the game was ours to have and never quit hustling. As matter of fact, when Joseph Sanders reached on an error in the ninth to keep the inning going, Andy tapped me on the arm and said, "That's big."

With the game tied at 10-10, I headed back to the press box to try and catch myself up in order that I wouldn't hold the bus up (I did) after the game and I must admit to a little fist-pump when we tied the game in the 9th and then when we took the lead in the 10th.

Postgame went from just Coach Slater being requested to five guys getting some media love with Brian Fletcher, Kevin Patterson and Michael Hurst all going on-air with Andy while Hunter Morris, Matt Hall and Fletcher all talked to some Arkansas media. As is the norm, all did a great job despite some believing that they just aren't very good at it.

As we ride the charter home, what a way to end the weekend. Bring on the Gamecocks!

END OF THE NINTH:
Sorry for the delay in updates, but it is now 10-10 going to the 10th! Auburn scored four in the eighth and four in the ninth to complete a dramatic comeback. Check the recap later for the complete story.

END OF THE FIFTH:
It's been pretty quiet since Eibner's home run as Auburn has had a pair of baserunners and Arkansas hasn't had any. The RBI Girls are out dancing on the dugout as the do seemingly every other inning to try and pump up the crowd. Suprisingly enought, with the score being what it is (7-2 Arkansas) and the crowd as large as it is (I believe over 7,000), I would think it would be much louder here right now, but it is awfully quiet. Maybe they are just waiting for the Auburn comeback to start before they get loud.

BOTTOM OF THE THIRD:
Pitching change for Auburn as Bradley Hendrix can't get out of the third. Hendrix allowed Arkansas to get two runs back on a triple and a home run, the third to left today by the two teams combined ... wait, make that four to left as Brett Eibner greeted Taylor Thompson with a blast into the Arkansas bullpen in left to make it 7-2 Razorbacks.

TOP OF THE THIRD:
If the first two innings are any indication, there are going to be a lot of runs scored in this game. Arkansas got three in the bottom of the first and could have had more if not for some spectacular defense by Auburn, nailing a guy at the plate trying to score from second and then catching a guy over-running second on a double down the line in left....and it was AU centerfield Trent Mummey who got him at the bag. That's great baseball awareness on Mummey's part.

Then in the top of the second it was Auburn's turn to answer, Hunter Morris narrowly missed a home run down the line in right only to take the next-pitch out to left-center for a no-doubter. Two hitters later it was Brian Fletcher with a blast.

Right now it is 3-2 Arkansas with two down and a runner on for Auburn in the top of hte third.

PREGAME - 11:30 AM
Back at Baum for the rubber game of the three game set and the Tigers will be trotting out a new lineup for the third and final game.

Not much new to report at this time, so here's the lineup:
Mummey...cf
Hall...ss
Bianucci...rf
Morris...1b
Sanders...2b
Fletcher...lf
Patterson...dh
Jenkins...c
Cunningham...3b
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Hendrix...p

by Dan Froehlich, Auburn Media Relations