Tigers Defeat Army, 12-3
Tallahassee, Fla -- Cliff Mullins kept the Army bats at bay, allowing just two hits and walking three while striking out a career-high five batters in five innings of work, while the Auburn bats did the rest of the work as the Tigers (34-25) moved on to face Florida State tonight with a 12-3 win over the Black Knights (39-14) on Sunday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium. "I am real proud to have been on the field playing against the United States Military Academy," AU Coach Tom Slater said. "Cliff Mullins did a tremendous job for us from the mound and the defense behind him did the work." Mullins (2-2) was near perfect from the hill as the top of the sixth was the only time that he allowed more than one runner to reach base in an inning, mowing down batter after batter, which included three straight strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth after allowing a walk to Jeremy Stache to start the inning. "I was glad to get the opportunity to start in a regional," the freshman said. "I just tried to throw strikes and let the defense do the work behind me." Tyler Johnstone led the Tigers offense with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, scoring three runs and driving in two. Also having big days for Auburn offensively was first baseman Derek Sain, who was 2-for-5 with three runs and an RBI, and centerfielder Bruce Edwards, who was 2-for-3 with two walks, scoring two runs and driving in another two as both he and Sain hit their first home runs of the year. Clarence Nicely had a solid three innings in relief for the Tigers, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Auburn put two on the board in the first as Johnstone led off with a single and scored on Josh Bell's (1-for-4, 3 RBI) groundout two batters later. Clete Thomas (3-for-4, R, 2 RBI), who had doubled down the line in left after Johnstone, came home when Russell Dixon reached on a fielding error by Army first baseman Walker Gorham. The Tigers tacked three more runs on in the second thanks to another Army fielding error as Edwards singled and Sain reached on a fielder's choice. Edwards came home on Johnstone's single to right while he and Sain scored on Bell's single. The Tigers padded their lead with five in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by Edwards first career home run, a two-run shot over the fence in right-center. Thomas added a two-run triple, the 16th of his career. Sain also belted his first home run since last season, a shot over the 30-foot high fence in right, putting the Tigers up 12-0 after seven full innings of play. The game featured a 42-minute rain delay after Mullins faced two batters in the sixth. Auburn 12, Army 3 (Jun 05, 2005 at Tallahassee, Fla.) AUBURN NOTES
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