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Sullivan's Shutout Does In Keydets at Auburn, 12-0

AUBURN, Ala.-Auburn junior right-hander Josh Sullivan tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits while fanning a career-high nine batters as the Tigers defeated VMI, 12-0, at Plainsman Park Saturday. Sullivan fanned a career-high nine batters, did not walk a batter and retired 17 consecutive at one point in the contest.

Auburn improved to 14-5 with the win while VMI dropped to 8-9. The series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.

Sullivan's (3-1) outing marked the first complete-game shutout by an Auburn pitcher since 2003. The Little Rock, Ark., native was efficient as 74 of his 95 pitches were for strikes. He also did not allow a Keydet batter to reach second base as all three of the VMI hits were singles.

VMI notched a single in the first inning and a lead-off single in the second before Sullivan settled in, sitting down 17 straight Keydet's until first baseman Robert Crumpler singled to left field with two outs in the seventh.

Auburn scored twice in the second inning and held a 2-0 advantage before scoring four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 10-0 lead.

Senior first baseman Karl Amonite led the Tigers' offense, going 4-for-5 with three runs batted in. Amonite had a two-run double in the Tigers' four-run fifth and added a run-scoring single in the sixth.

Clete Thomas went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs for Auburn. Thomas had a two-run triple in the Tigers' sixth inning. Tyler Johnstone, Russell Dixon and Adam Stacey each posted two-hit games for Auburn.

J.J. Hollenbeck (0-2) was handed the loss for VMI after allowing six runs on 10 hits in five innings of work.
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