AUBURN, Ala. - Chris Dennis threw six solid innings and Tyler Johnstone and Andy Bennett each drove in two runs as the Auburn baseball team opened up the 2006 season with a 7-0 victory over VMI at Plainsman Park on Friday night.
The Keydets (1-0) were unable to sustain any offense facing Dennis (1-0), who missed last season after undergoing arm surgery at the start of the 2005 campaign. The junior right-hander allowed only one hit while striking out three, lasting six innings in his first action since May 22, 2004.
Opposing Dennis was Keydet senior J.J. Hollenbeck (0-1), who could manage only three innings, surrendering five hits and three runs, two earned, while getting strikeouts on five of the nine outs he recorded. Hollenbeck was relieved by freshman John Phelps, who pitched 4.2 innings in his first collegiate appearance, allowing four unearned runs on only four hits.
Johnstone (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI) provided the game-winning hit for the Tigers in the bottom of the second when he singled through the left-side of the infield to score Jeff Boutwell (1-for-2, R, RBI) and Derek Sain (1-for-4, R).
The Tigers tacked on another run in the bottom of the third as Boutwell drove in designated hitter Russell Dixon (0-for-2, R) with a double down the leftfield line.
The Tigers closed the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Stanley (0-for-2, RBI) pushed the first run across with a bases-loaded walk before Bennett (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) doubled to left to score Josh Donaldson (1-for-4, R, RBI) and Bruce Edwards (1-for-4, R).
The Keydets managed only three hits in the game, all singles, registered by seniors Kelly Sweppenhiser and Chase Buchanan and junior Robert Crumpler.
The Keydets are still searching for their first win against the Tigers, falling to 0-11 all-time vs. Auburn.
The Tigers and Keydets will play again on Saturday with first pitch set for 5 p.m. ET. Junior college transfer Peter Wiggins gets the starting nod for the Tigers while sophomore lefty Trey Barham earns the start for VMI.
VMI HEAD COACH MARLIN IKENBERRY- "I was really impressed with the composure of our pitchers tonight, especially the young guys. J.J. pitched out of some jams early, and reached his pitch count pretty early. The plan was to go to Phelps next, and he did a great job, going 4.2 innings. He got into trouble in the eighth, but I thought he made some nice pitches. Then Crum came in and did a nice job under pressure, getting out of a bases loaded situation at an SEC park for his first collegiate outing.
"If we catch the baseball, then it's a 3-0 game going to the ninth inning, and you never know what will happen from there. I was real proud of how our guys competed today, to only strike out three times against the arms they threw out there is a testament to our guys composure. For us to come down and play in an SEC environment and take a ballgame into the eighth inning on opening day, that shows where our team is right now, and will definitely help prepare us for when we start league play."
