AUBURN, Ala. (Feb. 22, 2008) - Auburn had two early homeruns as the Tigers defeated ETSU, 6-3, in the season opener on Friday afternoon at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala.

The Bucs (0-1, 0-0) had five hits spread out through nine innings as ETSU left seven runners stranded. Auburn (1-0, 0-0) stranded 11 runners, scoring six runs on ten hits.

"I thought we played well defensively, and we pitched well when we settled down," said head coach Tony Skole. "The difference in the game was that Auburn got the bats rolling early in the game. Offensively we had a poor approach, and we weren't very aggressive."

Game two of the series is set for 4 p.m. tomorrow from Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala. Live stats will be available on the Auburn website.

"I am very excited about tomorrow," Skole said. "Our kids will come out and play hard, and we will be ok. We did some good things today."

Senior pitcher Brandon Langston (Ringgold, Ga.) was the losing pitcher of record giving up five runs on nine in five innings of work while striking out three and walking three.

The Tigers took an early lead on a two-run homerun by Mike Bianucci in the bottom of the first inning. The Bucs would get one of those runs back in the second when junior Chris Rankhorn (Gallatin, Tenn.) would single down the first base line driving in Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.).

Auburn would score two more runs on an RBI single by Brian Fletcher in the second inning and a Kevin Patterson solo homerun in the third inning. The Tigers would increase their lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning scoring a run on a Matt Hall ground ball.

In the sixth, with the bases load junior Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) would drive in Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) to cut the Auburn lead to three. The Bucs would add another in the seventh on a Russell RBI single driving in Ben Allen (Kingsport, Tenn.).

Senior Jimmy Tidwell (Acworth, Ga.) pitched two scoreless innings in relief only walking one batter and had one strikeout.

In the eighth, Auburn would score again on a Fletcher double to left center to make the final 6-3.

Auburn 0, ETSU 0 (Feb. 22, 2008 at Auburn, Ala.)
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ETSU.............010  001  100  -  3  5  0      (0-1, 0-0 A-Sun)
Auburn.......... 211  010  01x  -  6  10  1     (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
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Pitchers: ETSU - Brandon Langston; Jimmy Tidwell (6); Matt McGahey (8); Chas Byrne (8)
AU - Luke Greinke; Michael Hurst (7); Evan Crawford (8); Bryan Woodall (9)
Win- Luke Greinke (1-0) Loss - Brandon Langston (0-1) Save - Bryan Woodall (1)
HR AU - Mike Bianucci (1); Kevin Patterson (1)