Joseph Gonzalez, Auburn bullpen stymie No. 12 Texas Tech

Auburn baseball picks up their first win of the season.

Photo credit: Mario Terrana

ARLINGTON, Texas – Five Auburn pitchers combined to hold No. 12 Texas Tech to one run on three hits as the Tigers defeated the Red Raiders, 2-1, Saturday afternoon at Globe Life Field.

“Our pitchers did an amazing job,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “We still have some things left out here offensively, but to be able to win a close game is huge for this ballclub.”

Joseph Gonzalez (1-0, 0.00) earned the win after holding the Red Raiders scoreless for five innings, ultimately recording five strikeouts and giving up just two hits.

After Gonzalez retired six of the first seven batters he faced, three being via strikeout, Cole Foster’s RBI single drove in Bryson Ware from second base to give the Tigers an early advantage.

“I knew he threw hard and had good stuff,” Foster said of Texas Tech starter Brandon Birdsell. “With guys like that I just try to stay simple. Once I got to 2-0 I knew a fastball was coming, and I just told myself stay simple. Short and sweet.”

Ware drew a two-out walk to start the opportunity and stole second base to get into scoring position.

After plating the first run of the contest, the junior outfielder made the key defensive play of the game, throwing out the would-be tying at the plate to end the top of the third.

Auburn doubled its advantage in the bottom of the fourth as Sonny DiChiara drew a leadoff walk and ultimately crossed home play on a sacrifice fly with two strikes from Kason Howell.

Leading 2-0 in the sixth, Garret Wade relieved Gonzalez to start the frame and John Armstrong came in for the second time in as many days to end it. However, Texas Tech was able to manufacture a run to cut Auburn’s lead in half.

“We gave up a run, but we didn’t give it up,” Thompson added. “We faced an elite program that’s been consistent for a long time. When you do that, you know they’re not going to give it away. What we did bank mentally is we can play at a high level.”

Carson Skipper turned in an efficient seventh inning and Blake Burkhalter retired all six batters he faced in just 16 pitches to earn his first career save.

“You just have to learn the breathe,” Burkhalter said of how to handle late-inning situations. “There’s a lot of people here. Your heart can start racing a little fast, bust you just have to breathe and soak it all in.”

“I came in, and I knew what I was going to,” Burkhalter added. “I knew what I was trying to accomplish, get ahead in the count.”

Following Gonzalez’s start, Auburn’s four relievers held Texas Tech hitless in the final four frames while the defense turned in its second clean sheet en route to the win.

The Tigers (1-1) wrap up the weekend at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown with a matchup against Kansas State (0-2) set for 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

This was a release from Auburn Athletics.