By By By Mark Etheridge staff writer
April 28, 2002
TUSCALOOSA When Alabama and Auburn get together, no lead is safe. The Tigers jumped out early but could not hang on as Brent Boyd hit a two-run walk-off home run to propel Alabama to a dramatic 6-5 win Saturday over Auburn.
Boyd, who also had a two-run homer in Friday's comeback win, blasted a 0-1 Cory Dueitt pitch over the wall in leftfield setting off a stadium celebration complete with curtain calls.
For the second straight day Auburn (27-17 overall 9-11 SEC) jumped out
on the scoreboard first. The Tigers collected four runs off Tide starter Jeffrey Norris in the third. Trent Pratt singled and took third when Scott Schade doubled.
Tug Hulett executed a beautiful squeeze play and beat out the play for a single. Chuck Jeroloman singled to center scoring Schade. After a passed ball advanced the runners, Jonathan Schuerholz plated Hulett on a ground out. Sean Gamble followed with an RBI single scoring Jeroloman.
The Tide (37-7 overall 15-5 SEC) got on the board in the third as the
lineup faced Tiger starter Colby Paxton for the second time in the game. Scott McClanahan singled back through the box. Adam Pavkovich extended his hitting streak to ten games with a single. McClanahan scored on a single to right by Peter Stonard. Jeremy Brown walked loading the bases for Boyd who had doubled his first time up.
Boyd hit an apparent double-play grounder to short. The out was recorded at second but the throw sailed wide to first. The second base umpire called the runner Brown out for interference taking the Tide run off the scoreboard and ending the inning to the dismay of a raucous home crowd.
The Tigers chased the starter Norris in the fifth with a pair of hits
and an error. Reliever Jared Woodward retired a batter before walking
Pratt forcing in a run. Normal closer Brian Reed entered the game early
the fifth inning and got a pair of outs to strand the bases loaded.
him in not knowing how Sanders is going to do tomorrow. We felt like he
could keep it close."
Reed appeared unfazed with his situation entering the game with the
bases full.
throw strikes. If you can get a groundball you might get a double play.
I just happened to get a strikeout and a groundball."
Bama scratched a pair of runs across in the sixth with a two-out rally.
Beau Hearod beat out a possible double play to keep the inning alive.
Chad White and Carlos Sosa followed with a seeing-eye singles. Hearod
scored on Sosa's two-out hit. Travis Garner then laced a double past the
bag at third for his second double of the game scoring White. Auburn
reliever Cory Dueitt walked McClanahan to load the bases. Pavkovich and
Dueitt battled for thirteen pitches before the batter lined sharply to
first to end the inning.
In the eighth, White led off with a single. Sosa walked. Both runners
advanced to scoring position with a sac bunt from Garner. White scored
on a groundout by McClanahan. Pavkovich grounded out to close the inning
with Auburn clinging to a one-run lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Stonard got it started with a slicing double
to left. Dueitt regrouped to fan Brown setting the stage for Boyd's
game-ending dinger.
The teams conclude the series at 2 p.m. Sunday. Shane Sanders (5-1, 3.63
ERA) will take the mound for Alabama while LeVale Speigner (7-4, 3.67
ERA) will go for Auburn.