Johnson Pitches Dogs To 4-1 Win Over No. 16 Auburn
April 08, 2005 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Senior right-hander Alan Johnson held Auburn to asingle run during a season-longest eight-inning pitching performanceFriday night as No. 24 Mississippi State (19-7, 5-4 SEC) posted a 4-1win over No. 16 Auburn (21-12, 5-5 SEC) in the opening game of their SECweekend baseball series at Dudy Noble Field. A season-largest SuperBulldog Weekend crowd of 4,582 watched the action.
Johnson (2-3) scattered six hits, struck out six, walked one andallowed just one run, a lead-off home run in the fourth inning by KarlAmonite, to earn his first win since MSU's Feb. 25 season-opener withEastern Illinois.
"A.J. did what you had to do against a fine Auburn ball club," saidBulldog skipper Ron Polk. "He got some strikeouts and some big groundballs."
The Bulldogs broke scoring ice in the second inning, gettinginning-opening singles from Brad Jones and Ed Easley of AU starterArnold Hughey (3-3). Jones later came home on Brian LaNinfa's infieldgroundout.
Auburn knotted the score at 1-1 when Amonite opened the fourth inningwith a solo blast to right, his sixth home run of the year.
State got to Hughey for a pair of runs in the sixth. Thomas Berkeryopened the inning with a double, Brad Corley drew a walk, and therunners advanced on Joseph Hunter's successful sacrifice bunt. Jonesplated the go-ahead run with an infield groundout and Corley raced homewhen Josh Donaldson threw high to first base trying to retired EdEasley.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh. Bunky Kateon openedwith a double to right-center field, Jeff Butts walked and Jeffrey Reaadvanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, ending Hughey's stay inthe game. Berkery then greeted relief pitcher John Madden with a driveto right field that scored Kateon from third. Hughey was charged withall four runs, three earned, on seven hits, three walks and threestrikeouts.
Brett Cleveland came on to finish the game for MSU, giving up a pair ofsingles before retiring pinch-hitter Joey Huskins on a grounder tosecond to earn his first save of the campaign.
Easley paced MSU at the plate with a pair of singles, while Bell andDonaldson singled twice each for the Tigers.
The Bulldogs and the Tigers continue their Super Bulldog Weekend seriesSaturday with a 3:06 p.m. game that will be televised regionally on FOXSports Net South. State senior righty Todd Doolittle (3-2, 3.34) will bematched with Auburn junior right-hander Josh Sullivan (5-2, 3.04).
