Jacob Urish
Sports reporter
The Auburn Doubledays have won nine of their last 10 games thanks to an offense that has been firing on all cylinders.聽
Heading into Tuesday's matchup with the Batavia Muckdogs, the D'days were on a seven-game winning streak and scored double-digit runs in four of them.聽
With Auburn racking up wins over the last week, the team now sits in first place in the聽Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League West Division standings at 11-4-1.聽
The Auburn Doubledays' Jed Stange-Tregear, left, celebrates with Nick Izzo and Josh Thompson after scoring during the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings at Falcon Park June 5.
Offensive outburst聽
The D'days picked up their last five wins by averaging a blistering 12.8 runs per game. Sixteen games into the season, they rank second in the league in batting average (.304), OBP (.438) and stolen bases (52), and are tied for second in walks at 99. They are also third and fourth in runs scored (132) and hits (154).聽
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On June 17, Auburn picked up 12 runs and 12 hits in an eight-run win over the Muckdogs. After trailing by two early on, the team outscored Batavia 12-2 between the fourth and seventh innings. Tyler ViVacqua (Niagara University) led the way with three RBIs, while Tommy Kirwan (Wofford College), Kieran Kehoe (St. Joseph's University) and Jed Stange-Tregear (Youngstown State University)聽each knocked in two runs.聽
Over the team's next four matchups, Colson Thompson (University of West Alabama) paced an offense that plated 52 runs. The Mississippi native collected nine RBIs, four hits, three walks and three runs scored over that span. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Niagara Ironbacks on Sunday, Thompson drove in four runs in the bottom of the third off a grand slam in the 16-2 rout.聽
Auburn's bats will have an opportunity to build on that success at the dish as the team takes on the Geneva Red Wings in three of its next seven games. The Red Wings sit at 1-15 and own the worst team ERA in the PGCBL at 9.98. The D'days scored double-digit runs to come out on top of each of the teams' two matchups so far. In the second one, on Saturday, seven different Auburn batters drove in a run to lead the team to a 12-7 win.
Hurling honor
Auburn's Matt McGeorge (Mercyhurst University) was named聽the West Division鈥檚 Pitcher of the Week following 8.1 scoreless innings pitched over his pair of appearances.
Against the Elmira Pioneers on June 17, he fanned four batters and allowed just one hit in 3.1 innings of relief. In five innings out of the bullpen on Sunday, he allowed just two hits and struck out five in the D'days' doubleheader sweep over Niagara.聽
While McGeorge came away with honors,聽Brennan Hileman (University of Maine) has also delivered some key innings for Auburn.
The right-hander sat down nine batters and surrendered just one earned run on June 17 in a win against Batavia. In the D'days' first game on Sunday, Hileman then struck out five and allowed a pair of earned runs in a four-inning start. Owning聽a 5-0 record on the season, he boasts a 2.63 ERA and a league-high 25 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Upcoming schedule
- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25: vs. Elmira Pioneers at Falcon Park聽
- 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26:聽at Geneva Red Wings at聽McDonough Park
- 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 27: vs. Batavia Muckdogs at Falcon Park
- 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28:聽at Geneva Red Wings at聽McDonough Park
- 4 p.m. Sunday, June 29: at Jamestown Tarp Skunks at聽Diethrick Park (doubleheader)聽
- 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 1:聽at Geneva Red Wings at聽McDonough Park
Gallery: Auburn Doubledays win home opener against Geneva
From left, Auburn Doubledays Nick Izzo, Jed Stange-Tregear, Josh Thompson and Tyler Vivacqua chat around their lockers as rain delays the start of their home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Fans buy tickets for the Auburn Doubledays' home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Georgie Edmunds waits out the rain under the bleachers before the start of the Auburn Doubledays' home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Geneva Red Wings players stop by the concession stand during a rain delay against the Auburn Doubledays in their home opener June 5 at Falcon Park.
The Auburn Doubledays wait out a rain delay in the clubhouse during their home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Carionna Hopkins seeks out autographs from Auburn Doubledays players before the start of their home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Carionna Hopkins seeks out autographs from Auburn Doubledays players before the start of the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
The Auburn Doubledays' Brendan Smith tosses an autographed ball to Carionna Hopkins before the start of the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Auburn Doubledays head coach Matthew Petrossi points out the ground rules during the meeting with the umpires and visiting coach at home plate before the start of the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Auburn Doubledays batboy Hunter Emerson playfully steals one of the players' hats before the start of the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
The Auburn Doubledays' Sam Fleming plays in left field at the start of the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Auburn Doubledays batboy William Dean brings baseballs to the home plate umpire at the start of the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings June 5 at Falcon Park.
Auburn Doubleday and former Maroon Owen Birchard starts on the mound during the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings at Falcon Park June 5.
The Auburn Doubledays' Jed Stange-Tregear scores a run during the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings at Falcon Park June 5.
The Auburn Doubledays' Jed Stange-Tregear, left, celebrates with Nick Izzo and Josh Thompson after scoring during the home opener against the Geneva Red Wings at Falcon Park June 5.
The Auburn Doubledays play the Geneva Red Wings in their home opener June 5 at Falcon Park.
Sports reporter Jacob Urish can be reached at jacob.urish@lee.net or (315) 282-2288.
Jacob Urish
Sports reporter
