Auburn Hands Clemson Season-Opening 8-1 Loss

Feb. 22, 2003

Auburn, AL – Auburn pitchers allowed just two hits in downing Clemson 8-1 in the first game of a doubleheader at Plainsmark Park in Auburn, AL. Auburn improved to 7-2, while Clemson lost its season opener. It was just the second Auburn win in the last 14 meetings between the two.

Lefty starter Arnold Hughey pitched masterfully, allowing just one run on two hits in 6.0 innings to run his record to 2-0. Cory Dueitt pitched the final 3.0 innings without allowing a hit to pick up his first save of the year. Jeff Hahn (0-1), who was making his first career start, suffered the loss.

Auburn jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Hahn, who was cruising along, gave up three consecutive hits. Then, Clete Thomas scored on a two-out wild pitch. Karl Amonite followed with an infield single to second base, plating Sean Gamble.

Clemson responded with a run in the fourth inning. Brad McCann slapped Clemson’s first base hit. Johnson reached second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on Collin Mahoney’s bloop single to left field. But after Mahoney’s hit, Hughey and Dueitt combined to retire the next 11 batters.

Auburn added five insurance runs in the sixth inning. After singles by Josh Bell and Tug Hulett, Scott Schade lined a triple off reliever Jeff Hourigan that left fielder Roberto Valiente misjudged and went to the gap, plating two runs. Three batters later with the bases loaded, Gamble hit a swinging bunt down the third-base line. Pitcher Robert Rohrbaugh attempted to throw home, but the tough play was not handled by Mahoney. Two batters later, Karl Amonite singled through the right side, plating two more runs to give Auburn a 7-1 lead.

In the eighth inning, Auburn added another run. Gamble was hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning, stole second, then came home on Javon Moran’s single up the middle.

The two teams will start the second game of the doubleheader at approximately 4:15 EST.