By Daniel Schmidt
THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Stuart Mills scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning before recording an RBI and another run in the sixth, leading Auburn High School to a 6-2 home opener win over Headland High School on Feb. 27.
The Tigers (6-1) got back in the win column after narrowly losing to nationally ranked Venice High School (Fla.) on the road six days earlier.
After battling to an early stalemate behind Max Autrey’s arm, a Wilson Foster double and Rams error delivered Lawson Hare home from first base. Shortly after that, a low pitch from HHS allowed Foster to score a run of his own and give AHS a 2-0 lead.
Autrey, who recorded two of his three strikeouts in the third inning, bailed himself out of a bases-loaded scenario in that frame, getting the critical third out with an emphatic pitch.
However, the fourth inning brought two runs for the Rams after a low pitch scored Ashton Trammell from third base and a line-drive single between second and third base from Evan Money brought Davis Bond home from third base.
The AHS Tigers’ coaching staff then perhaps made the decision of the game, bringing in Ryan Donaldson, who gave up just one hit in the final 3.2 innings, to relieve Autery.
With the game tied 2-2, Carter Chambley answered in the fifth with his own line-drive single between second and third base to score Mills from third base. Brady Sack added to AHS’ lead several pitches later with a gorgeous double deep into center field, giving Chambley a run to go with his RBI.
The sixth inning saw Mills bring Britt Farr home from second base with a floated double between second and third base, and Angelo Santiago score Mills from third base with an RBI single into center field.
Facing the opportunity to deliver the Tigers its first home win of the season, Donaldson sealed the deal with three strikeouts in the seventh inning.
AHS batted .379 as a team, including a perfect three-for-three from Mills and three-of-four from Chambley. Donaldson also recorded six total strikeouts.
