Auburn beats Youngstown State on walk-off wild pitch

The fifth-ranked Auburn Tigers needed to go extra innings on Saturday afternoon to remain unbeaten, getting it done in an unlikely fashion in a 2-1, 10-inning victory against Youngstown State in the middle game of the season-opening series at Plainsman Park.

The Tigers (2-0) tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth via a sacrifice fly from Bristol Carter before pushing ahead for good in the 10^th. Chase Fralick reached on a one-out fielder’s choice grounder, advanced to second when Cade Belyeu drew an intentional walk and made it to third on Caiden Combs’ two-out fielder’s choice grounder.

Fralick then scored when Youngstown State reliever Aidan English uncorked a wild pitch behind pinch-hitter Lucas Steele that went all the way to the backstop – capping the rally without the ball not once leaving the infield in the bottom of the 10^th.

Youngstown State, which dropped Game 1 on Friday night by the same 2-1 margin, scored the game’s only other run in the fifth via a Garrett Cutting RBI double off Auburn starter Jackson Sanders.

Fralick, Bub Terrell and Eric Guevara each had two of Auburn’s nine hits against Youngstown State, and Belyeu added a double. Cutting finished with two of Youngstown State’s five hits in the loss. The two teams combined to strike out 21 times in the game.

David Wasson

An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.