Auburn began their playoff run Sunday with game one, on the road, in Oneonta. Games two and three are back in Auburn Monday and Tuesday. This was a close game, read on to see what happened.
The first hitter of the game, Ben Zeskind, walked and was immediately picked off first, to start a 1-2-3 inning. Brett Cecil started for Auburn and dodged several bullets. In the first Cecil walked the second hitter but the next batter lined into a double play. In the second inning Cecil walked two hitters and with two out JP Arencibia allowed a passed ball putting runners on second and third but Cecil struck out the batter. In the third Cecil allowed a lead-off double but Arencibia picked the runner off second. In the fourth inning Auburn got their first hit, Darin Mastroianni doubled with two out, but he was left stranded when Manny Rodriguez struck out. The lead-off hitter for Oneonta in the fourth tripled but Cecil induced a ground ball to third, a strikeout and another ground ball to third to escape. Cecil pitched a 1-2-3 fifth and he was done for the night with several high stress innings under his belt.
Through six innings Auburn had sent one batter over the minimum to the plate, Mastroianni's double. Cody Crowell relieved Cecil and gave up a lead-off single. Crowell got a force out at second but then another single put runners at first and third with one out. Crowell got an infield pop-out and a line-out to escape. Auburn had another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. Crowell walked the lead-off hitter in the seventh, normally a recipe for disaster, but he left the runner right there on first.
Both teams went 1-2-3 in the eighth. Oneonta's starting pitcher, Jonathan Kibler, went eight innings of one hit, one walk pitching. Kibler was a thirtieth round selection in the 2007 draft. Detroit originally sent Kibler to the GCL where he made five starts with a 2.43 ERA. After being promoted to the NY Penn League Kibler made two starts with a 2.38 ERA. Kibler is a 6'5" lefty.
Auburn immediately did better against the relief pitcher, Victor Santana doubled to start the ninth. However Luis Sanchez was unable to bunt over the runner, the Oneonta catcher was able to throw Santana out at third. Ben Zeskind popped out for out number two, then Adam Calderone singled to right and Sanchez moved to third but Darin Mastroianni struck out to end the inning.
Michael Barbara replaced Crowell who had pitched three shutout innings and like Crowell he allowed a lead-off single. But the next hitter lined to shortstop to start a double play and the third hitter struck out and we were headed to extra innings.
Manny Rodriguez doubled to start the tenth, Brad Emaus was able to bunt the pinch-runner Steve Condotta to third. Arencibia had a chance to get the go-ahead run home but he struck-out swinging, followed by CJ Ebarb popping-out to the shortstop. Barbara got two quick outs in the bottom of the tenth but Leance Soto, who had just come into the game to replace Condotta, threw a ground ball down the line and the batter went all the way to third. The next hitter bunted and Barbara held the ball for a single. The runner took second on defensive indifference to put runners on second and third but Barbara bore down to strikeout the hitter.
Santana grounded out to start the eleventh but Sanchez walked. Zeskind popped up and Adam Calderone walked, two runners on and two out. The Oneonta manager went to the bullpen and Mastroianni grounded into a force out. Barbara gave up singles to the first two hitters in the bottom of the eleventh putting runners on first and third. Auburn elected to intentionally walk the next hitter to load the bases and set up the force out at home. Nathan Melek was called in from the bullpen to replace Barbara, Oneonta responded with a pinch hitter. Auburn's high-wire act ended when the hitter singled on a ground ball to left field to plate the winning run.
Auburn 0 Oneonta 1 - 11 innings.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20070909221014833