The Spring Hill College baseball team dropped a non-conference game versus the No. 23 ranked Auburn University Montgomery (AUM) Senators by a 9-6 score on Tuesday evening at Stan Galle Field.

AUM exploded to a 5-run lead in the first inning off SHC starter Tony Mattera (0-1) ripping out four hits with the final blow coming off a 2-RBI single to left-center by shortstop Branden Kelley.

A solo homer to left by AUM catcher Michael Dugan in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth staked the Senators to a 7-0 lead, but the Badgers answered with a 4-run fifth inning off AUM reliever Aaron Elmore.  Left fielder Andy McCall provided the biggest hit of the frame by crushing a 2-run triple to right-center. 

Spring Hill continued to roll in the sixth and cut the Senator advantage to 8-6 when centerfielder Justin Harrison picked up an RBI off a ground out to second base followed an Elmore wild pitch that plated left fielder Ryan Hall from third base.

AUM would tack an insurance run in the seventh innings and Kyle Mitchell would come in to finish off the game and pick up the save for the Senators.

Hall and designated hitter Kendell Carvin both had 3-for-5 performances for SHC.  First baseman Brad Holstein added two hits as the Badgers pounded out 13 hits on the night.

Spring Hill used four pitchers in the game surrendering eight earned runs off 13 hits with five walks and two strikeouts.

For AUM, Jeffrey Van Fossen took the win allowing no earned runs with a walk and seven strikeouts.  Kelley was 3-for-5 with two RBI as Todd Cherry and Tanner Williams both had two hits for the Senators.

Spring Hill (5-2, 5-1 GCAC) will step back into conference play this weekend when they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face No. 14 ranked William Carey (4-2, 4-2 GCAC) in a 3-game set beginning with a single game on Friday at 6 p.m.