KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Christian Chatterton and Cade Fisher combined to hold No. 7 Tennessee to one run on four hits as No. 5 Auburn won the seven-inning finale, 8-1, to claim the series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Auburn (33-15, 13-11 SEC) fell in extra innings in the resumption of game two earlier in the day but bounced back to win their sixth SEC series this season, including the second on the road. The Tigers have won eight of their last 10 conference series dating back to last season and are the only team in the league to accomplish the feat.
“We competed like we won all three, if I can keep them away from the result,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “What we’ve been through, it just seems like every challenge that can come our way, we’ve had it and have always just said ‘good’. If we just continue to keep our head down we can gain something from two really well played games.”
After Chatterton turned in 3.0 scoreless innings in his second start of the week, Fisher made his first relief appearance of the season and recorded the final 12 outs of the game to earn his first save.
“I had a feeling I’d go in this game,” Fisher said. “My approach was pretty simple, just try to throw everything as hard as I could in the strike zone. I had been struggling this year with that, but this game I just felt free and that I could throw the ball wherever I wanted to.”
Offensively, the Tigers used big innings with a four-run third and three-run fifth to cruise to the series-clinching win. Four players in the lineup collected multiple hits, while Lucas Steele drove in a game-high three runs.
“It’s huge,” Steele said of the production up and down the lineup. “A lineup is put together for a specific purpose. We’re doing a great job working as a team and getting guys on so other guys can knock them in. We’re doing a great job.”
Chatterton (4-1), who turned in 6.0 scoreless innings against Samford Tuesday, faced one batter over the minimum in his 3.0 innings of work and has now not allowed an earned run in his last 20.1 innings pitched. The freshman worked a clean first inning before a leadoff single in the second was erased on a lineout double play.
Auburn went to work offensively in the third with two runs on four straight singles to start the inning. Chase Fralick scored on a wild pitch, and Cade Belyeu singled back up the middle to score Eric Snow. Ike Irish hit a RBI fielder’s choice to score Chris Rembert, and Steele followed Cooper McMurray’s double with a sacrifice fly to left field to cap off the four-run frame.
Chatterton retired Tennessee in order with a pair of strikeouts in the third and turned in over to Fisher, making his first relief appearance of the season in the fourth. Fisher struck out designated hitter Levi Clark looking to strand a pair of runners in scoring position and maintain a 4-0 lead.
The Tigers added three more runs on three hits and three walks. Steele and Eric Guevara drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks with one out, and Fralick came through with a two-out single to right field to extend the lead to seven.
Tennessee (37-11, 14-10 SEC) got on the scoreboard with a solo home run with one out in the fifth. After entering the weekend with 100 home runs on the season, it marked just the team’s second solo home run of the series.
Auburn answered Tennessee’s run with a RBI single from Steele in the seventh, marking his third RBI of the game to cap off the scoring in the contest.
Fisher shook off the solo shot in the fifth and retired seven of the last nine batters he faced. The game ended with Rembert snagging a softly-hit lineout at second and firing to first to double off the baserunner.
GAME TWO
Earlier in the day, game two was resumed from Saturday with the score tied, 4-4, in the top of the 10th inning.
Auburn’s defense made two potential game-saving plays in the bottom of the 10th. Bub Terrell threw out a runner trying to go from first to third on a single to left for the first out, and Snow made a diving stab and throw from third base to end the inning with a runner stranded in scoring position.
Bristol Carter hit a two-out double in the top of the 11th, and Tennessee intentionally walked Rembert. Carter stole third and attempted to steal home on a 2-2 count but was out at the plate to end the inning.
The Volunteers started the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice bunt moved them both into scoring position. Auburn intentionally walked Levi Clark to load the bases, and pinch-hitter Chris Newsome hit a walk-off single past a drawn in infield to win the game and even the series.
The Tigers return home for final exams next week before hosting South Carolina (26-22, 5-18 SEC) in the final home weekend of the regular season.