March 22, 2008
Auburn, Ala. -
Joseph Sanders and Hunter Morris combined to drive in all seven Auburn runs and Cory Luckie went 8.0 innings to pick up his first Southeastern Conference victory as Auburn clinched its series against No. 2 Kentucky with a 7-5 comeback win on Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park.
"The team played great behind me today. We had a couple of missteps (defensively) but the offense is really coming around. It makes it fun to pitch behind an offense like ours," Luckie said.
Working with a 1-0 lead after a Morris sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, Luckie (3-2) settled in for the next three innings before getting touched for four runs in the top of the fifth.
Auburn (14-8, 2-3 SEC) answered with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning as Sanders (2-for-4) laced a bases-loaded double down the line in right that scored three to make it a 4-4 game after five.
Luckie came back out and sat Kentucky (19-2, 3-2 SEC) down in order in the top of the sixth before Auburn put three more on the board in the bottom half of the frame off of Kentucky reliever Andrew Albers (4-1). Morris (1-for-1, 2 BB, R, 3 RBI) started the rally with a two-out, two-RBI single to right and Sanders followed with an RBI single of his own.
After allowing hits to the first two men in the bottom of the seventh, Luckie settled down and retired the next six hitters in order before giving way to Bryan Woodall for the ninth.
Woodall, pitching for the second time in the series, faced four batters to nail down his sixth save of the season and second of the series.
Justin Hargett (0-for2, 3 BB) and Mike Bianucci (2-for-3, BB) each scored two runs for Auburn.
Morris' sixth-inning single extended his hitting streak nine games.
Luckie bounced back from his last outing by scattering seven hits and two walks while striking out five.
Auburn will go for its first SEC series sweep since the 2003 season on Sunday when it sends Jr. RHP Luke Greinke (2-1) to the mound. Kentucky will counter with Sr. RHP Greg Dombrowski (4-0).