April 11, 2008
AUBURN, Ala. -
A squib base-hit by South Carolina's Reese Havens on a hit-and-run play with one out in the ninth put runners on first and third and Whit Merrifield's fielder's choice drove in the game-winning run as Auburn dropped its series opener with No. 10 South Carolina, 7-6, on Friday night at Plainsman Park.
Trailing 6-3 after the top of the sixth Auburn (22-13, 6-7 SEC) gradually chipped away at South Carolina's (23-10, 7-6 SEC) lead, scoring single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to tie the game at 6-6 heading to the final frame.
In the sixth, it was a Justin Hargett (3-for-4, RBI) single to left that scored Brian Fletcher (1-for-5, 2 R, RBI), who had reached on an error, that cut the deficit to two, 6-4.
Hunter Morris (2-for-5, 2 RBI) drove in his second run of the night in the seventh with a single that scored Matt Hall (1-for-4, BB, 2 R), who had walked to lead off the inning, to bring Auburn within a run, 6-5.
Auburn then tied the game at 6-6 on Trent Mummey's (2-for-5, R, RBI) RBI single to right that scored pinch hitter Ben Jones, who walked to lead off the inning.
But in the ninth, it was a slow roller off of reliever Michael Hurst (2-2) that foiled Auburn's comeback as the only man that Auburn walked on the night came around to score.
"It was a well-played game," Auburn Head Coach Tom Slater said. "They were hitting-and-running and Havens cues the ball off the end of the bat and it keeps running away from Matt (Hall) and makes it to the outfield. Those are the breaks of the game sometimes. Both teams played well."
Auburn found itself down 3-0 after two as Justin Smoak hit a solo homer off the scoreboard in left and Andrew Crisp hit a two-run shot over the wall in left.
Auburn responded in the bottom of the second when Fletcher hit one to the top of the scoreboard in left-center for his third home run of the year to slice the lead to 3-1.
South Carolina added a run back in the third on a Smoak RBI single only to have Auburn answer with two in the bottom half of the frame as Mike Bianucci (1-for-2, BB, RBI) lifted a sacrifice fly to score Mummey and Morris scored Hall with his eighth double of the season.
South Carolina scored two critical runs in the sixth, including an unearned run, on a wild pitch and a Harvey Lail RBI single to extend its lead to 6-3 at the time.
Auburn would get the tying run in scoring position in the ninth but South Carolina turned a game-ending double-play to take the first game of the three-game series.
Brandon Todd (2-1) earned the win, throwing the final two innings for South Carolina.
Neither starter factored into the decision, though Auburn's Grant Dayton did go a career-long 7.1 innings, striking out four without issuing a walk. South Carolina's Mike Cisco lasted 5.2 innings, surrendering four runs on nine hits and a walk.
"They are real good hitters and I left two balls over the plate and they knocked them out of the park," Dayton said. "I was glad I was able to make it to the eighth and I wish I could have made it further. That is a tough loss. We fought real hard, but we just couldn't pull it through."
The two teams will play game two of the series on Saturday at 3pm. Auburn will throw Fr. LHP Cory Luckie (4-3, 3.31) while South Carolina will send Jr. LHP Will Atwood (3-1, 3.71) to the hill. Auburn will honor the 1958 SEC Championship team prior to the game and both the Saturday and Sunday contests will air locally on 97.7 FM and Sirius Radio channel 140.