March 15, 2009
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -
Game 1 Story
Auburn had its 11-game winning streak snapped in the second game of a SEC doubleheader on Sunday, falling 7-1 at Tennessee after winning the first game of the day, 8-5, to clinch the series victory. The Tigers were held to just three hits in game two after pounding out 11 in the first, including four home runs.
"When you look at the grand scheme of things, going on the road to open the SEC season and winning the first two games, I told the kids there are a lot of positive things to take from this weekend," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "Winning two out of three gets us off to a good start but the second game (on Sunday) leaves a bad taste in your mouth."
Tennessee (8-8, 1-2 SEC) took its first lead of the series with a five-run bottom of the third off of Auburn starter Paul Burnside, collecting a walk, three singles, a double and a home run in the inning. With Tennessee already up 3-0 on RBI hits by Josh Liles and Kentrail Davis and a RBI groundout by Cody Hawn, Blake Forsythe took a 1-1 pitch from Burnside back out over the wall in right for a two-run shot to go up 5-0.
Auburn (13-5, 2-1) got a run back in the fourth as Joseph Sanders narrowly missed a home run to left-center, banging the ball just below the yellow line to lead off the inning. A one-out walk to Hunter Morris put runners on first and second for Brian Fletcher, who moved both runners up with a groundout to second. A balk by Tennessee starter Stephen McCray scored Sanders from third but Auburn was unable to capitalize after that, stranding Morris at third.
Burnside (0-1) was lifted in the fourth with one on and one out and Auburn down, 5-1, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk, suffering his first loss of the season.
"Burny missed a couple spots with his fastball and they jumped on a couple and unfortunately we just didn't have much going offensively there," Pawlowski said.
Auburn threatened to get back into the game in the top of the sixth, putting its first two runners on in the top and knocking McCray out of the game, but reliever Bryan Morgado fanned Ben Jones looking and Morris and Brian Fletcher swinging to end the inning.
McCray went five innings, allowing just the one run on three hits and two walks, striking out three to pick up his third win of the season.
"He threw his fastball for a strike and he had pretty good velocity," Pawlowski said of McCray. "We had some chances in the first and then again in the sixth but we couldn't find a way to manufacture runs and I think that was the difference in the second game."
Tennessee tacked on an extra insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Tyler Horne led off the inning with his second home run of the season.
Mummey's first-inning double extended his hitting streak to 17 games after the sophomore outfielder went 2-for-4 in the first game of the doubleheader.
Jon Luke Jacobs (2-0) was the winner in the first game, tossing five innings and allowing three runs, as Auburn used four home runs to grab an 8-5 win and its first SEC-opening series victory since the 2003 season and its' first road SEC-opening series since 1997.
Auburn failed to hit a home run in the second game, snapping its streak of nine straight games with at least one homer. Auburn has homered in all but two games this year and has 39 on the season, which ranks in a three-way tie for 21st in Auburn history with the 1989 and 1993 teams.
Auburn returns to Plainsman Park for its next five games, starting with a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday against Charleston Southern. Game time for both games is 6 PM CT.
Tennessee 7, Auburn 1 (Mar 15, 2009 at Knoxville, Tenn.) (Game 2)
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Auburn.............. 000 100 0 - 1 3 0 (13-5, 2-1 SEC)
Tennessee........... 005 101 X - 7 11 0 (8-8, 1-2 SEC)
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Win-Stephen McCray(3-0) Loss-Paul Burnside(0-1) T-1:54 A-1318
HR UT - Blake Forsythe (9); Tyler Horne (2).
