May 19, 2011
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Auburn offense could muster just two runs on six hits off of the Tennessee pitching staff, falling at Tennessee, 5-2, on Thursday night in the first game of the final regular season series. The loss drops Auburn's record to 28-26, 13-15 SEC while Tennessee improves to 24-28, 6-22 SEC.
Tennessee jumped out on Auburn starter Jon Luke Jacobs (1-4) for three runs in the first, taking advantage of three walks and two of the team's 13 hits on the night. The big blow was Drew Steckenrider's (1-for-4, 2 RBI) two-run double that scored a pair of runners that both reached on a walk.
"We didn't have a good first inning and we got behind a little bit but Jon Luke did a good job and gave us a chance to win. He kept the game close but we just couldn't get anything going offensively for a little while," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "Give their pitcher (Steven Gruver) some credit I thought he did a good job."
Auburn cut the deficit to a run, 3-2, with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings as Creede Simpson (0-for-2, RBI) and Wes Gilmer (1-for-2, RBI) each delivered sacrifice flies.
Tennessee regained its three-run advantage in the seventh when Davis Morgan (2-for-3, 3 RBI) hit a two-out, two-run single off of Ethan Wallen.
Gruver (5-7) handcuffed the Auburn offense for 7 1/3 innings, scattering five hits and three walks while striking out seven and stranding five Auburn base runners.
Auburn threatened in the ninth, loading the bases on a double from pinch hitter Cullen Wacker and back-to-back one-out walks to pinch hitter Zach Alvord and Justin Fradejas before Nick Williams got a strike out of Dan Gamache (0-for-4) and a flyout to the warning track out of Casey McElroy (2-for-5) to end the game and pick up his fourth save.
"Casey hit that ball in the gap and they ran it down. There is nothing we could do. Our kids battled back. They have battled from adversity and had some tough scenarios placed on them all year. We will come back and try to win a ballgame tomorrow," Pawlowski said.
Tony Caldwell, who prior to the game was named one of the 13 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's top collegiate catcher, established the new school record for runners thrown out trying to steal as he nailed Matt Duffy trying to steal third, the 58th man Caldwell has thrown out in his career, passing former All-American Casey Dunn.
Auburn will try to even the series on Friday at 5pm CT when it sends Jr. RHP Derek Varnadore (5-2, 3.60) to the mound opposite Sr. RHP Nick Blount (1-4, 5.52).
Tennessee 5, Auburn 2 (May 19, 2011 at Knoxville, TN)
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Auburn.............. 000 011 000 - 2 6 0 (28-26, 13-15 SEC)
Tennessee........... 300 000 20X - 5 13 1 (24-28, 6-22 SEC)
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Win-Steven Gruver(5-7) Save-Nick Williams(4) Loss-Jon Luke Jacobs(1-4) T-2:41 A-1372
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