May 8, 2011
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn scored eight times in the first inning and took a six-run lead into the ninth but Georgia answered with nine runs on five walks, a hit batter, a single and a pair of home runs to stun the Auburn baseball team, 14-11, on Sunday afternoon at Plainsman Park. The loss dropped Auburn's record to 25-22, 11-13 SEC while Georgia improved to 25-23, 14-10 SEC.
With the other results of the weekend and its own series win this weekend, Auburn finds itself a game behind Arkansas and Alabama (both 12-12 SEC) in the race for the SEC Western Division title with two conference series remaining, including a home series against Alabama this weekend.
"There were two totally different ballgames," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "You have the front end where we did a lot of positive things and then you flip the game around and in the last inning they certainly did some great things offensively too."
Entering the ninth up 11-5 with closer Dillon Ortman on the mound for his second inning of work, Georgia used two free passes and Chase Davidson's (2-for-2, 5 RBI) second home run of the game to close the gap to 11-8, forcing Auburn to make the first of two calls to the bullpen in the inning.
Ethan Wallen (4-4) came in and faced four hitters, allowing a single, two walks and a hit batter, leaving with Auburn up two, 11-9, one out, and the bases loaded for Sean Ray.
Ray walked in a run but then got the second out of the inning when he struck out pinch hitter Lance Martin, brining Kyle Farmer to the plate. Farmer wasted little time in turning the game around, sending Ray's second offering over the wall in left, the second grand slam allowed by Auburn this season.
"They had three hits (in the ninth) and they made those three hits count," Ray said. "We have to make pitches. There is no excuse. Our offense put up 11 runs. Credit (Georgia). They scored nine runs that inning after we scored eight in the first and that's hard to do no matter what happens."
"I know the team is frustrated with the loss but we have to put it behind us quickly as we play again on Tuesdsay," Pawlowski said.
Lost in the loss was Casey McElroy's 4-for-5 day at the plate in which he doubled and drove in two runs, Kevin Patterson's 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs afternoon and Creede Simpson's (1-for-5) second home run of the season, a three-run shot during Auburn's eight-run first.
Tyler Maloof (2-1) picked up the win for Georgia, throwing the final 1 2/3 innings.
Auburn hits the road for a 6pm game at Samford on Tuesday before playing host to Alabama State at 6pm on Wednesday. Wednesday's game is fan appreciation night and there is no charge to come to the game.
Georgia 14, Auburn 11 (May 08, 2011 at Auburn, AL)
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Georgia............. 000 103 019 - 14 9 0 (25-23, 14-10 SEC)
Auburn.............. 800 010 110 - 11 15 1 (25-22, 11-13 SEC)
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Win-Tyler Maloof(2-1) Loss-Ethan Wallen(4-4) T-3:35 A-3080
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