April 13, 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Auburn baseball team left 11 runners on base, finishing the game 4-for-19 with runners on base, as it fell, 5-4, at Vanderbilt on Friday night. The loss dropped Auburn's record to 18-15, 6-7 SEC while Vanderbilt improved to 15-19, 5-8 SEC.
"It was one of those games where we had some opportunities to score and we have to come up with some big hits. We just haven't been able to do that," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "Vanderbilt did a good job of manufacturing some runs. They got some key base hits to score three runs in one inning (the sixth). Sooner or later when those opportunities come (for us) we have to strike."
Auburn finished the game with 11 hits but could not knock in some early runs, as it stranded at least one runner on in each of the first six innings, including the bases loaded in the fifth. As a team Auburn was just 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Vanderbilt was not much better, finishing just 4-for-16 with runners on base but it was 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven runners on after collecting eight hits.
Derek Varnadore (1-5) was roughed up for all five of Vanderbilt's runs, with three of them coming in the sixth inning when Auburn fell behind, 4-2.
Auburn found itself down a run, 1-0, in the fourth after Spencer Navin doubled and scored on a Jack Lupo RBI single. The team responded with a two-run fifth, however, to take a 2-1 lead as Ryan Tella and Justin Bryant each delivered RBI singles.
Vanderbilt jumped back on top, 4-2, with its three-run sixth as Navin drove in two with a single and scored on a Lupo RBI single. Combined Navin and Lupo finished the game 4-for-7 with three RBIs.
After Vanderbilt padded its lead on a Mike Yastrzemski RBI single in the seventh, Auburn scored two on a Dan Glevenyak two-out, two-run double.
Will Clinard (4-1) earned the win out of the Vanderbilt bullpen, entering with two down in the fifth for starter TJ Pecoraro, who was making his first start of the season after undergoing surgery after last season. Pecoraro held Auburn to two runs on five hits and a walk while Clinard surrendered two runs on five hits and four walks. Both pitchers struck out three.
Brian Miller got the final four outs to earn his third save of the season.
Auburn will attempt to even the series on Saturday at 2pm. Jon Luke Jacobs will get the starting nod on the mound for Auburn while Vanderbilt will counter with Tyler Beede.
Vanderbilt 5, Auburn 4 (Apr 13, 2012 at Nashville, TN)
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Auburn.............. 000 020 020 - 4 11 0 (18-15, 6-7 SEC)
Vanderbilt.......... 000 103 10X - 5 8 2 (15-19, 5-8 SEC)
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Win-Will Clinard(4-1) Save-Brian Miller(3) Loss-Derek Varnadore(1-5) T-2:47 A-3148
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