April 20, 2012
AUBURN, Ala. - No. 6 South Carolina jumped out to a four-run lead after the top of the first and never looked back, downing Auburn, 12-5, on Friday night in the first game of a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Plainsman Park. The loss dropped Auburn's record to 21-17, 7-9 SEC while South Carolina is 28-11, 9-7 SEC.
"We didn't get out of the gates," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "They only had two more hits than us (13 to 11) but they put four runs on the board in the first; we had bases loaded and I thought we could scratch one across but they made a nice play and doubled us up. That was the rest of the story for the night."
South Carolina used four singles and a walk to jump on top 4-0 on Auburn starter Derek Varnadore (1-6) in the first inning and then put three more runs on his line in the fourth with two singles, a walk and two hit batters, ending his night after three-plus innings and seven runs on six hits and three walks.
South Carolina starter Michael Roth (4-0) allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings on eight hits. Auburn's four runs came on a Cullen Wacker two-run triple in the fifth and Garrett Cooper's two-run home run into the visitor's bullpen in right in the seventh, the final hitter of the night for Roth.
Cooper finished the night 3-for-3, extending his streak of three-hit games to three straight while Wacker was 1-for-3, extending his hitting streak to eight, which ties his career-high.
South Carolina was led by Grayson Greiner and Connor Bright, who each had three hits.
Auburn tries to even the series on Saturday at 3pm when it sends Jon Luke Jacobs (5-0) to the mound. South Carolina counters with Jordan Montgomery (3-0). The game will air live on SportSouth.
South Carolina 12, Auburn 5 (Apr 20, 2012 at Auburn, AL)
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South Carolina...... 400 340 010 - 12 13 0 (28-11, 9-7 SEC)
Auburn.............. 000 020 201 - 5 11 1 (21-17, 7-9 SEC)
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Win-Michael Roth(4-0) Loss-Derek Varnadore(1-6) T-2:53 A-2949
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