May 18, 2012
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn allowed No. 2 Florida to jump out to a four-run lead after the first inning and could never recover, falling 10-1 on Friday night at Plainsman Park. The loss dropped Auburn's record to 29-26, 12-17 SEC and assured Auburn of the No. 10-seed in next week's SEC Tournament at Regions Park at Hoover, Ala. Florida improved to 40-15, 18-11 SEC.
"We weren't able to settle the game down," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "We struggled in the first inning and they put some big hits on the board and we weren't able to get anything going."
Florida charged out to a 4-0 lead in the first as it loaded the bases with one out for a Brian Johnson sacrifice fly. One batter later Vickash Ramjit launched a three-run home run into the K Korner in right field, his fifth home run of the season.
Florida would pounce on Auburn starter Daniel Koger (3-5) once again in the third, tagging him for two more runs as Mike Zunino hit his 15th home run of the season and Johnson singled and scored on a Josh Tobias single. Johnson's hit ended Koger's day afer he allowed six runs on five hits and three walks, recording just six outs while facing 14 batters.
When he wasn't hitting, Florida's Johnson (6-4) kept the Auburn hitters at bay from the mound, scattering two hits in seven innings. The lone run he allowed was an unearned run in the third, Auburn's only run of the series thus far, as Zach Alvord walked and scored on a Tobias error at third.
Preston Tucker collected Florida's third home run of the game in the sixth, hitting a two-run shot that produced the final margin.
A night after registering three hits, Auburn, the SEC's top hitting offense coming into the final weekend, was held to just two hits off of Johnson and bullpen mates Daniel Gibson and Ryan Harris.
Auburn will try to salvage the final game of the season at 1pm on Saturday. The program will honor the eight seniors from the 2012 team 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
Florida 10, Auburn 1 (May 18, 2012 at Auburn, AL)
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Florida............. 403 003 000 - 10 12 2 (40-15, 18-11 SEC)
Auburn.............. 001 000 000 - 1 2 1 (29-26, 12-17 SEC)
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Win-Brian Johnson(6-4) Loss-Daniel Koger(3-5) T-2:21 A-3511
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