March 1, 2013
AUBURN, Ala. - Eastern Illinois scored six times with two outs in the top of the ninth and then stranded Auburn's game-tying run at second in the bottom half of the frame as the Auburn baseball team fell, 11-10, on Friday afternoon. The loss dropped Auburn to 6-3 on the season while Eastern Illinois improved to 3-5.
"We gave them many opportunities and they took advantage of it," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said.
Auburn's pitching staff issuing a season-high nine walks, including four free bases in the ninth, while a lost ball in the lights with two outs and the bases loaded in the final inning before any runs had come in proved to be costly.
"The ball goes up and three guys don't see it. It's a very unfortunate play," Pawlowski said. "Leading up to that, we put some guys on base. It falls to the opportunities we gave them. They came up with a couple of breaks and that was the difference."
Ahead 7-5 going to the ninth, Auburn went to closer Terrance Dedrick (1-2). The junior issued a leadoff walk but then got back-to-back called third strikes to put Auburn on the brink of victory. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases before Treysen Vavra's pop-up into shallow right fell between second baseman Jordan Ebert, center fielder Ryan Tella and right fielder Jackon Burgreen, clearing the bases and giving Eastern Illinois a 8-5 lead.
Demetre Taylor knocked Dedrick out of the game with a run-scoring single down the line in left, prompting Pawlowski to go to Jay Wade, who walked the first hitter he faced. Wade then hit a batter to load the bases before allowing a Tyler Schweigert two-run single to right, increasing the lead to 11-7.
Auburn would not go quietly in the ninth, scoring three times and putting the tying run on second. Cullen Wacker led off the inning with a single and scored on Garrett Cooper's triple to right-center to make it 11-8. After a four-pitch walk to Patrick Savage put runners on the corners, Eastern Illinois called on its eighth pitcher of the game, Scott Houdek.
Houdek allowed a RBI single to Blake Austin to cut the lead to two, 11-9 and put runners on first and second. Ebert then dropped down a bunt but Eastern Illinois third baseman Brant Valach got the force out at second, putting runners on the corners with one down. Valach made another spectacular play on Burgreen's hard grounder, getting the speedy leadoff hitter at first while allowing a run to score to make it 11-10. With Ebert standing on second, Glevenyak lined out to left to end the game. The save was the first of the year for Houdek.
Garrison Stenger (1-0) earned the win for Eastern Illinois.
Auburn had built a 7-1 lead after a five-run fifth inning as it sent 11 men to the plate in the frame. Ebert, who finished with two hits and extended his hitting streak to seven games, drove in a run with a single and scored on a Ryan Tella) single. Damek Tomscha also drove in two in the inning with a two-run single to center.
Eastern Illinois answered with a four-run top of the sixth, highlighted by a Valach bases loaded, three-run double.
Auburn will try to even the series on Saturday at 3pm when it sends LHP Michael O'Neal (2-0) to the mound. Eastern Illinois will counter with RHP Joe Greenfield (1-0).
Eastern Illinois 11, Auburn 10 (Mar 01, 2013 at Auburn, AL)
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Eastern Illinois.... 001 004 006 - 11 11 1 (3-5)
Auburn.............. 000 250 003 - 10 14 0 (6-3)
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Win-STENGER, Garrison(1-0) Save-HOUDEK, Scott(1) Loss-Terrance Dedrick(1-2) T-3:19 A-2526
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