March 21, 2015
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AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn baseball scored three runs in the ninth inning to force extras, but fell to No. 4 Vanderbilt 7-6 in 10 innings after dropping the early game 10-5 on Saturday at Plainsman Park.
Auburn (15-9, 1-5 SEC) overcame a three-run deficit in the ninth inning to tie the game on RBI singles by Haecker, Robert and a bases loaded walk to Ebert. With the bases still loaded and no outs, Cody Nulph popped up, Sam Gillikin struck out and Melvin Gray lined out sharply to the pitcher to end the inning.
The Commodores were able to retake the lead in the top of the 10th inning after two singles with a sacrifice fly to center field by Bryan Reynolds. Auburn had three good swings in the bottom half, but was unable to tie the game again.
"My heart really hurts for our guys, it really does," Auburn head coach Sunny Golloway said. "What I told the guys, I said, `Look, my heart is broken for you, I feel for you, but please don't hang your head.'
"We've got a lot of games yet to play, 24 SEC games, we played six, we're not in a good position 1-5 but we played two teams that are going to be competing for national seeds."
Ben Bowden (now 4-1; 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R) allowed the tying runs, but pitched the 10th to earn his four win of the season.
Vanderbilt (19-5, 5-1 SEC) took a 5-0 lead through the first two innings with five hits and an Auburn error. The big hit was a two-run double in the second inning by Dansby Swanson.
Rocky McCord took the loss to drop to 1-2 on the season. He allowed five runs in 1.2 innings pitched with two walks.
Dalton Rentz (2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 K) and Justin Camp (4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 K) turned in nice outings from the bullpen in relief of McCord. Izaac Yarbrough got a pair of strikeouts in the ninth, but was charged with the loss after allowing the ultimate game winner to reach base.
The Tigers got on the board in the fourth inning on a two-run double by Kyler Deese. The knock just inside the first base bag rolled into the corner allowing Melvin Gray and Ben Craft to score and cut the deficit to 5-2.
Sam Gillikin made a highlight play in the top of the fifth when he gunned down Vanderbilt's Will Toffey at the plate for the final out of the inning to keep the score at 5-2.
A home run from Daniel Robert led off the fifth inning and cut the Auburn deficit to 5-3. The solo shot was his second of the season and third of his career. Reynolds homered to center for a 6-3 Vanderbilt lead in the seventh inning.
Robert had a career-high four hits in five trips to the plate and two RBIs for his first multi-RBI game of the season.
Auburn tallied six hits off Vanderbilt starter Jordan Sheffield, who had allowed only eight hits in 27 innings entering Saturday. The freshman pitched 6.0 innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits. He struck out six with two walks.
Reynolds had a pair of hits and three RBIs to lead the Commodores. Swanson added two RBIs.
In game one of the day, Auburn took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI double into the left field corner by Robert. The first baseman drove home Haecker and Ebert, who had each reached on a base hit.
The Commodores responded with a four-run third inning to take a 4-2 lead capped by a bloop single from Zander Wiel that pushed home three runs and was aided by an error on Auburn centerfielder Anfernee Grier.
Vanderbilt's first run in the inning scored on an RBI infield single by Ro Coleman.
Two more runs came in to score for Vanderbilt in fifth on an error by Robert that would've ended the inning.
The Tigers clawed back with a run-scoring single from Grier that brought home Gillikin to cut the deficit to 6-3. Auburn loaded the bases in the inning, but Ebert hit into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
Wiel tacked on a solo home run to left in the seventh inning and Vanderbilt added two more on two wild pitches by reliever Will Thompson as the Tigers fell behind 9-3.
Wiel was 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Ebert had three hits for the Tigers and Robert had two RBIs.
Auburn got a run in the seventh on a ground out by Cody Nulph, but the Commodores came back with a run of their own in the top of the eighth to lead 10-4. The Tigers added their final run on an RBI double by Ebert.
Trey Wingenter (1-2) took the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) on five hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Walker Buehler (5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R) improved to 2-0 on the season.
Auburn is in action next on Tuesday when it travels to face No. 21 Georgia Tech in Atlanta.