May 15, 2015
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Melvin Gray had two hits and one RBI, but Auburn baseball fell 4-3 on Friday at McKethan Stadium.
"I'm really proud of how we came out and jumped on [AJ Puk]," Auburn head coach Sunny Golloway said. "We didn't get a bunt down that ended up costing us a run. It really should have been 4-0 and sure enough that ended up being a big run that we left on the table. Our guys competed really well and had a great approach."
Jordan Ebert delivered his second RBI in as many nights with a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the second inning to put Auburn on the board. The Tigers made it 2-0 as Cody Nulph dropped a sacrifice bunt on the suicide squeeze for the RBI.
Auburn stretched the lead to 3-0 later in the inning on a RBI single to left by Gray that scored Alex Polston.
Anfernee Grier and Polston had the other Auburn hits. Ebert had one RBI and a stolen base.
The Tigers chased Florida starter AJ Puk in the fourth inning. He finished with 3.1 innings pitched and three runs allowed on three hits. He struck out six and walked three.
Florida tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth with four hits and an Auburn error including RBIs from Richie Martin, Josh Tobias and Peter Alonso.
Aaron Rhodes (2-0) got the victory for the Gators out of the bullpen. He tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in support of Puk and stymied Auburn allowing only one hit.
Kirby Snead pitched the final two innings for his first save.
Florida took the lead off new Auburn pitcher Trey Wingenter in the sixth inning with Alonso delivering a sacrifice fly ball to right and a 4-3 lead. Wingenter replaced Rocky McCord in the sixth and pitched 2.2 innings with no hits allowed.
McCord (L, 5-4) struck out six in 5.1 innings pitched. He allowed three runs on five hits with three walks.
Buddy Reed had two hits for the Gators. Alonso had two RBIs.
The series concludes on Saturday at 12 p.m. CT