Feb. 20, 2016
Senior Justin Camp was solid for six innings on Saturday. (Auburn Photo)
AUBURN, Ala. -- Justin Camp pitched six innings with six strikeouts, but Auburn fell to Sacramento State 6-5 on Saturday at Plainsman Park.
"[Justin] Camp did a good job. They've got strong, physical swings in that whole lineup," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "It kind of bit us a couple times both days. That lets you know what a good job Camp did. As soon as he kind of left the ball up, they got him. But he hung in there and gave us a chance the last three innings."
Trailing 5-2 entering the top of the eighth inning, Sacramento State (1-1) scored four runs to take a 6-5 lead.
Auburn (1-1) struck first in the fourth on a Joshua Palacios solo homer. Sacramento State evened the score in the fifth at 1-1 before Blake Logan brought home Jordan Ebert with a RBI single to left and a 2-1 lead.
The Hornets added another run in the top of the sixth to re-take the lead, but the Tigers answered big in the bottom of the inning off the bat of Niko Buentello with a 3-run home run to centerfield to give Auburn the 5-2 advantage.
Austin Ragsdale (1-0) earned the win for the Hornets after pitching two innings with three strikeouts. Tyler Beardsley got the save with two perfect innings of relief.
Cody Nulph led Auburn with two hits. Marc Frazier took the loss for the Tigers.
Chris Lewis and Andrew McWilliam each had a solo home run for Sacramento State while Matt Smith and Gunner Pollman had two hits apiece.
Auburn and Sacramento State play the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 pm CT at Plainsman Park.