March 4, 2016
Anfernee Grier had three hits on Friday night. (Auburn Photo)
PENSACOLA, Fla. - PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Junior outfielder Anfernee Grier had three hits, but Auburn baseball fell to Troy on Friday night in walk-off fashion 4-3 in the 11th inning at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
"Everybody competed so hard. We hit some balls hard with runners in scoring position and the bases load that didn't fall," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "They threw some good arms out of the bullpen. I give Troy all the credit in the world."
With two out in the bottom of the 11th, Matt Sanders plated Bert Givens with a single off Auburn reliever Gabe Klobosits to give the Trojans (8-3) the victory.
Starter Justin Camp did not factor into the decision with three runs allowed in 6.1 innings pitched. Ben Braymer (1-1) took the loss after pitching four innings and allowing just two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He was responsible for the base runner that scored the game-deciding run.
Auburn (6-4) took a 3-0 lead in the third on a RBI base hit by Jordan Ebert followed by a two-run single from Niko Buentello. The run-scoring knock upped Buentello's SEC-best RBI total to 22.
The Trojans got on the board in the fourth on a solo home run from Trevor Davis, then battled back to tie in the fifth on a two-run single by Reid Long.
Davis, Sanders and Joey Denison each had two hits for Troy.
Troy starter Grant Bennett allowed three runs in seven innings. Corey Childress (2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R) got the win to improve to 1-0.
Auburn faces Michigan State on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT to start day two of action.