March 25, 2018
LEXINGTON, Ky. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" No. 6 Auburn and No. 8 Kentucky split Sunday's doubleheader at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The Tigers used a four-run seventh inning to win game one, 4-3, before falling, 13-3, in the series finale.
With the doubleheader split, Auburn goes to 20-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play. Kentucky moves to 17-7 on the season and 2-4 in league action.
"We found a way to win the first game, which is huge on the road," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We'll get a chance to go back and play four more games this week. I just told the team we need to get better."
GAME ONE
After being held scoreless and to only two hits in the first six innings, the Auburn offense came to life to the tune of four runs on six hits in its last at-bat to even the series against the Wildcats with a 4-3 win.
The win was Auburn's sixth one-run victory of the season and gave the team 20 wins in its fewest games since need only 22 games to get to 20 wins at the beginning of the 1999 season.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the seventh, Jay Estes hit a leadoff single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt before scoring the game-tying run on Luke Jarvis' RBI double off the extended wall in right field. Two pitches later, Will Holland gave Auburn its first lead of the game as he sent a RBI single through the right side, and the Tigers tacked on two ever-important insurance runs on RBI singles from Brendan Venter and pinch hitter Judd Ward.
Kentucky cut the Tigers' three-run lead to one on a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, but Calvin Coker was able to record the final three outs to secure the win and earn his team-best fourth save of the season.
Welby Malczewski (3-0, 4.63) pitched an inning of relief and earned his third win in as many appearances since the middle of last week. Opposite Malczewski, Kentucky's Chris Machamer (1-1, 3.46) suffered the loss.
Auburn starter Davis Daniel settled down nicely after walking three batters and allowing a run in the first inning. Daniel faced two over the minimum in his next 4.0 innings of work and ultimately allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.
GAME TWO
Kentucky jumped out to an early lead on a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, but Auburn quickly drew even as the Tigers walked four times in the top of the seventh and scored on a sacrifice fly from Estes.
However, after Auburn left the bases loaded in the top of the inning, the Wildcats reclaimed their lead with two runs in the home half of the frame and increased its advantage throughout the game by scoring in every inning.
The Tigers added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning on a two-RBI double from Holland, but it was too little too late for the Tigers.
Luke Jarvis accounted for two of Auburn's three hits in the game, while pitchers Corey Herndon, Ryan Hoerter, Ryan Watson, Blake Schilleci and Peyton Glavine made their SEC debuts for the year on the mound.
Auburn gets back to action Tuesday with a matchup against Alabama in the Capital City Classic in Montgomery. First pitch between the Tigers and Crimson Tide is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. Auburn won eight of the last nine meetings with Alabama at Riverwalk Stadium.