May 15, 2018
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TROY, Ala. -- In a game that lasted more than four and a half hours, No. 22 Auburn ran out of steam in the end as the Tigers dropped its midweek finale at Troy, 9-5, Tuesday night at Riddle-Pace Field.
Auburn (35-18) trailed 5-4 coming out of a 33-minute rain delay and tied the game in the top of the seventh inning as Edouard Julien drew a bases-loaded walk. The two teams then went into a lightning delay that lasted 57 minutes, and the Tigers left the bases loaded coming out of the halt in play.
From there, Troy (36-17) scored four runs on a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh and a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.
Relief pitchers factored into the decision on both sides as Calvin Coker (3-2, 4.69) suffered the loss while CJ Carter (7-4, 3.20) picked up the win.
The Tigers wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard as Will Holland ripped a leadoff double and later came in to score on a wild pitch in the top of the first. In the last five games, Holland is now 3-for-5 with one double and two home runs while leading off games.
After starting pitcher Jack Owen stranded four runners in the first two frames, Troy got to the left-handed freshman and tied the game on a two-out RBI single from Rigsby Mosely in the top of the third.
However, Auburn answered right back in its next at-bat as the first four batters reached and the Tigers reclaimed the lead on a bases-loaded walk from Jay Estes. With the bases loaded and one out, freshman left fielder Judd Ward beat out a potential double play ball and a pair of runs came in to score as Brendan Venter hustled around third and slid in just ahead of the throw on the play to increase the lead to 4-1.
Owen pitched 4.1 innings and allowed one run on five hits with two walks and a career-high-matching six strikeouts before giving way to Welby Malczewski, who ended the bottom of the fifth with a double play.
With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the sixth inning, Troy started a rally and eventually took a 5-4 lead on a bases-clearing double from Drew Frederic. Malczewski, who hadn't allowed an earned run his last 8.0 innings, got into trouble with a pair of walks in the frame and was relieved by Calvin Coker before the go-ahead double.
After a 33-minute rain delay and 57-minute lightning delay, the two teams returned to play with the score tied 5-5. However, Auburn stranded the bases loaded and went down in order for the final seven outs while Troy received a pair of big hits that proved to be the difference.
Offensively, Jay Estes turned in a pair of hits and extended his hitting streak to a career-long eight games. Estes has two or more hits in seven of the last eight games. Venter pushed his hitting streak to 10 games, which matches a season-high for the Tigers.
Auburn returns home to finish out the regular season scheduled with a three-game series against LSU (32-21, 14-13 SEC). First pitch in the series opener is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. CT.