HOOVER, Ala. –Auburn fell to top-seeded Vanderbilt, 11-1, in eight innings in the second round of the SEC Tournament Wednesday at Hoover Met.
Will Holland's team-leading ninth home run of the season, including his fifth in the last 11 games, highlighted the offense. Richard Fitts was the bright spot on the mound with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
"I thought we played too timid early in the ballgame," head coach Butch Thompson said. "Once they had the big inning there in the third, we had no response. We never could do anything offensively to kind of force them to get off their plan."
Auburn (33-24) turned a pair of double plays to stay within striking distance in a 2-0 deficit through two innings, but Vanderbilt (46-10) scored four runs in the third to extend its advantage.
Holland hit a two-out, solo home run in the fourth to cut into the Commodores advantage, but that's as close as the Tigers would get as Vanderbilt scored a run in the fifth and seventh innings before ending the game with a three-run eighth.
Kyle Gray (2-4, 4.98) drew the start and suffered the loss for the Tigers after allowing a run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in 1.1 innings. Mason Hickman (7-0, 2.20) earned the win after throwing 7.0 innings for for Vanderbilt.
The Tigers used seven pitchers in the game with the most effective being Fitts. The freshman righty ultimately allowed three runs on seven hits but sat down seven of eight batters at one point in his outing. Fitts has recorded 13 strikeouts in his last two outings.
The Tigers will play Thursday's second game at approximately 1 p.m. CT against the loser of Wednesday's late game between LSU and Mississippi State.