HOOVER, Ala. – Auburn fell to Samford, 6-1, Wednesday night at Hoover Met Stadium.
The Tigers (20-24) managed one hit in the first seven innings and ended the game with three hits in the contest. Kason Howell accounted for the scoring with a solo home run in the eighth.
"The story tonight and of these last two games is just our at-bats have deteriorated," head coach Butch Thompson said. "I think that's the bigger thing I look at tonight. That really has my undivided attention heading into this critical series against Texas A&M."
Samford (28-19) threatened to start the scoring with a runner on third and one out in the second, but Auburn starter Jack Sokol buckled down to get a strikeout and groundout to end the inning.
The Bulldogs threatened again in the third and got on the scoreboard as Tyler McManus followed a one-out double and a pair of walks with a grand slam to left field in the third inning.
Sokol (1-1, 2.57) was charged with two of the runs and suffered the loss.
Samford added a run on a two-out RBI single in the fourth and, after Will Morrison held them scoreless in the fifth, the Bulldogs tacked on another in the sixth. Brooks Carlson doubled home the run to make it 6-0.
Garrett Farquhar drew a leadoff walk in the sixth to reach for the second time in as many plate appearances. The Hoover native doubled on the first pitch he saw in the third.
"It was good to see Garrett Farquhar get a start here being back home in Hoover," Thompson added. "I thought he played a great ballgame tonight."
Farquhar's double in the third was the only hit Auburn managed until Howell hit a leadoff homer in the eighth. The home run was Howell's sixth of the season.
Joseph Gonzalez and Brooks Fuller pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth.
Auburn returns to Plainsman Park to host Texas A&M (27-23, 7-17 SEC) for three games starting Friday at 6 p.m. CT.
