AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn's comeback bid against Middle Tennessee ultimately came up short, falling 10-8 in the series opener Friday night at Plainsman Park.
The Tigers surrendered four runs in each of the first two innings, including four unearned runs, and were never able to recover from the deficit.
"We had three walks and a hit-by-pitch, and they all scored. We were just chasing that the entire night," head coach Butch Thompson said. "In this game it seemed like our freebies cost us way more than they have been.
Middle Tennessee (5-9) came out swinging, scoring four runs off four hits in the first inning to take the early lead.
Auburn (12-3) was able to answer right back with three runs in the home half of first to cut the deficit to one. Ryan Dyal began the scoring with a two-run home run, his third in the last five games, and Brody Moore followed three straight singles from Brooks Carlson, Bryson Ware and Cam Hill with a RBI groundout later in the frame.
The scoring continued in the second for the Blue Raiders with four unearned runs on a sacrifice fly and a bases-clearing double, stretching their lead to 8-3.
With Carson Skipper holding Middle Tennessee in check in relief, the Tigers chipped away with a run in the third and another in the fourth to make it an 8-5 ballgame.
Skipper entered in the second inning and allowed one unearned run in the first 5.2 innings before a two-run homer ended his outing in the seventh. The 5.2 innings marked a career high for Skipper.
"Skipper gave us a few good, clean frames, but they caught us right before we could make the change," Thompson said.
After going scoreless in the fifth through eighth innings, Auburn battled in its last at-bat but came up two runs shy. Ware and Garrett Farquhar turned in back-to-back hits to put a pair aboard for Moore, who followed with a three-run homer, his first of the season. However, a lineout to center ended the game with the tying run on deck.
Moore collected a season high three hits, finishing the game with 99 in his Auburn career, and drove in a season high four runs. Dyal drove in multiple runs for the sixth time this season and has driven in 14 runs in the last six games. Hill and Ware joined Moore with multiple hits, recording two apiece.
"Brody Moore and Ryan Dyal had good nights at the plate. We just came up short," Thompson said.
Right-hander Carson Swilling finished the game for the Tigers, retiring all seven batters he faced with three strikeouts. His 2.1 innings in relief were a season high.
The Tigers and Blue Raiders square off for game two tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.