KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 1 Tennessee's bats came to life in the late innings as the Volunteers defeated No. 19 Auburn, 17-4, in the series opener at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Friday.
Auburn (30-13, 11-8 SEC) claimed a 4-2 lead on a three-run home run from Blake Rambusch in the sixth. However, after holding Tennessee (39-3, 18-1 SEC) to three hits in the first six frames, the Volunteers scored 15 runs on 16 hits in its final two at-bat to secure the win.
"It's a tough way to end the seven-game winning streak," head coach Butch Thompson said. "It was a really good ballgame until the seventh. We did not plan or forecast for the injuries tonight. We will take it one day at a time and refocus our guys to let them know it's OK. It's just one baseball game, and we have to come out ready to play tomorrow."
Tennessee started the scoring by taking advantage of an error and plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. An errant throw on a sacrifice bunt allowed the first run to score and a sacrifice fly to right scored the second.
Auburn threatened by loading the bases on a single and back-to-back walks with no outs in the third, but Tennessee escaped the jam unscathed as starting pitcher Chase Burns struck out the two, three and four hitters.
The Tigers threatened for the second straight frame, putting two runners in scoring position on a two-out double from Nate LaRue in the fourth, but a flyout down the left field line ended the inning and stranded two more.
Tommy Sheehan entered after Hayden Mullins was forced to leave the mound due to discomfort with two outs in the second and worked 2.1 scoreless. Sheehan didn't allow a hit and allowed just two baserunners.
After Chase Isbell followed Sheehan with a scoreless inning in the fifth, Auburn loaded the bases with nobody out again in the sixth, this time taking advantage of the opportunity. Cole Foster hit an RBI single back up the middle to put the Tigers on the scoreboard, but the second out of the inning was recorded on a close play at the plate. However, Rambusch came through with two on and two out, giving Auburn a 4-2 lead on a three-run homer to right-center.
Carson Skipper worked a scoreless sixth inning with a pair of strikeouts, but Tennessee came to life in the seventh and eighth to win the opener.
Game two between Auburn and Tennessee is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
No. 1 Tennessee downs No. 19 Auburn in series opener
