COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Trailing by three runs going into the eighth, No. 21 Auburn forced the game to 12 innings but ultimately fell to No. 4 Texas A&M 10-9 Saturday night in the series finale at Blue Bell Park.
With a runner on third and one out, Texas A&M (25-3, 6-3 SEC) hit a single back up the middle to win the game in walk-off fashion.
Auburn (16-11, 1-8 SEC) collected a season-high 17 hits from 12 different players in the contest, including multiple hits from five Tigers. Eighth pitchers took the hill, including five who had already appeared this weekend.
"So many guys contributed and gave us a chance to win," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We talked about it earlier today that your character will be revealed at this stage and time, and I thought we played with a lot of character today."
Trailing by a run after Texas A&M scored to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the eighth, Gavin Miller hit a pinch-hit homer to start the top of the ninth and tie the game, 9-9. The home run was Miller's second of the season and marked the second straight inning Auburn hit a leadoff pinch-hit homer.
After Texas A&M answered Auburn's scoring with at least a run the first four times the Tigers scored in the top half, John Armstrong put a zero on the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras. The junior right hander went through the heart of the Texas A&M order to strand a pair, ending the inning with a strikeout.
Trailing 8-5 entering the eighth inning, Auburn scored three runs to tie the game. Christian Hall started the inning with a pinch-hit homer to right to cut the deficit to two, and the next three batters reached on a pair of singles and a double. Ike Irish's infield single to second made it a one-run game before Cooper McMurray tied it up with a sacrifice fly to right.
"This particular team will continue to grow and get better," Thompson added. "We saw a glimpse of that today. You keep getting opportunities and keep trying to make adjustments. That's what we saw tonight for the vast majority of the ballgame."
Auburn came out on the attack, registering six hits in the first two frames and taking a 3-0 lead with two runs in the second. The Tigers loaded the bases on a pair of singles and hit-by-pitch with one out in the first, but Texas A&M got a strikeout for the second out of the inning. However, Irish came through with a two-RBI single through the left side and McMurray followed with a single to right, giving Auburn its first lead of the weekend.
Texas A&M answered with a pair of unearned runs after a leadoff error in the bottom of the second and took a 4-3 lead on a two-run homer to start the bottom of the third. The Aggies added a run on a two-out single later in the frame.
After Mason Maners made a diving catch to save two more runs and end the third, Auburn threatened by loading the bases with nobody out in the fourth. Chris Stanfield smoked a one-out single back up the middle to score a run, but the potential tying run was thrown out at the plate for the second out and a groundball ended the inning without further damage.
The Aggies answered again with a pair of runs after four straight one-out batters reached on two walks and two RBI singles.
Auburn and Texas A&M traded solo homers in the fifth to make it an 8-5 game. Caden Green hit his second of the season 395 feet off the videoboard in left field to cut the deficit to two, but the Aggies answered with two outs in the home half.
Stanfield and Irish collected multiple hits for the fifth straight game, and Irish drove in at least a run for the 23rd time in 27 games this season. The sophomore catcher extended his hitting streak to 14 games and recorded nine RBI in the three games in College Station.
Auburn continues its midweek schedule with a game against UAB at Regions Field Tuesday at 6 p.m.
No. 21 Auburn fights for 12 innings in finale at No. 4 Texas A&M
