AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn grabbed an early seven-run lead, but No. 8 Kentucky rallied for 13 straight runs to win 13-8 and complete a series sweep Saturday at Plainsman Park, marking the midpoint of SEC play.
"It's exactly how we wanted it set up. (Tanner) Bauman did an amazing job," Thompson said. "They stormed back. I think we had the bases loaded two more times. Our whole challenge this first half is not being able to do enough required on the mound to be good enough to have a chance to get the result you want."
Freshman Cade Belyeu led off the bottom of the second with his third home run of the season to give Auburn a 1-0 lead. Deric Fabian singled, advanced to third on Eric Guevara's double and scored on Cooper Weiss' sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
The Tigers (18-17, 2-13 SEC) cashed in again in the third, batting around and scoring five runs to extend their lead to 7-0. Auburn loaded the bases with no outs after consecutive walks to Bobby Peirce, Christian Hall and Belyeu, with all three scoring. Chris Stanfield's sacrifice fly plated Peirce, and Fabian's one-out single reloaded the bases and ended the outing of Kentucky starter Mason Moore, who allowed five earned runs in 2.1 innings.
An error on Guevara's grounder to second brought home Hall. Belyeu scored when Stricklin was hit by a pitch, and Cooper McMurray's single to right plated Guevara for Auburn's final run of the inning.
Making his first start of the season, Tanner Bauman retired the first nine Wildcats he faced on just 27 pitches until Ryan Waldschmidt led off the fourth with a single. Auburn freshman catcher Cale Stricklin threw out Waldschmidt attempting to steal on the next pitch.
Bauman's third strikeout ended the inning, stranding two Kentucky baserunners. The senior left hander ultimately exited with a 7-0 lead after Kentucky led off the fifth with a bloop single to left field. Kentucky greeted reliever John Armstrong with three consecutive hits, including James McCoy's three-run home run.
Ryan Nicholson led off the top of the sixth with a solo homer that trimmed Auburn's lead to 7-4, ending Armstrong's afternoon. Kentucky (30-5, 14-1 SEC) loaded the bases with one out off reliever Cam Tilly, who induced a line drive to Weiss at short before Devin Burkes tied the game at 7-7 with a three-run double off the top of the wall in center field. After a pitching change, Nick Lopez followed with a two-run home run off Griffin Graves to give Kentucky a 9-7 lead, capping a six-run inning.
Lopez cracked a three-run home run in the eighth off Ben Schorr to put the Wildcats ahead 12-7, Kentucky added a run in the ninth with an RBI double.
After the Tigers loaded the bases in the sixth and eighth innings but came up empty, Guevara ended the drought with his first Auburn home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth, capping off a three-hit game. However, Kentucky closer Johnny Hummel ended the game with three consecutive strikeouts.
Auburn (18-17, 2-13) concludes its eight-game homestand vs. Georgia Tech Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT before beginning the second half of SEC competition Friday at Mississippi State.
Auburn’s fast start not enough in 13-8 loss to No. 8 Kentucky
