AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn scored three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning and put the tying run on third and winning run on second but ultimately came up short, falling to Nebraska, 9-8, Friday night at Plainsman Park.
Nebraska scored three runs in the eighth inning to tie the game and eventually send it to extras before adding four more in the top of the 10th.
After a leadoff out in the bottom of the 10th, Auburn put the next five batters aboard on three walks and two singles to cut its deficit to one. However, a groundout and popup ended the game.
It marked the first time Auburn dropped a series opener at home since week 12 of the 2024 season.
“We battled and our spirit was great. That was evident by the 10th inning,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Everybody knows that we are going to try and shove the ball in the strike zone, and I want them to continue to do that. We are not going to run from that.”
As a pitching staff, the Tigers stuck out a season-high 18 batters and did not issue a walk but allowed a season-high-matching 14 hits, including seven extra-base hits.
“At the end of the day, I’m trying to look for one more stat that made a difference. They had seven extra base hits and we had one,” Thompson added. “We are competing in the box a little bit better. We had some hits tonight, and we have a real good competitive spirit. I like every bit of that, but they ended up having a lot more extra base hits at the end of the game and they had some big swings.”
Auburn (7-2) jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a four-run third inning. Ryne Farber got things started with a sacrifice fly to center, and Eric Guevara drove in a pair on a single through the left side. Bub Terrell capped things off with a RBI single to left.
Nebraska (5-3) got two of the runs back on a pair of two-out RBI double in the top of the fourth, but the Tigers responded with a two-out RBI single from Bristol Carter in the home half of the inning.
Jake Marciano recorded his 100th career strikeout in just his 76th career inning pitch with a strikeout to end the fifth inning and his outing. He allowed two runs on five hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Through three starts, the sophomore southpaw has racked up 29 strikeouts without issuing a walk in 16.0 innings pitched.
With the score remaining 5-2 in the fifth through seventh inning, Nebraska tied the game with three runs in the top of the eighth as five of the first six batters of the inning reached. Garrett Brewer hit a batter and allowed back-to-back doubles to tie the game, but he settled down nicely and got out of the inning with the score tied, 5-5.
Auburn threatened by putting the tying run in scoring position with two outs in the eighth, but a strikeout ended the inning.
Brewer went back out and struck out the side in the top of the ninth, but Auburn’s top of the order went down in order to send the game into extra innings.
Nebraska started the 10th with a leadoff double and took the lead two batters later with a two-strike single to left off reliever Ryan Hetzler. Another single was followed by a three-run home run to make it a 9-5 game.
Logan Gregorio and Brandon McCraine delivered RBI singles to cut the deficit to two with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning. Cade Belyeu drew a walk to load the bases and a groundout from Bristol Carter made it a one-run game with runners on second and third. However, Nebraska reliever Pryce Bender got Chase Fralick to pop up to second on the first pitch to end the game.
The two teams turn around for game two Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.