AUBURN, Ala. – After battling No. 2 Texas in a pair of one-run games to start the series, No. 4 Auburn fell in the rubber game against the Longhorns by a score of 5-0 Sunday afternoon at Plainsman Park.
A record total of 22,295 fans took in the three games at Plainsman Park, 3,000 more fans than had ever taken in a weekend series.
It marked the first time Auburn dropped a regular season series at home since the final home weekend of the 2024 season, a span of 13 series.
“Both days, our relievers, and we even got some new guys in the ballgame today, to give up only one run after they beat up our starters,” head coach Butch Thompson said.
“They got the big swing early. We weren’t able to cash in on some things. They left no doubt. Credit to them. It’s really important for us to go back to work.”
Auburn (19-4, 4-2 SEC) stranded a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the first, and Texas (20-3, 4-2 SEC) capitalized on a leadoff walk with a two-run home run to start the scoring in the top of the second.
The Tigers put multiple baserunners aboard in each of the first three innings but had nothing to show for it outside of the fact that they put 77 pitches into Texas starter Dylan Volantis.
Leading 2-0, Texas doubled its lead on a two-run single with two outs in the fourth to run right-handed pitcher Alex Petrovic from the game.
The Longhorns loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth, but reliver Jett Johnston entered and did a good job to minimize the damage with a double play and pop out.
After Johnston turned in 2.1 scoreless innings, a number of relievers made their first career SEC appearances, including a strikeout to strand a pair of runner from Connor Gatwood and clean inning from Justice de Jong.
Making his first plate appearance in an Auburn uniform after tearing his ACL back in October, Eddie Madrigal ripped a leadoff double to right field to start the top of the ninth inning.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much, honestly,” Madrigal said. “It’s been a minute. I was just happy to get in there and grateful for the opportunity.”
Coming off four home games against top-three opponents this week, Auburn hits the road for four games next week, starting with a matchup against South Alabama (16-8, 3-3 Sun Belt) Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Montgomery, Alabama.