No. 13 Auburn baseball dropped the first game of the series to No. 5 Arkansas, 2-1 in a well-fought defensive battle Friday night in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Auburn continues to struggle in SEC play, falling to 23-8 (4-6 SEC), while Arkansas rises to 22-9 and 6-4 in the SEC. The Tigers have lost five of their last seven in the conference.
“I can’t ask for any more from our guys,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. “Ultimately, we’re here to win ballgames, but I can’t ask for any more. It was a well-played ballgame on a Friday night. It’ll happen. We just need to stay after it, come back out here and be excited to play a baseball game tomorrow.”
Casey Mize (6-1, 2.21) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing only two runs, seven hits, one walk and seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched. Mize entered Auburn’s career top 10 for strikeouts during the game.
Arkansas starter Blaine Knight out-dueled Mize in the contest and earned the win. Matt Cronin earned the save for the Razorbacks.
Edouard Julien took the lead for Auburn in the top of the fourth with a home run toward right field. Julien’s homer was his seventh of the season, tied for a team high.
Luke Bonfield started the Arkansas rally in the bottom of the fourth with a home run to right, followed by a Grant Koch RBI single to take the lead.
Auburn battled back but ultimately failed in their attempt in the top of the ninth.
The Tigers and Razorbacks will meet for Game 2 tomorrow at 6 p.m. Davis Daniel will get the start for Auburn against Kacey Murphy for Arkansas.
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