The Auburn baseball team lost last weekend’s three-game series with No. 11 Vanderbilt, winning game one, but losing the last two.
The Tigers, which now sit at fourth place in the SEC West at 7-11, were leading 5-3 in the seventh inning Friday before the game was suspended due to rain. The game resumed at noon Saturday as the Tigers won 6-3.
The Tigers were drowned in the second game as the Commodores scored four runs in the eighth inning in the 8-2 defeat.
Sunday’s game proved to be a shootout, but the Tigers failed to capitalize after loading the bases in the seventh and eighth innings and were unable to score any runs. The Commodores clinched the series with the 9-5 victory.
The Tigers’ victory Saturday was a strange one, but junior pitcher Bryan Woodall played well in the three resumed innings, allowing two hits and struck out two to earn his ninth save of his career.
“I am not used to entering a game in the seventh, so it was a little different situation for me,” Woodall said. “I didn’t try to overpower anyone, I just tried to let my ball work and rely on the guys behind me. When I’m rolling ground balls and they are making plays, we have a chance to win.”
Head coach Tom Slater was proud of Woodall, considering the strange circumstances.
“We know from past games that we can feel comfortable with any lead with Bryan on the mound,” Morris said. “He’s just a great competitor, and it doesn’t matter what the situation is. (The home run) was a big run coming off the game before. Vanderbilt had a lot of momentum coming into the resumed game, and to go out and get a run in our first chance at bat was pretty big for us.”
Sunday’s game was one of missed opportunities for the Tigers, but Vanderbilt held off Auburn with Commodore junior Ryan Flaherty’s ninth and tenth home runs of the season.
“I spent a lot of time in the off-season working on hitting, and that has really helped,” said Flaherty, who came into the season with six career homers. “I just try and continue to develop as a player and hitting the ball the other way has also helped, as well as getting good counts to hit in.”
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin was glad to get the win, especially because of Auburn’s numerous failed rallies.
“Today was one of those days where I felt really good about our chances, but (Auburn) never let up,” said Corbin. “As much as the score was 9-5, it felt like a 9-8 game.”
The Tigers had the bases loaded in the eighth inning with Mike Bianucci, who had already homered twice, up to bat. However, Vanderbilt reliever Russel Brewer struck out the slugger, ending the Tigers’ rally.
Vanderbilt has now won nine of its last 10 games and is third in the SEC East at 10-7.
Auburn travels to Tuscaloosa this weekend for a three-game series with Alabama.
The Crimson Tide is currently in second place in the SEC West, but Auburn is only two games behind them.
