Despite having 14 hits, the most they have had so far in a game this season, Auburn baseball had trouble leaving runners on base and let up 17 hits to Presbyterian in a 10-6 loss.
Presbyterian's bats came to work early with a single and double to the left field fence in the first inning. Those hits were followed by an error by Auburn shortstop Dan Glevenyak which gave Presbyterian the 2-0 lead.
Auburn responded with three hits of their own in the first, including a double by Damek Tomscha to score Anfernee Grier, who got on base with a single extending his current hitting streak to nine games.
But that one run was all Auburn would get until the bottom of the ninth, not because of the lack of hits, but the amount of runners being left on base.
The third inning was a tough one for Auburn in the field. Dillon Ortman allowed two singles and a walk to load up the bases with one out. Then Jacob Midkiff hit a two-RBI single to make the score 4-1. Midkiff went 5-for-5 on the night with three RBIs.
Presbyterian followed up with a double steal, which caused Auburn's defense problems, and then another base hit RBI by Billy Motroni to make it 6-1.
"We threw the ball home when we should've thrown it to second to get out of the inning," head coach Sunny Golloway said. "That (inning) turned into a little bit of a circus and I don't like seeing circuses on the baseball field, especially when I'm in charge."
In the fourth inning, Golloway subbed out Damek Tomscha at third base and moved Blake Austin to play third. Austin was then subbed out a few innings later for the same reason as Tomscha, which was striking out on called three strikes.
"When you're behind 6-1 or 7-1, a called three strike is not going to work for us. If you're going to fight, fight and swing the bat. You give yourself no chance when you take a called three strike. When you swing the bat you give your team a chance."
Auburn came out swinging in the ninth inning, but it turned out to be too little, too late.
Ryan Tella started the inning off with his second double of the night and then Damon Haecker and Grier reached on walks. Two consecutive RBIs made it 10-3. Then following a pitching change Keegan Thompson responded with another RBI single to make it 10-4. Pinch hitter Jackson Burgreen kept the inning alive with another base hit RBI to add the fifth run for Auburn. A wild pitch made it 10-6. With the bases loaded, two outs and the tying runner up to bat, Auburn's rally came up short when Haecker popped the ball up to end the game.
"For a team to be down 10-1, embarrassed at home, to show that kind of fight. There was a lot of character and I'm pleased to see that kind of character. They're truly disappointed and they should be," Golloway said.
Auburn hopes to carry that ninth inning over to game two of tomorrow's home series against Presbyterian at 3 p.m.
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