Auburn baseball lost another close SEC game Sunday, losing 4-3 to No. 11 South Carolina to drop their fourth straight SEC series and move to 7-11 on the season.
"They fought back and I thought they really played well today," said head coach Sunny Golloway. "I thought we played well this weekend."
Trey Wingenter's first SEC start was short-lived after allowing a ground rule RBI double and an RBI single in the top of the first. Michael O'Neal replaced Wingenter with one out and USC runners on the corners and O'Neal managed to get the next two outs to keep the damage at two runs.
After two straight one-out walks, Blake Austin hit an RBI single to score Ryan Tella for Auburn's first run. After a passed ball advanced Auburn's runners to second and third, USC managed to get the next two outs to end the first inning.
USC increased their lead in the top of the third with a two-out RBI double to make it 3-1.
Auburn responded in the bottom of the third with a two out rally consisting of three consecutive singles, the third being an RBI single from Damon Haecker.
After a successful hit-and-run by USC put runners on the corners, O'Neal got the next out to escape the top of the fourth.
Austin led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and Haecker advanced him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Later in the inning, Keegan Thompson delivered with a two-out RBI single to tie it at 3-3 before going to the seventh.
Trey Cochran-Gill replaced O'Neal in the top of the seventh and USC's leadoff hitter reached first base on Auburn's first error of the weekend. Cochran-Gill then struck out the next batter and forced a double play to end the inning.
USC hit back-to-back singles to start off the eighth to force Auburn to go to the bullpen again with Terrance Dedrick replacing Cochran-Gill. USC then put down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third before Dedrick loaded up the bases with an intentional walk. A sacrifice fly RBI gave the Gamecocks the 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.
Daniel Robert and Thompson hit a pair of one-out singles then both advanced to second and third following a wild pitch. But Auburn's next two batters struck out to end the eighth.
"Both games that we lose we had the tying or go-ahead run on," Golloway said. "But you've got to tip your cap, they shut us down."
Seddon followed by retiring the top of Auburn's order to clinch the win and series win.
Auburn will be back at home this Tuesday at 6 p.m. against South Alabama.
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