After evening up the series Saturday night, April 4, the Auburn Tigers felt that Sunday’s game, April 5, and by extension the series, was a must-win.
On Easter Auburn let two leads squander away—one late in the game—and fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks 6-4, dropping the series in the process.
Up 3-2 after six strong innings from Rocky McCord, the Tigers looked to be in good position to win. Dalton Rentz came in and pitched a scoreless seventh, but allowed two runs in the eighth before being lifted for Izaac Yarbrough.
Justin Camp pitched the ninth, but the normally stout closer let two more runs slip by. The Auburn offense collected 11 hits on the day, but they were unable to capitalize on a majority of them, stranding runners on second base with one out in six of nine innings.
“We didn’t have clutch hitting today,” said coach Sunny Golloway. “We’re going to have to have more of a ‘drive-the-ball’ mentality with men in scoring position.”
Auburn (19-13, 4-8) was able to load the bases in the ninth and even scored a run, but Melvin Gray struck out looking to end the game.
“Our guys are clearly down about (losing the series),” Golloway said. “They knew this is a series that we had to win. Our back was clearly against the wall.”
The Tigers took an early 2-0 lead on RBIs from Anfernee Grier—who went 3-for-5 on the day—and Blake Logan, but Arkansas knotted the score at two in the fifth, when Andrew Benintendi snuck a two-run homer around the right foul pole.
Auburn had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth, but was only able to manage a single run: a sac fly from Cody Nulph.
The Razorbacks opened the eighth with a single from Rick Nomura, who was driven in on a double from Carson Shaddy two batters later, ending Rentz’s day. Golloway called to the bullpen for Izaac Yarbrough, who got one out before being lifted for Justin Camp.
Camp’s first batter, Joe Serrano, gave Arkansas the lead for good on a 2-out, 2-strike single through the right side.
Auburn managed to load the bases once again in the bottom of the eighth, but JJ Shaffer consummated a hitless day with a pop out to the first baseman.
Camp allowed two more in the ninth on a bases-loaded single to Tucker Pennell into right field, extending the lead to 6-3.
“We have no option but to regroup, and get our head up, and go back to work,” Golloway said. “We’re clearly going to have to surprise some people and steal some, and it’ll be duplicating what we’ve already done before.”
“I still like these guys,” Golloway said. “They’re a tough bunch. They fight. We just didn’t get clutch hitting today.”
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