Auburn baseball couldn’t close the sweep, and suffered a 9-6 loss at the hand of the Kentucky Wildcats Sunday afternoon.
Auburn trailed until the fourth inning, but manufactured a run from a Jackson Burgreen walk. After Burgreen walked, a wild pitch allowed him to advance all the way to third. Damon Haecker singled to right field, scoring Burgreen and tying the game at 1-1.
Junior lefty Ben Braymer started on the mound for the Tigers, and was virtually untouched until the fifth inning; he surrendered a solo shot in the second inning. Braymer finished the day with five strikeouts.
In the fifth, Braymer walked the leadoff man for Kentucky, and then gave up a single. Coach Thompson then decided to bring Daniel Sprinkle into the game. Sprinkle’s first batter reached base on a bunt single that loaded the bases. Two batters later, Kentucky singled to right field, scoring two runners.
Auburn brought in redshirt junior Izaac Yarbrough. Kentucky lucked out on a bloop single to right, scoring one and increasing the UK lead to 4-1.
Kentucky blew the game open in the seventh inning. After a leadoff walk, the Wildcats reached base on two consecutive bunt singles. Kentucky scored two more, and then third baseman Javon Shelby hit a three run blast to put the score at 9-1.
Auburn answered back with two of their own in the bottom half of the eighth after Damon Haecker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and UK committed an error. Auburn trailed 9-3 going into the ninth inning.
Auburn scrapped hard in the ninth inning as well. Anfernee Grier led off the inning with a line drive single, and was advanced to third on a Melvin Gray single. Jordan Ebert stepped up and delivered an RBI single, driving in Grier. Niko Buentello sent a ball to deep right field, just missing a home run, but the ball was caught. Gray advanced to third and scored on the next about on a fielder’s choice. Jackson Burgreen singled up the middle, putting runners at first and third. Haecker kept things going with an RBI single, but Auburn couldn’t close the gap, leaving the final score at 9-6.
Next weekend, Auburn will play next against the Alabama Crimson Tide in a three game series in Tuscaloosa. The first pitch is set for Friday, May 6th at 7:00pm.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
