Auburn’s comeback effort was strong, but fell just short in a 7-6 loss at Mississippi State on Friday evening.
The Tigers came out strong, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning and allowing the Bulldogs only one run in the bottom of the same inning.
The three-run inning included a solo home run from Tannon Snow. After adding another run to the score from Casey McCrackin’s solo homer, Auburn led 4-1 after the top of the third.
Mississippi State answered back, though, tallying a six-run bottom of the inning. This put the Bulldogs up 6-4, a lead they held onto until the top of the sixth. Kendall Veach’s 14th home-run of the season put the Tigers (26-5, 3-1 SEC) within one run.
“We didn’t play any defense and didn’t pitch very well during that inning,” Auburn head coach Mickey Dean said on the six-run third inning. “I thought our hitters did a great job tonight. Defense is played with your feet and we didn’t do that tonight.”
The offense sparked a solid come-from-behind effort by scoring two runs in the top of the sixth. However, the effort fell short after being held to a scoreless frame in the seventh.
The offensive attack was led by Snow and McCrackin’s solo homers, with Veach leading the team with two RBI and Snow leading in hits with two. The Tigers finished with seven total hits. Veach now leads the team with 14 homers on the season.
Lexie Handley got the nod for the start in the circle tonight as Makayla Martin nurses an injured right hand for the next few weeks. Handley finished with four hits allowed against 10 batters. Handley only pitched two innings before Ashlee Swindle entered. Swindle pitched four innings and had five hits against 18 batters faced.
The teams will face off again Saturday in the second game of the three-game series. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CST.
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