Auburn lost its first game of the season on Friday as Oklahoma came back to win 4-3 in 10 innings at the Round Rock Invitational.
After scoring a run each in the eighth and ninth innings, the Sooners walked it off on a bases-loaded single that passed Brody Moore at second base.
Senior Cody Greenhill started on the mound for Auburn. He went 4.1 innings and gave up one earned run with three strikeouts. However, in the fifth frame, he was pulled from the game after being injured fielding a groundball.
At the plate, the Tigers' hitters had plenty of success early on against Oklahoma’s starter, Wyatt Olds. Auburn scored three runs on seven hits against him, including two solo home runs by Ryan Bliss and Steven Williams in the top of the third.
It was the Sooner reliever, Jaret Goodman, who was able to silence the Auburn bats. Goodman came into the game in the fourth inning and gave up no runs on four hits and only one walk in six innings. Coach Butch Thompson sensed the game change when Goodman came in.
“We had a starter throwing really well, hit the ball hard,” Thompson said. “I thought the turning point was when (Godman) got in the ballgame with the bases loaded, nobody out. Judd Ward could not have hit the ball any harder and the shortstop caught it, and it kind of turned from there.”
The Auburn pen could not match Goodman’s pace. A combination of five relievers let up three more runs and walked six Sooner batters over the course of the final six innings.
Ryan Bliss made a loud return at shortstop after being sidelined by a hamstring injury. He went 3-for-5, including his home run in the third.
The Tigers will look to bounce back on Saturday as they face Baylor in their second tournament game. The first pitch is set for 12 p.m. CST at Dell Diamond.
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.
Dylan Fox, Junior in Civil Site Design Engineering, joined The Plainsman as a sports writer in Spring 2020. From Geneva, IL.
