Facing its third top-ten opponent in the last three series, No. 17 Auburn opened up its road series against No. 9 Arkansas with a 7-4 loss.
The Tigers (29-7, 7-6 SEC) started Shelby Lowe, who's record fell to 8-3. Lowe came into the game with a 1.62 career ERA and left it with a 1.99.
Friday’s outing was difficult for Lowe, who surrendered seven runs on eight hits in her four-inning appearance for a game ERA of 12.25.
On a positive note, Lowe tallied five strikeouts, bringing her total to 111 this season.
Lowe fell into deep trouble early, allowing two early singles to bring Hannah Gammill to the plate with two outs. On a full-count pitch, Gammill hit her 13th home run of the season, putting Arkansas up 3-0. The next batter, Linnie Malkin, homered for the eighth time this season, and the Tigers were faced with a 4-0 deficit after the first inning.
Despite the early deficit, the Tigers were able to claw back. The comeback started in the second inning, when Lindsey Garcia hit what appeared to be a two-run home run. The homer was reduced to a solo shot, however, as lead runner Paige Geraghty, who was pinch-running for Aubrie Lisenby, failed to touch home plate.
With a three-run deficit in the third, the Tigers rallied. A lead-off double by Sydney Cox, and a two-out walk to Nelia Peralta allowed Jessie Blaine to come to bat as the tying run.
Blaine seized her opportunity, hitting a three-run home run to tie the game. After being down by four just an inning and a half before, her seventh homer of the season put the momentum in Auburn's favor.
The tie, however, would not last long. In the bottom of the third, Taylor Ellsworth hit a solo home run, putting the Razorbacks up just half an inning after Auburn tied the game.
The duo of Gammill and Malkin terrorized the Tigers again. Gammill doubled with two outs, and Malkin hit her second home run, the Razorbacks’ fourth of the game.
All of a sudden, after fighting to make a comeback, the Tigers were down again by a score of 7-4.
“We left too many pitches over the middle of the plate, and Arkansas made us pay for it,” said Auburn head coach Mickey Dean.
It seemed as if a wild back-and-forth contest was brewing. Six home runs were hit through three innings.
In the top of the fourth, Lisenby singled, and Garcia drew a walk. Auburn had the tying run at the plate with no outs against Arkansas reliever Chinese Delce, who was in her first inning of work. The Tigers had a chance to make their second comeback of the game.
“I thought we did a great job early in the game against a great pitcher, and we stepped up immediately when they brought in a reliever," Dean said.
Then, the offensive outburst for the Tigers came to a screeching halt.
Auburn did not get another hit for the remainder of the game, leaving both runners stranded in the fourth inning and only earning one more baserunner via a walk in the fifth. The last eight Tigers were retired in order, including five by strikeout, cementing Auburn’s loss.
“We have to battle an entire seven innings,” Dean said. “We had one hit after the third. You win ball games like this in the fifth, sixth and seventh.”
The Razorbacks (26-7, 7-3 SEC) currently sit at first place in the SEC, while the Tigers are currently eighth in a tight race for conference supremacy.
The Tigers will look to even the series on Saturday. The first pitch will be at 1 p.m. from Bogle Park for a game that will be televised on the SEC Network.
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Matthew is a senior from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @mattwallaceAU
