LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a back-and-forth contest, No. 20 Auburn took advantage of Wildcat miscues – scoring four of its eight runs on either a hit by pitch, walk or error – winning 8-7 in the series opener in front of a large contingent of Tiger fans at Kentucky Proud Park.
Auburn remains a perfect 6-0 this season on Friday series openers.
“It wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t perfect on either side. I thought it was a competitive spirit the entire ballgame,” said head coach Butch Thompson following the win. “I was just trying to advertise to the team to keep gaining some confidence as we keep rolling through this thing, just how many guys contributed and guys that haven’t even been playing a bunch. I love how these pieces are moving around.”
Auburn was down to its last out of the game when Chase Fralick hit an RBI double out to left field, scoring Bristol Carter to tie the game at seven all. With the Tiger faithful back to life in the dugout and in the stands, Cole Edwards, pinch running for Fralick, scored the game winning run on a dropped Ike Irish pop fly by Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell.
“It felt incredible,” Fralick said. “The dugout and the team was engaged the entire time. It was a complete team win. We threw countless pitchers and put countless guys on base and put pressure on them. It just happened to be me that got the hit but anyone could have done it.”
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead, scoring a single run in each of the first three innings. Eric Snow got hit by a pitch in the opening at bat for Auburn – marking one of five Tigers to be hit by a pitch on Friday – and ultimately scored on a Bub Terrell RBI sac fly, his 14th RBI of the season.
Auburn’s second run came by way of Lucas Steele’s solo home run – his third of the season – in the leadoff spot of the top of the second. Steele was one of four Tigers to score when leading off the inning.
The Wildcats fired back offensively, scoring a duo of runs on a trio of hits in each of the second and third innings. Kentucky were ultimately able to collect 13 hits to Auburn’s eight.
The sixth inning saw even more fireworks as the Tigers once again took the lead with three runs on two hit by pitches and two doubles before Kentucky scored two more runs to re-tie the game.
Thompson then opted for RHP Parker Carlson after the Wildcats took the lead with a single run in the seventh, who pitched for 1.1 innings and gave up no hits or walks. Carlson was one of six guys on the mound for Auburn.
“I think Carlson made the biggest difference,” said Thompson. “That inning and a third with no hits, I thought steadied us.”
Carlson helped keep the Wildcat lead to just a run, allowing Fralick to be the hero and win the game in the ninth for the Tigers, extending Auburn’s SEC record to 3-1 to start league play.
“I think it’s huge. These guys just battle every single inning. I think they give us the best opportunity to come back from every game. We just don’t quit,” said RHP Ryan Hetzler.
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
