Texas A&M out-slugs Auburn to take series
Auburn fought back after trailing 9-3 early but came up short in a 12-10 loss to the Aggies Sunday.
AUBURN | Auburn knocked around a good Texas A&M pitching staff all weekend, but the Aggies did the same and then some.
No. 5 Texas A&M, behind an eight-run fourth inning, beat Auburn 12-10 at Plainsman Park Sunday to take the rubber game of the series.
The Aggies won game one 12-8 before the Tigers bounced back for a 9-7 win in game two. Both teams combined for 58 runs on 82 hits in the series. Texas A&M came into the series with a 2.12 team ERA, third-best in the SEC, and left with it up to 2.95.
“(Texas A&M) coach (Rob) Childress has been in this league and been in Division I baseball for a long time at a high level and he thought that was one of the best offensive performances he’s seen since he’s been in the league and we took that as a compliment because they pitch the ball very well,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said.
Auburn took an early 3-1 lead in the third inning when Anfernee Grier hit a towering three-run home run over the Green Monster in left field, but it didn’t last long.
Texas A&M plated eight in the fourth on two doubles, seven singles and one Auburn error to take a 9-3 lead and knock Auburn starter Cole Lipscomb out of the game.
Auburn chipped away at the lead with Joshua Palacios driving in two with a triple in the fifth and Niko Buentello and Daniel Robert hitting solo home runs in the sixth to cut the lead to 9-7.
The Aggies added three runs in the eighth to extend their lead to five runs, but Auburn chipped away again as Kyler Deese drove home two with a double in the eighth and Buentello drove home another in the ninth with a two-out double.
TAMU closer Ryan Hendrix retired Jackson Burgreen on a deep fly ball to centerfield to end the game and earn his fourth save of the season.
“I don’t like the moral victory thing in the Southeastern Conference,” Thompson said. “I thought we battled to the end. They catch a ball against the wall to end the ballgame so our guys fought back. I’ll take the effort, we just got to convert and get better. We’ve got to figure things out, especially on the mound, but I love how our guys are playing and fighting. It’s a lot of fun being connected with them in the dugout.”
Buentello was 2 of 5 with two RBI including his SEC-leading sixth home run of the season. Deese was 2 of 4 with two RBI, Palacios 1 of 5 with two RBI and Grier 1 of 4 with two runs scored and three RBI, extending his hitting streak to 21 games.
Lipscomb (1-2) took the loss allowing seven runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings. Andrew Mitchell went 4.0 innings allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits. Daniel Sprinkle and Izaac Yarbrough held TAMU scoreless over the final 1.2 innings.
“I’m not going to give up on our pitching staff,” Thompson said. “I don’t think it will be this scenario for the next nine weekends. If it is, I won’t have any hair left.”
TAMU starter Kyle Simonds (4-0) earned the win allowing seven runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. J.B. Moss paced the Aggies at the plate going 3 of 6 with three runs scored and three RBI.
Auburn hosts Alabama State Tuesday a 6 p.m. CT before continuing SEC play at Arkansas next weekend.