Too many missed opportunities in walk-off loss

Auburn will mull on its missed opportunities when it looks back at Friday night’s 3-2 loss at Arkansas.

The Tigers left 14 runners on base, including 12 in the first five innings, had two runners caught stealing and another picked off second base. Auburn left the bases loaded in the first and fifth innings. Arkansas pitchers issued nine walks and hit two batters.

Auburn, which is now 0-6 in one-run games, falls to 11-11 overall and 1-3 in the SEC while Arkansas improves to 16-6 and 1-3.

“The first five innings we got a 2-0 lead and it felt like we had more. We just left a lot of runners, we had bases loaded a couple of times and opportunities to do more in the ballgame,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said.

“Melvin (Gray) getting picked off second (in the seventh) was a pretty big play I thought in the ballgame because we had a leadoff walk and Kyler Deese had a pretty nice bunt to get him into scoring position. But that’s what you’re going to have in a close, tight ballgame — a lot of little bitty things that add up to the difference in winning and losing.”

The Razorbacks scored a run in the ninth to win in walk-off fashion as Jake Arledge led off with an infield single off Gabe Klobosits, moved to third on a double by Rick Nomura and then scored on a single by Luke Bonfield.

Klobosits (1-2) held Arkansas without a hit for 2.2 innings before the ninth.

Auburn jumped on top with two runs in the third inning on a double by Blake Logan to score Jordan Ebert and a single by Daniel Robert to bring home Niko Buentello. Logan, Ebert and Buentello had two hits apiece for the Tigers.

Anfernee Grier finished 0 of 2 with two walks to end his 22-game hitting streak while Joshua Palacios, who came into the game with an SEC-best .433 batting average, finished 0 of 5.

Auburn didn’t have a hit in the final 3.2 innings.

Josh Alberius (2-0) earned the win allowing just one walk in the final 2.2 innings and striking out the last five hitters he faced.

Justin Camp allowed just four hits through the first five innings before Arkansas struck for two runs in the sixth. A one-out walk to Carson Shaddy, double by Cullen Gassaway and single by Nomura tied the game and sent Camp to the dugout.

Nomura and Shaddy had two hits apiece for the Razorbacks.

The series continues Saturday at 6:05 p.m. CT on SECN+ and WatchESPN. Auburn freshman right-hander Casey Mize (1-1, 3.38) will face Arkansas sophomore right-hander Keaton McKinney (0-0, 6.30).