After dropping the first two games of their SEC season opener, Auburn looked to salvage a win vs Vanderbilt on Sunday’s series finale. However, despite an early lead, the Tigers could not hold on, falling to the Commodores 6-9 to get swept over the weekend series.
Like Friday’s game, Auburn jumped out to a quick lead in the first two innings. Cooper McMurray opened the scoring for the Tigers, driving in Cooper Weiss. Then, in the second inning, Auburn tacked on three more runs, as Javon Hernandez, Cooper Weiss, and Ike Irish each knocked in a run via a double, a sacrifice fly, and a single to extend the Auburn lead to 4-0.
Unfortunately, from that point, the Tigers couldn’t seem to catch a break. Starter Joseph Gonzalez surrendered three runs over the next 7 outs, though two of them were unearned: one on a bases-loaded walk in the second inning and one on a passed ball in the fourth. Gonzalez was relieved by Tanner Bauman, and the lefty faired even worse. In two innings of work, he surrendered three hits, two walks, and three runs, all of which were earned. Bauman was credited with the loss and fell to 2-1 on the season.
Bauman was pulled in with one out in the sixth inning and replaced by right-hander Christian Herberholz, who also had no luck vs the Commodore lineup. Herberholz surrendered two doubles, each of which scored two runs, giving Vandy an 8-5 lead. Auburn tried to fight back but was only able to muster one more run as a Chris Stanfield single drove in Carter Wright in the top of the eighth inning. Vandy responded in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single of their own from sophomore RJ Austin that drove in Matthew Polk.
The Vandy bullpen proved to be the difference in this one, as the Commodore relievers allowed just three hits and one run in four innings of work. In contrast, the Auburn bullpen surrendered nine hits, two walks, and six runs in just 4.2 innings of work, which proved to be far too much for the Tigers’ lineup to overcome vs the stingy Vandy pitching staff.
Though the start to SEC play isn’t what Auburn would’ve wanted, the Tigers can’t afford to hang their heads. They will travel to Montgomery on Tuesday to take on the South Alabama Jaguars in a standalone game. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Coverage can be found on the Auburn Sports Network.
