No. 21 Auburn (16-10, 1-7) dropped game two of the series to No. 4 Texas A&M (24-3, 5-3) 12-8 Friday night in College Station. Despite finding some success at the plate, the Tigers' pitching struggled to slow the hot bats of the Aggies.
"I just think there will be a marriage of winning games just like this by us going in and helping and figuring out a strategy for us getting better on the mound," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "Between these two nights, there was definitely a night when somebody could have done something on the mound and we could have gotten out of here with a W."
Chase Allsup started the game for Auburn, but it was not his best outing. Allsup threw four and two-thirds innings allowing five earned runs on seven hits. Auburn fell behind 5-1 in the fifth inning, however, the Tigers fought back in the top of the sixth.
After a leadoff single and a walk, Ike Irish doubled driving in one run. Cooper McMurray followed Irish up with a single scoring two runs. The clutch hitting from Irish and McMurray put Auburn back in the game down one heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Once again, though, Auburn's pitching failed to come through. Texas A&M scored five runs in the sixth extending the Aggies lead back out. The inning began with a walk and an error putting two runs on base before the Aggies hit a three-run home run off of Auburn reliever Cam Tilly.
Tilly gave up another single and then was relieved by John Armstrong. Armstrong limited the damage, but still allowed two more runs, one earned, before the end of the sixth. The Aggies added an insurance runs in the seventh and eighth inning extending the lead to eight.
Auburn fough back in the top of the ninth, thanks to a grand slam from Ike Irish. The home-run from Irish cut the lead to four, but Auburn was unable to tie the game stranding two runners on to end the game. Auburn battled at the plate all night but ultimately Auburn's pitching could not hold up its end of the bargain.
"Irish inspires me and McMurray, but it's the challenges of just getting comfortable or somebody one of these nights being able to do a job on the mound," Thompson said.
The Tigers will look to salvage the series in game three Saturday hoping to avoid the sweep. To do so, however, the pitching will need to improve. Joseph Gonzalez will take the mound for Auburn on Saturday. He will need to be at his best for the Tigers to have a chance to leave College Station with a win.
The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Saturday. The game will air on the Auburn Sports Network and the SEC Network.
