AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn jumped out to an early lead with six runs in the first inning but ultimately dropped its in-state matchup with Troy 8-7 Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
The game marked Auburn's fourth straight one-run game, including all three games vs. Mississippi State last weekend.
"We just couldn't do enough," head coach Butch Thompson said. "That's a good ball club. That's a team with a RPI higher than ours and doing good in their league. We couldn't muster enough on the mound to be competitive at home."
Troy (29-13) jumped out to an early lead with a two-out RBI single that followed a one-out walk and hit batter in the top of the first. The Trojans loaded the bases with another walk, but Hayden Murphy, making his first career start, got a strikeout to end the first and leave the bases loaded.
Auburn (23-17-1) responded immediately and tied the game on the sixth pitch offered from Troy pitcher Ryan Pettys. The first six Auburn hitters proceeded to reach on five hits and a walk, and all six came in to score. Bobby Peirce got things going with a RBI single through the left side, and Cooper McMurray stayed hot with a two-RBI single through the right side to give Auburn the lead. Kason Howell's 67th career double extended the advantage, and sacrifice flies from Justin Kirby and Caden Green capped off the frame.
The Trojans answered with a pair of two-run home runs in the top of the second to make it a 6-5 ballgame. However, Parker Carlson entered to start the third and needed just 11 pitches to retire Troy in order. The sophomore righty faced just one over the minimum in his first 3.0 innings of work before running into some trouble with a pair of walks in the sixth inning. Troy native Drew Nelson entered in relief of Carlson and issued the team's third walk of the inning to load the bases before a balk brought in the tying run. The Trojans then took the lead with a two-RBI single to right.
Auburn threatened in the bottom of the sixth as a two-out error extended the inning. Ike Irish collected his second hit of the game to put runners on the corners, but a strikeout ended the threat.
The Tigers cut the deficit to one on Kirby's second sacrifice fly of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Howell drew a one-out walk, stole second base, advanced to third as the throw sailed into center field, and scored on the fly ball from Kirby.
Troy threatened to extend its lead with a two-out single in the eighth, but Bobby Peirce threw out his second runner of the game to end the frame and keep it a one-run contest.
The Tigers threatened to tie it in the home half when, with two outs and nobody on, Peirce collected his fourth hit of the game and back-to-back walks to Irish and Bryson Ware loaded the bases. McMurray stung a ball to left center, but it hung up long enough for the left fielder to make a running catch.
Chase Isbell turned in his third scoreless frame in the top of the ninth to give the Tigers a chance to tie it or walk it off in the bottom of the inning, but the team went down in order to end the game.
Peirce led the way with four hits in the contest, his second game this season with four or more hits. McMurray collected multiple hits for the second straight game and drove in his 10th and 11th runs since the start of last week. Irish turned in his team-best 23rd multi-hit game of the season.
Auburn continues conference play with a trip to No. 2 South Carolina (34-6, 13-4 SEC) Friday through Sunday at Founders Park.
Auburn drops midweek tilt vs. Troy
