BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A back-and-forth ballgame ultimately resulted in a 6-5 loss for Auburn at UAB Tuesday night at Regions Field.
In a game that saw two ties and two lead changes, UAB hit a one-out single to left field with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.
"I just wanted them to fight," head coach Butch Thompson said. "It was a good game back and forth. We got the bases loaded in the eighth, and then they loaded them in the bottom of the ninth and get the run to beat us. I just wanted our guys to fight. All of the other stuff will kind of work its way out throughout a ballgame. I liked the fight regardless of the outcome tonight."
UAB (10-18) was the first to score on a pair of bases-loaded walks and a two-out, two-RBI single in the first inning. Parker Carlson entered from the bullpen and ended the first with a strikeout before also working a scoreless second inning.
Auburn (18-10-1) got on the scoreboard with a run on a sacrifice fly from Bobby Peirce in the top of the third. Caden Green drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a single from Cole Foster before Peirce's deep fly to center field scored Green from third.
After Trevor Horne worked a scoreless bottom of the third, the Tigers tied the game with three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth. Nate LaRue stepped to the plate with two outs and hit one right back up the middle to draw a run closer. Green was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Foster hit a two-RBI single to left center to even the score.
Graduate lefty Tommy Sheehan made his first appearance since opening weekend and struck out three batters in 1.1 scoreless innings in relief. Chase Allsup entered to start the sixth inning and UAB put a runner on third with one out, but the sophomore righty stranded the potential go-ahead run with a strikeout and flyout.
Still tied 4-4 in the top of the seventh, Ike Irish hit a sacrifice fly to center with runners on the corners and one out to give Auburn its first lead. Green doubled down the third base line to start the inning and moved to third on a one-out single to center from Bobby Peirce before Irish drove him in.
After the Blazers tied the game with a leadoff double that led to a run on a safety squeeze in the bottom of the seventh, Auburn threatened to reclaim the lead in the top of the eighth. Two walks and an error prolonged the inning and loaded the bases, but UAB went to the bullpen and reliever Christian Clack needed just one pitch to escape the inning.
Christian Herberholz worked a perfect bottom of the eighth inning to keep the score tied going to the ninth, and Peirce was initially ruled safe to lead off the inning but was call was overturned without review. The Tigers ultimately went down in order in the inning, and four of the five UAB hitters who stepped to the plate in the ninth reached base to end the game.
Auburn continues Southeastern Conference play with a three-game series vs. Texas A&M (17-11, 3-6 SEC) Thursday-Saturday at Plainsman Park.
Tigers fall in bottom of the ninth at UAB
