University of Tennessee
Auburn
Tennessee Loses 8-5 in Game One of Sunday DH
March 15, 2009 | Baseball
March 15, 2009
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Despite out hitting Auburn 12-11, Tennessee lost the first game of Sunday's doubleheader 8-5 at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The loss drops the Vols' record to 7-8 (0-2 SEC). Auburn's victory gives them the series victory.
Tennessee starting pitcher Ty'Relle Harris (1-2) pitched three innings in the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out three. The senior gave up two home runs.
The Auburn offense banged out 11 hits, including four home runs. Five of eight runs scored by the Tigers came via the home run.
Auburn right-hander Jon Luke Jacobs (2-0) allowed four runs on nine hits through five innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Tennessee looked like it might rally when center fielder Kentrail Davis and first baseman Cody Hawn led off the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back singles. Auburn then brought in right-hander Austin Hubbard who retired the next three batters in order to close out the game and earn his third save of the year. The Vols did score one run on a groundout to short off the bat of Jeff Lockwood. Davis scored after advancing to third on Hawn's single.
Auburn took a 4-0 lead on four hits in the top of the first inning. After right fielder Ben Jones drove in center fielder Trent Mummey with an RBI double to left-center field, left fielder Brian Fletcher and designated hitter hit back-to-back home runs. Fletcher's home run was a two-run shot.
The Tigers added another run in the second to take a 5-0 lead. Mummey drove in shortstop Casey McElroy from second base on a double to right-center field. McElroy walked to lead off the inning.
Auburn took a 6-0 lead with a run in the third inning. An RBI double off the bat of catcher Tony Caldwell sent home Morris, who previously reached on a single.
The Volunteers cut the Auburn lead in half, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning. P.J. Polk and Davis led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Hawn then doubled home Polk, which catcher Blake Forsythe followed with an RBI single of his own to drive in Davis. Lockwood then drove in Tennessee's third run of the inning with his own RBI single up the middle, scoring Hawn.
McElroy gave Auburn a 7-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning when he hit third home run of the year over the wall in center field.
Tennessee scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Auburn lead to 7-4. With the bases loaded and one out, Polk lined out to the second baseman and pinch hitter Mike Hornsby scored while right fielder Josh Liles got caught in a run down between first and second. Hornsby crossed the plate before Liles was tagged for the third out of the inning.
The Tigers regained their four run lead, 8-4, when third baseman Joseph Sanders hit Auburn's fourth home run of the game to center field.
Aaron Tullo and Will Locante pitched the final four innings out of the Tennessee bullpen. Tullo went 3-1/3 innings, surrendering two runs on four hits. Locante pitched the final two outs of the top of the seventh.
Raleigh was ejected by home plate umpire Mark Chapman in the bottom of the third inning, after Chapman consulted at length with his crew and ruled Horne struck out on a pitch originally ruled a foul tip.
The two teams return to the diamond later this afternoon for the second game of the doubleheader. Right-hander Stephen McCray will take the mound for the Vols against right-hander Paul Burnside for Auburn.
