Auburn, AL-- After a great opening run-rule win over rival Alabama, Auburn baseball came into game two looking to carry over that offensive momentum. That momentum slowed, which allowed Alabama to surge late and win 6-5 in the first game Saturday afternoon.
It was a slow and tough start for both pitchers as they worked to high pitch counts in the first inning. Auburn would strike first, though, as Steele would play around the bases after a walk to start the second inning.
It would not take long for Bama to match, though, in the next half-inning. Starting with a double down the line by Brady Neal, Justin Lebron, and Kade Snell would follow with singles to get Bama’s first run of the game and weekend. Alabama would load the bases only a batter later, but Fisher would get two key outs to finish the inning.
Riley Quick would give up a walk to Rembert to start the following inning before a single by Irish pushed him to third. Quick would continue to struggle with his control as he threw a wild pitch that scored Rembert.
Fisher also started to falter with his control as back-to-back singles would score one more the following inning.
Both offenses would go quiet until the second inning when Bristol Carter got a line-drive single to left. Another single put runners at the corners and extra pressure on Bama’s relief. One more single by Deric Fabian would score Carter, but a double play a couple of pitches later would end the inning.
Alabama took its first lead of the game the following inning and scored two more in the ninth to finish with six.
Chris Rembert hit a missile over the monster wall in left to tie the game back up at the bottom of the seventh. His fourth of the season tried to revive the slow Tigers offense so far, but Auburn would only get one hit the rest of the game.
Auburn will try to win the series Saturday as they play Alabama in the second game of the doubleheader. That game will be broadcast at 7:00 p.m. CT on SECN and the Auburn Sports Network.
