AUBURN, Ala. (EETV)-- On the heels of a seven-game win streak, Auburn quickly turned around from its mid-week game against Jacksonville State to head to Austin to play against No. 1 Texas. Auburn also looked to get their fifth straight win against a top-ten opponent with another strong game from Samuel Dutton. Even with a good game from Dutton, Schuessler’s homer in the bottom of the seventh would clinch game one for the Texas Longhorns, 3-2.
It was a defensive showdown to start for both teams as Dutton and Jared Spencer combined for six groundouts in the first two innings. Although Auburn got two free passes on base in the second, it wouldn't be until the third inning that the offense would finally convert.
After back-to-back ground-outs to the shortstop, Chris Rembert would finally get on base for the Tigers ahead of preseason all-American Ike Irish. In a no-doubter to center, Ike Irish would give the Tigers an early 2-0 lead and force Texas’ Spencer out with what looked like an injury.
Texas would respond in just a half-inning, though, as a single by Mendonza would punish Dutton’s wild pitch that put Farmer IV at second.
Dutton and Grubbs would calm down after that inning until the sixth, when Dutton’s control started to falter; something that Coach Thompson worked with him over the off-season. Even with Dutton getting his sixth strikeout to begin the bottom of the sixth inning, Texas would get solid contact the next three batters, with a single to Mendoza and a triple that the centerfielder dropped, to tie the game up for the Longhorns and put the pressure on the ice-cold Auburn offense to even get a hit.
Texas would start ramping up that momentum the following inning with a homer off the bat of Schuessler to deep left field to put the Longhorns up 3-2.
Texas’ Volantis would shut down the Auburn offense for the rest of the game as the Tigers fall 3-2 on Thursday. Auburn will face Texas in game two of the series Friday at 6 p.m. That game will be broadcast on SECN+
