AUBURN, Ala. — The University of Alabama baseball team used a three-run ninth inning to post a 7-6 win against Auburn University on Sunday in the final game of a three-game series at Plainsman Park.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tucker Hawley got the final six outs to earn the win out of the bullpen to help Alabama improve to 31-22 and 13-14 in the Southeastern Conference, while Auburn falls to 28-24 and 13-14.
The result, coupled with Arkansas” loss to South Carolina on Sunday and Mississippi State”s series victory against the University of Mississippi, creates a four-way tie (Arkansas, MSU, Alabama, and Auburn) for first place in the SEC Western Division. Ole Miss is one game back, and LSU is two games back entering the final SEC weekend of the regular season.
With the score tied 4-4 entering the ninth, Alabama scored three times to take a 7-4 lead. The Crimson Tide scored the go-ahead run on a double down the left-field line by Taylor Dugas. Jared Reaves and Brett Whitaker also drove in runs to extended the lead to 7-4.
Auburn rallied for a pair of runs in the ninth off Hawley (6-2), who pitched for the first time since April 3. Creede Simpson homered to lead off the ninth. Tony Caldwell doubled off the wall in left-center field with two outs to trim the lead to 7-6, but Hawley struck out Tony Caldwell to end the game with the tying run on second base.
“We”re really excited to see Hawley back out there today,” Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard said. “It was his first outing since his injury, so it”s encouraging as we move forward that he can be another piece of the puzzle out of the bullpen.”
Alabama starting pitcher Jonathan Smart threw seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with one strikeout. After allowing back-to-back singles to open the eighth, Smart gave way to Hawley, who retired the three batters he faced to keep the game tied at 4-4.
Auburn starting pitcher Slade Smith (2-1) pitched 8 2/3 innings in a losing effort. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits with four strikeouts.
Dugas was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, and Andrew Miller was 3-for-4 and scored the go-ahead run in the ninth. Reaves, Whitaker, and Austen Smith had two hits and two RBIs.
Like game two of the series, Auburn jumped out to an early lead, plating a pair of runs in the first game of the series finale. The Tigers got three hits in the inning, and scored on a sacrifice fly and a RBI double by Wes Gilmer to make the score 2-0 after one.
Alabama pulled even in the fourth, scoring on singles by Whitaker and Smith. Dugas led off the fourth with the first hit of the game for Alabama and scored on Whitaker”s infield hit. Smith followed with a sharp single to right field, plating Reaves, who reached on an error.
Brock Bennett extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single through the left side to lead off the sixth. Bennett is hitting .500 (21-for-42) in his last 10 games. Bennett came around to score on a two-out double down the left field line by Smith, giving the Crimson Tide a 3-2 lead.
After allowing three hits in the first inning, Smart retired 11 straight hitters and didn”t allow another hit until a leadoff double by Kevin Patterson in the seventh. After a bunt single moved Patterson to third, a squeeze bunt by Justin Hargett plated Johnson. The go ahead run came across on a sac fly by Justin Fradejas, scoring Jay Gonzalez for a 4-3 Tigers lead.
“I think you can see right now that each team is turning up the volume right now and giving their best efforts,” Gaspard said. “I thought this was a great series on both sides, both teams competed like crazy all weekend long.”
Alabama answered in the top of the eighth when Reaves singled to left field to drive in Dugas who doubled to lead off the inning.
After Auburn got back-to-back singles to lead off the eighth off Smart, Hawley came out of the bullpen. Hawley induced a pair of fly outs then struck out pinch-hitter Cullen Wacker to end the inning without any damage.
Alabama will play No. 4 South Carolina in a three-game series that will start at 6:35 p.m. Thursday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
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