Unearned run plague Tigers in loss to Kennesaw State

Courtesy of Auburn Athletic Communications

AUBURN — Auburn surrendered a total of seven unearned runs on two errors while the offense struck out a season-high nine times as the Auburn baseball team fell to Kennesaw State, 9-2, on Tuesday afternoon. The loss drops Auburn’s record to 6-2 while Kennesaw State improved to 5-3.

“I thought there were two situations that really dictated that game,” Auburn coach John Pawlowski said. “We had to execute a couple of pitches in some big situations when we came in out of the bullpen and we didn’t do that. Then offensively we had some opportunities to get a guy in or to score a run and we didn’t do that. I am very disappointed in our overall performance. There is a lot of work yet to be done.”

Auburn would load the bases in both the second and fourth innings but failed to bring a run in both times as Kennesaw State pitchers Steve Janas and Colton Cross (1-0) worked out of one-out and two-out bases loaded jams, respectively.

Kennesaw State took a 2-0 lead in the fifth. Alex Liquori singled in a run off Auburn starter Dillon Ortman (0-1) and then Chase Williamson threw a run-scoring wild pitch with his first offering after being summoned from the bullpen to make it 2-0.

Kennesaw State would load the bases with two outs in the sixth off of Williamson before Auburn made the move to Jay Wade. Anthony Duran was down 0-2 to Wade before lining a two-run single to center to start the scoring in the frame. Two batters later Kal Simmons doubled down the line in left to clear the bases, increasing the lead to 7-0.

Garrett Cooper finished with three of Auburn’s seven hits on the afternoon. Patrick Savage had the lone RBI on a sixth-inning sacrifice fly.

The top three in Auburn’s lineup went a combined 0-for-14 with six strike outs.

Auburn returns to action on Friday at 3pm against Eastern Illinois in the first of a three-game series. Saturday’s game is set to start at 3pm and Sunday’s series finale begins at 1pm.