Roundup: Tigers no-hit for six-plus in second loss to Vandy, Harper allows pair of solo shots in shutout loss, gymnastics notches fourth straight win, tennis win streak over Alabama snapped

Auburn third baseman Damek Tomscha gets a ground ball in the fourth inning of Saturday’s game with Vanderbilt. (Credit: Anthony Hall/Auburn Athletics).

Auburn’s batters were held without a hit for 6 1/3 innings in a 8-1 loss to No. 2 Vanderbilt Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park. The Tigers drew nine walks and eventually got four hits in their second straight loss.

“It’s a little frustrating. We had nine free bases and had guys in scoring position, we just unfortunately weren’t able to come up with a big hit in those situations,” Auburn coach John Pawlowski said.

Commodores starter Tyler Beede out-dueled Auburn’s Michael O’Neal, who lost his first game of the season for Auburn (13-5, 0-2 SEC).

O’Neal retired the first nine hitters, giving the Auburn pitching staff 29 consecutive batters retired going back to Friday night, and did not allow a run until the fifth, ending his streak of consecutive shutout innings at 13 2/3 innings. O’Neal finished the day allowing three runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout in six-plus innings.

Damek Tomscha’s RBI walk drew Auburn to within 5-1 in the eighth and made Vanderbilt go to closer Brian Miller for the second straight game. Miller induced a fly out to end the eighth and then worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.

Tony Kemp had three hits while Joel McKeithan had three RBI for Vanderbilt (18-2, 2-0 SEC). Vanderbilt scored twice in the fifth as Rhett Wiseman tripled in a run and scored on a McKeithan sac fly to go up 2-0. Wiseman singled in a run and McKeithan scored Vince Conde on a safety squeeze to make it 4-0.

Harper allows two solo shots in shutout loss

Marcy Harper allowed a pair of solo home runs by Georgia’s Kaylee Puailoa as the No. 25 Bulldogs defeated Auburn 2-0 Saturday afternoon. Harper fell to 10-3 on the year, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk in a complete-game loss for Auburn (20-9, 1-4 SEC).

“We had some chances, again, but just couldn’t get a hit when we had runners on base,” Auburn coach Tina Deese said. “I’m proud of the way Marcy pitched today; she kept it close and never let them get a big inning.”

Morgan Montemayor allowed four hits with two walks and six strikeouts and forced the Tigers into stranding seven runners on base to improve to 6-4 with the complete-game win for Georgia (20-7, 2-0 SEC).

Gymnastics notches fourth straight win

No. 12 Auburn Gymnastics defeated Pittsburgh 195.850-194.250 Saturday night in Fitzgerald Fieldhouse. The win marks the fourth-consecutive victory for the Tigers and six in seven meets.

“(We) went 23-for-24 tonight, which is really what we are trying to accomplish,” Auburn  coach Jeff Graba said. “I thought we were pretty sharp tonight. I thought we brought our ‘A’ game and our best effort and we came away with a win.”

Tennis win streak against Alabama snapped

The No. 31 Auburn men’s tennis team lost to No. 27 Alabama 4-3  at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. Alabama (12-5, 3-2 SEC) snapped a three-match losing streak against Auburn (10-5, 2-3 SEC).