Auburn sixth inning rally ends No. 1 Arkansas’ 15-game winning streak

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

No. 1 Arkansas’ 15-game winning streak came to an end Saturday in a place dubbed the loveliest village on the plains.

Cooper McMurray’s three-run homer capped a six-run Auburn sixth inning that proved to be the difference in the Tigers’ 8-6 win over the Razorbacks at Plainsman Park.

The win kept Arkansas (19-3, 5-1) from sweeping the series after two one-run victories over Auburn (15-8, 1-5) the previous two nights.

The Razorbacks did get head coach Dave Van Horn back after he flew back to Fayetteville Friday for the birth of his triplet grand daughters and returned to Auburn on Saturday morning.

“Yeah, tough loss,” Van Horn said after his team had led 4-0 and 5-1. “We let a lead slip away. It’s hard to recover when you give up six in one inning. We had plenty of chances to score today. We left a lot of runners (11) on.

…Credit to Auburn. They fought back after we had them on the ropes. But it really probably boiled down to a couple of free passes here and there and pitch counts getting up and a big swing.”

It ended a toughs stretch for Auburn, who played before a single-game record crowd of 5,087 fans after getting swept at No. 2 Vanderbilt last weekend and falling down 4-0 to Arkansas on Saturday.

“It was perfect,” Thompson said of the day’s weather and the win. “I think that was the largest crowd we have ever had here at Plainsman Park and I think that is unbelievable, especially considering the last two weeks.

“But I have to tell you, the emotions of our team and the effort, I could just see it all week and it’s been tough. We have been hurting, but they absolutely stayed in it, especially after not getting what they wanted in two one-run ball games.”

Arkansas jumped out 4-0 on Jared Sprague-Lott’s three-run homer in the fourth and Kendall Diggs’ RBI triple in the fifth that chased home Peyton Stovall after he had singled.

The Tigers got broke up Razorback pitcher Mason Molina’s shutout bid in the fifth on McMurray’s RBI single .

Molina allowed one run and three hits, fanned four and walked four while throwing 74 pitches (44 strikes) before exited the game after five innings.

Auburn’s Mason Maners greeted Arkansas reliever Cooper Dossett – Friday night’s winning pitcher – with a solo homer leading off bottom of the sixth.

Dossett and freshmen Gabe Gaeckle (0-2) and Colin Fisher would give up six runs on four hits, a bases-loaded walk and a fielder’s choice before the sixth inning would end as Auburn went up 7-5.

“We finally just knocked the door down,” Thompson said. “We went six games without a big inning, which we quantify as three or more runs. That makes it tough.”

Thompson was thrilled for McMurray.

“McMurray really had a tough two days,” Thompson said. He really carried us 10 days before that. To see him at the end of the series come and have a couple of at bats, a hit early and the backside (opposite field) homer just knocked the door down and kind of created the big sixth inning. That was huge in the outcome of today’s game.”

Arkansas cut it 7-6 on Will Edmunson’s RBI double in the seventh that put the tying run at third and go-ahead one at second with one out.

But Auburn relief pitcher Patrick Carlson got Ty Wilmsmeyer to hit into a fielder’s choice and Stovall to strikeout to end the threat.

“At a minimum we should have tied it there and we didn’t,” Van Horn said. “One big hit and we’re ahead. So, typical game 3. It got a little crazy.”

Although he obviously did want a sweep, it was still a great weekend for Van Horn.

“It was a great weekend,” Van Horn said. “When you step back and take a look at it, it was easy for me. My daughter had to carry three babies in her for a long time, and it’s not fun I’m sure.

“I’m really proud of her. It was just back and forth on the plane a few times. It was all worth it,  though, and I feel great. I’m glad they’re here, glad they’re being taken care of and I’m looking forward to watching them grow up.

• • •

Auburn started junior pitcher Joseph Gonzalez, one for the nation’s best pitchers as a freshman, but off an injury that ended his sophomore season early and has limited his availability this season.

“Well, we had three goose eggs and then a three-run homer,” Thompson said. “That happens so much in this league and it only takes one of them to bite you.

“He got that and then that fourth run, the ball started getting in the air a little bit and we just thought this is a day you want that ball to be on the ground so we went ahead and went to the bullpen.”

Will Cannon finished off the last two innings to get the save for Auburn

“We finally got a meaningful game in Will Cannon’s hands and he took us to the finish line today.”

Auburn will play Texas A&M and LSU in the next two weekends as its early tough SEC slate continues.

“…This week we pitched more consistently and we felt like we turned the corner there,” Thompson said. “You got a chance if you are competitive on the mound every day and that is what I would love to see continue.”

Photo courtesy of Razorbacks Communications

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