Auburn scrapes across several late runs to pick up the win against the Gamecocks

Tigers overcome Gamecocks late to earn the first win in the three game series at Plainsman Park.

On Friday, the Tigers took on the South Carolina Gamecocks in game one of the three-game series. This season Mark Kingston and his team have struggled to find any kind of consistency.

They have won two SEC series thus far. Those came against ranked opponents in both Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. However, they have also lost three other series to Missouri, Tennessee, and Georgia. After coming in fresh off a three-game win streak, the Tigers seemed to have other plans for the team traveling from Columbia.

As for the Tigers, they were also on a three-game win streak heading into Friday night’s matchup in Plainsman Park. After going one inning scoreless, both teams saw productivity from the plate in the second inning. First, the Gamecocks struck first with a sacrifice fly from catcher Colin Burgess which brought across first baseman Kevin Madden. After the top half of the first inning, the team in garnet and black was up 1-0.

In the bottom half of the first, the Tigers struck back. After a double by designated hitter Cam Hill, right fielder Bobby Peirce grounded out allowing Hill to advance. One batter later and it was shortstop Brody Moore who delivered with another ground out that plated Hill. Two batters late catcher Nate LaRue hit a home run to bring across Cole Foster who had just gotten walked. At the end of two, Butch Thompson’s squad was up 3-1.

In the top half of the third, right-fielder Ayden Eyster hit a solo home run to lessen the Tigers’ lead to 3-2. Auburn was able to bring across any runs in the bottom of the third inning. In the top half of the fourth inning, the Gamecocks scored yet another run. This time it came off the bat of Evan Stone who grounded out to the pitcher but ultimately brought across shortstop Michael Braswell who had reached earlier in the inning off of a single into left-center field. After four, the score was now tied 3-3.

It wasn’t until the bottom half of the seventh inning that either team scored a run. Pierce hit a solo shot to left field to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead heading into the eighth inning. In the bottom half of the eighth, first baseman Sonny DiChiara delivered a two-run home run to increase the lead to 6-3.

In the ninth, the Gamecocks went three-up-three-down. Auburn won game one by a score of 6-3. The win was given to starting pitcher Carson Skipper who moves to 4-0 on the season. On the other hand, South Carolina relief pitcher John Gilreath was handed the loss pushing his record on the season to 1-3. It is also worth noting that Blake Burkhalter was able to pick up his ninth save of the season thus far.

The Tigers improve to 27-12 and 9-7 in conference play while the Gamecocks fall to 19-18 and 6-10 in conference play. The two teams will return to action in Plainsman Park for game two of the series. First pitch is set for 2 CT and the game will be televised on SEC Network +.