AUBURN – No. 4 Auburn baseball’s season came to a close on Saturday as it dropped Game 2 in its Super Regional showing at Plainsman Park to No. 13 Coastal Carolina, 4-1.
In a turnaround season on the Plains after a disastrous 8-22 showing in SEC play a season ago, and missing the postseason entirely, the Tigers finished the year with a 41-20 overall record and a 17-13 mark in-conference.
“Absolute tip of the hat to Coastal, just a great run. Great season for our guys. So many young players helped us. Our leadership was great. I talked to our guys about a mantra this year, GOMAD – go make a difference. And they did. They made a difference for me. Our fans – as you could tell – this year, they endured themselves to amazing fans and our people behind the scenes and our leadership kept building this thing out with momentum, and I'm forever grateful for that,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said.
With the season on the line, Auburn’s bats went stagnant. The Tigers stranded 11 runners – 19 for the weekend – and were 3-for-19 with runners on base while striking out 11 times.
“To be able to play at home for two days and not execute, or find ourselves getting in a big inning… I thought that would need to happen,” said Thompson.
Although the Chanticleers didn’t plate their first run until the seventh inning, their leadoff man reached base for six consecutive innings – both innings they scored were ignited by a Sebastian Alexander double, who recorded both of Coastal Carolina’s extra base hits in the contest.
Auburn starter Andreas Alvarez recorded his 16th consecutive scoreless inning, holding the Chanticleers to four hits with one strikeout in four innings of work.
“It was definitely a good feeling to come out and compete like that against certain teams, and the last couple teams that I've faced, I really felt confident on the mound. And just being able to have a team behind my back like that was huge,” said Alvarez.
The Tigers struck first in their half of the second against power pitcher Jacob Morrison with a two-out single from Chase Fralick that scored Eric Snow all the way from first.
The Chanticleers threatened in the bottom of the third with a single and a two-out walk that gave them runners in scoring position after a wild pitch. But Alvarez got out of the jam to hold them at bay.
Auburn threatened with two of its best two hitters – Ike Irish and Cooper McMurray – at the plate in the fifth with two on, but left the frame with its sixth stranded base runner through five plate appearances.
Disaster was on the horizon for the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth as Coastal Carolina threatened with a bases-loaded situation. Alvarez’s day came to an end after a leadoff single. Cade Fisher entered in relief and gave up two singles with no outs to load the bases, but he buckled down and worked three straight outs to get out of the jam unscathed.
Auburn put two aboard again in the sixth but left its eighth baserunner stranded. The Chanticleers returned the favor with the same in the bottom half.
Things began to unravel for the Tigers with the Chanticleers putting up a three-spot in the seventh to take the lead. Alexander, who led off with a double, advanced to third and scored on a one-out single. Another single through the left side with two outs gave Coastal Carolina two runners on, and a swinging bunt back to Fisher looked – which looked like the innings’ end – resulted in a muffed throw at first base, allowing the Chanticleers’ to take a one-run lead.
Cam Tilly came on in relief and walked his first, and only, batter with four pitches, ending his day quickly. A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded by Parker Carlson gave way to another Coastal Carolina run.
The Chanticleers added an insurance run in the eighth with Alexanders’ second double of the evening. Advancing to third on a sacrifice fly, he scored on a misread single over the head of Bub Terrell in left field, ultimately ending the Tigers' season.
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