7 hours ago
Isaiah Hood | SEC Network
Hoover, Alabama — A trio of three-plus-run innings is enough as No. 5 Auburn defeats No. 12 Missouri, 10-4, in a first-round SEC baseball tournament game at Hoover Met. .
Auburn’s 10 runs are the most in an SEC Tournament game since 1998 and tied for the most Missouri has allowed in an SEC Tournament game. Auburn also posted its ninth straight win against an SEC opponent, its most against SEC competition since April 1995.
Cole Foster and Bryson Ware were the stars of the game offensively as both hit a homer and had three RBI.
The nightcap got off to a quiet start after a lackluster and scoreless first inning by both teams. Hank Zeisler, who had been walked to start the second inning, was sent home on a sacrifice fly from Jackson Lovich to get the first score on the board.
The Power took the field in the bottom of the third as Auburn loaded the bases with zero outs. Nate LaRue led off by getting on base and Chris Stanfield kept the energy going with a double to right field. Missouri’s Javin Pimental hit Foster with a pitch and the crowd erupted. Pimental followed that with another walk to produce Auburn’s first run of the day. Auburn finished the inning with three runs and ignited Missouri.
Mizzou entered the top of the fourth ready to swing the momentum back on its way. After a fielding error, Trevor Austin made his way to second base and then scored on a fielding error; it was a sloppy inning by Auburn’s defense. The bases were loaded with two outs and Tre Morris scored after Cam Cheek, who nearly hit a grand slam, walked. After striking out five, Tommy Whaley was replaced by Chase Isbell, who hit and gave up another run.
Missouri took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth after both teams went into action. Missouri also made changes for Brock Lucas after Pimental’s decent start.
Lucas wasn’t enough to slow down the energy in Alabama. Auburn quickly got two hits on base in the bottom of the fourth, and Stanfield sent one of them home with a single. Foster came up in the next at-bat and crushed a 416-foot homer to right field, putting Auburn up 7-4 and removing Lucas from the mound off Rorick Maltrude.
Foster’s home run was his fifth in his last seven games after hitting just seven in his first 44 games.
The fifth, sixth and seventh innings were eventful when it came to base hitting, but both teams couldn’t follow through on the previous high-scoring stretch.
Foster led off the eighth with a single and Pierce lined a double to center that scored him. McMurray followed with a double into left field, but a controversial moment came when Pierce was thrown out at home. The play was reviewed and Pierce was called out. The crowd roared on the next play as Ware hit a two-run shot to extend Auburn’s lead.
HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
T2 |: Zeisler was walked to start the inning. Dalton Bargo flied out and Zeisler advanced to third. Lovich flied out on the next play and Zeisler scored. Missouri 1, Auburn, 0.
B3: |: LaRue singled to left-center to start. Stanfield hit a double to right field. Foster was then hit by a pitch. Then Bobby Pierce walked. Foster moved to second, Stanfield to third and LaRue scored. Cooper McMurray grounded out and Stanfield scored. Missouri 1, Auburn 3.
T4 Trevor Austin singled, then moved to second on a fielding error. Zeisler grounded out and Zeisler advanced to third. Morris reached on a fielding error and Austin scored. Bargo singled to center field and Morris advanced to second. Garcia walked, Bargo advanced to second and Morris advanced to third. Chiki was walked. Garcia advanced to second, Bargo to third and Morris scored. Cheek advanced to second on a wild pitch, Garcia went to third and Bargo scored. Missouri 4, Auburn 4.
B4: |: Cason Howell hit a field goal. Caden Green reached on a fielder’s choice. LaRue walked and Green advanced to second. Stanfield singled through the right field, LaRue advanced to third and Green scored. Foster singled to right field as Stanfield and LaRue scored. Missouri 4, Auburn 7.
B8: |: Foster singled to right field. Pierce doubled to center field and Foster scored. McMurray doubled to left field and Pierce advanced to third but was thrown out at home. Way singled to left-center for a two-run shot. Missouri 4, Auburn 10.
NEXT
Auburn (33-19) advanced to the second round against No. 4 Vanderbilt. First pitch is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m., 30 minutes after the Alabama-Florida game in a contest that will be televised on the SEC Network.
Missouri (30-23) will await the announcement of the 2023 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.