Auburn takes series with 9-7 win at Missouri
Courtesy of Auburn Athletics
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Auburn secured its first Southeastern Conference series win with a 9-7 victory in the series finale at Missouri Sunday afternoon at Taylor Stadium.
The Tigers homered multiple times for the third straight game in the series and ultimately collected 37 hits in the three games.
Auburn lost the Friday night game 12-11 after leading 11-6, and won the Saturday game 12-2.
“It is (nice), especially to bounce back after a tough game Friday night,” Thompson said of the series victory. “A couple of challenges that we have are still there, but we played enough offense all weekend.”
Christian Herberholz (2-2) turned in 5.0 scoreless innings in his first SEC start of the season, matching a career high. He allowed four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
“I was really happy I could just let my defense play behind me and get back in the dugout as quick as I could,” Herberholz said. “I’d say my last two innings I felt my best. Being a starter my whole career, I’ve always gotten stronger as the game went on and today was no different. I just felt really, really good towards the end of the game and felt really under control.”
Chris Stanfield turned in two hits for the third straight game in the series, including a three-run home run in the seventh inning, and scored two runs while driving in three.
“Just very thankful,” Stanfield said of the series win. “You always have to stay in the game and play the full nine innings because you never know what’s going to happen. I’m just thankful to come through for the team and for us to get this series win.”
Cade Belyeu crushed a solo homer with one out in the second inning to get the scoring started. The long ball was Belyeu’s second of the weekend and his sixth of the season, including his fourth of league play.
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The Tigers (25-25, 6-21 SEC) added to the early advantage with a one-out RBI single from Cooper McMurray and sacrifice fly from Carter Wright on back-to-back pitches in the third, making it a 3-0 game.
Missouri (22-30, 8-19 SEC) scattered four hits in the first five innings, but Herberholz kept the home Tigers off the scoreboard. The right hander retired eight of the last 10 batters he faced in his outing.
Missouri got on the scoreboard on a pair of doubles in the sixth, and the Tigers’ pitching staff had retired 11 straight Auburn hitters since the top of the third. However, Caden Green laced a leadoff single to right field to start the seventh, and Deric Fabian followed with his second hit of the game before Stanfield blasted a three-run homer over the home bullpen to increase the lead to 7-1.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Auburn added a pair of runs in the eighth on a two-RBI single from Fabian, marking his third hit of the game and first three-hit game of SEC play.
Missouri answered with five runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 9-6 game. The first six batters of the frame reached on singles and a fielding error allowed runners to advance two extra bases. However, Hayden Murphy entered and kept the damage there with a strikeout and double play to end the inning.
Missouri hit a solo homer in the ninth inning to cap off the scoring in the contest.
Auburn’s final week of the season starts with a midweek game against Samford (33-18, 13-5 SoCon) at the Hoover Met Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.
