Quick Takes: Tennessee falls 6-1 to Auburn in delayed series opener

Tennessee Baseball lost 6-1 to Auburn Saturday afternoon in the weekend series opener at Lindsey Nelson Stadium that took two days, five different start times and two delays to get finished. 

Ike Irish had a two-run home run in the rain Friday night and added an RBI single in the third on Saturday to lead Auburn (32-14, 12-10). Samuel Dutton started and went 6.2 innings, giving up the one run on four hits while striking out eight and not allowing a walk.

Tennessee (36-10, 13-9) got a single and double from Dalton Bargo and Levi Clark had an RBI double, but that was all the offense the Vols could muster in the loss. 

Saturday’s second game is scheduled to start 45 minutes after the completion of Game 1. Sunday’s game is still scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET start on SEC Network+, with sunny skies in the forecast. 

Game 1 was a mess

Friday night’s opener was originally scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start, but it was announced Friday afternoon that first pitch had been moved up to 5:30. The game was later delayed until 8 p.m.

The game started at 8:02 p.m. despite heavy rains but lasted only three outs, with Auburn scoring two runs on a two-run home run in the top of the first. 

The game was delayed after Auburn took the field for the bottom of the first, with the dirt pitching mound caked in mud.

Tennessee started its ace, Liam Doyle, Friday. He threw 27 pitches in the top of the first, starting the game with a strikeout, then issuing a four-pitch walk. Dutton, Friday night’s starter, was able to pitch Saturday afternoon after Friday night’s delay. 

The game was scheduled to be resumed at 11 a.m. Saturday, then pushed back to 11:45, then moved up to 11:35. 

Tegan Kuhns stepped up

Freshman right-hander Tegan Kuhns started Saturday’s first game, after Doyle was wasted Friday night, and had his best outing of the season.

Kuhns went a season-long 4.2 innings. had a season-high 74 pitches and had a career-high six strikeouts, against just one walk. He gave up two runs on five hits.

Irish, who hit the two-run home run in the rain Friday night to put Auburn ahead in the first, added an RBI single in the third inning off Kuhns. Cooper McMurray hit a long solo home run to right field in the sixth to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead and Kuhns was pulled one batter later. 

Kuhns’ previous season highs were 4.1 innings pitched at Alabama on March 22, when he gave up just one hit and struck out five, with one walk. 

Tennessee couldn’t find its offense

Umpire Ben Levin’s strike zone left a lot to be desired Saturday afternoon but so did Tennessee’s offense. 

Clark’s double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh scored Bargo, who doubled to get into scoring position. It broke up a shutout that would have been Tennessee’s first since getting shutout at Vanderbilt on May 12 last season.

Tennessee challenged the call on Clark’s double, which appeared to hit the top of the wall and bounce back into the field of play, but the call stood. 

Bargo’s single with one out in the fifth was Tennessee’s first hit and first baserunner of the game. He went to second on a passed ball but was left stranded at third a Clark strikeout and a Reese Chapman fly out. 

The Vols, who have scored three runs or fewer is five of their last six SEC games, struck out 10 times, including six strikeouts looking, and did not draw a walk. Tennessee was 1-for-10 with runners on, 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, 1-for-10 leading off and 2-for-10 in advancement opportunities.