AUBURN, Ala. – The Alabama State baseball team lost 2-1 at Auburn Wednesday night at Plainsman Park.
Auburn (20-13) scored the winning run on a one-out base hit in the ninth inning by Blake Austin, scoring pinch-runner Sam Gillikin.
Alabama State (19-17) scored in the first inning. With two out,
Richard Gonzalez and
Waldyvan Estrada hit back-to-back singles. Brandon Castro reached on a throwing error, scoring Gonzalez from third to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers tied the game in the third on a bases-loaded walk to Garrett Cooper.
Both pitching staffs were dominant in the game. Alabama State starter
Matt Burnside, and relievers
Michael Estevez,
Jorge Pantoja, and
Armando Ruiz held Auburn hitless for 7 2/3 innings. At one point, the Hornets retired 15 Auburn batters in a row.
In the ninth, the first two Auburn batters reached on singles. Following a force out at third for the first out, Austin delivered the game-winning hit to left field.
“The pitching did a very good job,” head coach
Mervyl Melendez said. “We used several guys to get them some work, and we had a no-hitter going until the eighth inning. It was a very good performance by the pitchers. I thought the at-bats at the beginning of the game were very competitive, and kind of died down from there, and that's the difference in the ball game. We have to get it done when we have those opportunities in a close ball game; every at-bat, every run counts. We were probably one hit away from winning the game.”
Emmanuel Marrero went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Hornets, who return to action this weekend in Southwestern Athletic Conference play at Alabama A&M in a doubleheader Saturday and single game Sunday. First pitch both days is 1 p.m. with the games broadcast online at bamastatesports.com/showcase.
