AUBURN, Ala.--The No. 8 ranked Auburn Tigers played in Austin to face off against the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns. With a final score of 3-8, the Tigers fell short of an underdog victory. Despite entering the game with hopes of making the series even, Auburn couldn’t keep up with the Longhorns’ consistent offensive power.
At the start of the game, both teams weren’t able to find their groove at bat, because of strong pitching/defensive performances. It was a tight and competitive opening, with neither side giving any ground easily.
The bottom of the third the Longhorns got hot against Auburn pitcher Cade Fisher. With 3 hits and 2 runs from the burnt orange, Auburn started losing momentum early.
At the start of the fourth, Auburn wasn’t able to produce any hitting action, however Texas again came out strong at bat with another 3 hits and 2 additional runs. This extended the score to 0-4, in favor of Texas.
Once Auburn stepped up to the plate at the top of the fifth, hope bloomed for the Tigers. Ike Irish smacked a home run to left center, scoring himself and Deric Fabian. Much to Auburn’s delight Texas stayed quiet at the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers weren’t able to do what they did in the fifth, slowing down and putting no runs on the board. The Longhorns, however, scored two runs against Auburn pitcher Dylan Watts. This put a damper on Auburn’s attempt to comeback.
The seventh inning, Ike Irish homered again, this time to center field. Shrinking the score to 3-6. Texas didn't take that lightly, putting yet another two runs on the board, extending their lead to 8-3.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning, leaving Auburn with one final chance to stage a comeback in the top of the ninth. However, the Tigers weren’t able to rally, falling flat against the Longhorns, 3-8.
Auburn will look to bounce back Saturday in the series finale against Texas. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT in Austin, Texas. The Tigers will aim to regroup, sharpen their approach at the plate, and bounce back to try to take a win against the nation’s top-ranked team.
