Auburn baseball hit the road this weekend, following the men’s basketball team to Nashville. However, it wasn’t tournament action that awaited the boys on the diamond, but rather their SEC season opener against the Vanderbilt Commodores. It wasn’t the start to SEC play that Coach Butch Thompson and the Tigers wanted, though, as they fell to the Commodores 11-1.
Auburn opened the game’s scoring in the top of the first inning. Catcher Ike Irish got into scoring position via a one-out double to right center field. A Deric Fabian groundout advanced Irish to third, who then scored on a wild pitch from Vanderbilt starter Carter Holton moments later.
However, that would be the only run the Tigers managed to get over the plate all night. Auburn went just 1-10 from the dish with runners on base, and an even more putrid 0-6 with runners in scoring position.
Vanderbilt starting pitcher Carter Holton had an outstanding night, pitching a strong seven innings and allowing just four hits, one walk, and one earned run. Holton also recorded nine strikeouts on the night, his second-highest K number of the season thus far. He was credited with the win and improved to 3-0 on the season.
Auburn’s pitchers did not perform to the same level. The Tigers starter Chase Allsup only made it four innings, allowing nine hits, two walks, and seven earned runs while only striking out four Commodores. Allsup was tagged with the loss and dropped to 1-1 on the season. He was relieved by Parker Carlson, who pitched two solid innings and was the only Auburn pitcher not to allow a run on the night. Hayden Murphy was next, and he too fell victim to the Vandy bats, giving up two hits and two earned runs in just one inning of work. Zach Crotchfelt finished the game for Auburn, allowing two more runs, only one of which was earned.
Vanderbilt’s high-powered offense ran through the middle infield duo of second baseman Jayden Davis and shortstop Jonathan Vastine. Davis went 4-5 on the day and scored three runs, also driving in two; one on an infield single in the fifth inning and one on a triple in the eighth. Vastine was just 1-4 from the plate, but made the hit count, launching a two-run home run to right field in the second inning. Vastine also drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in the fourth.
Overall, the night was a massive struggle for the Tigers, who will look to bounce back tomorrow as Carson Myers will get the start for the second game of the series. First pitch will be at 2 p.m. CT and coverage can be found on the Auburn Sports Network and SEC Network+.
