« on: March 19, 2013, 10:18:09 AM »
Auburn baseball was off to their best start since the 2007 season. They stood 13-3 entering last weekend's home series against second-ranked Vanderbilt. Reality, however, quickly set in. The Tigers battled, but simply didn't make enough plays against one of the nation's best squads.
The result was being swept at home and a 0-3 conference start. Missed opportunities and slow offensive starts plagued the Tigers all three games. Those trends will have to change.
On Friday night, Auburn squared off against Commodores' ace Kevin Ziomek. The 'Dores pitcher had only given up three runs all season and he showed why. The Tigers didn't manage a hit until the seventh inning, and despite scoring single runs in the eighth and ninth innings, never really threatened. Auburn lost 5-2 as Ziomek threw 8.1 innings.
"The difference was they had a couple of big swings and the second home run was obviously the determining factor in the game," head coach John Pawlowski said. "Good teams are going to take advantage of some mistakes. We made some mistakes and they took advantage of it and that was the difference in the ballgame."
Tigers' starter Daniel Koger persevered through a pair of home runs and five runs in the first three innings. He pitched six innings and kept Auburn in the game, sitting down 11 straight Vandy hitters before being pulled entering the seventh inning. Jay Wade and Will Kendall followed Koger in relief, and in all, the trio sat down 20 straight Vanderbilt hitters to end the game. That was a positive. The loss, and lack of production, wasn't.

 Saturday brought about similar results to the night before. This time, Auburn entered the sixth inning against Vanderbilt starter Tyler Beede without a hit, ultimately falling 8-1 to lose the series. It was the first SEC opening series loss for Pawlowski while at Auburn.

 The Tigers only managed four hits on the day and didn't take advantage of nine walks. They got a lead-off walk in five different innings, and Auburn's only run on the day was off a bases loaded walk.
"It's a little frustrating," Pawlowski said. "I know the guys are frustrated. We had nine free bases today and had guys in scoring position. Just unfortunately weren't able to come up with a big hit in that situation."

 Like Friday night, Auburn received a solid starting pitching performance from Michael O'Neal on Saturday. O'Neal threw six innings, giving up three earned runs on three hits. O'Neal kept Auburn in it, but reliever Conner Kendrick suffered through his worst outing from the bullpen. Kendrick hadn't allowed a run all season until he gave up two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings against the Commodores.
Auburn attempted to salvage one game from the series on Sunday, and despite battling back from a big deficit, they fell short. The sweep was complete when Vanderbilt took Sunday's game 8-6. Unlike Friday and Saturday, starting pitching doomed the Tigers this time. Rocky McCord, who had been solid his previous two outings, only lasted 1.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and walking three.

Auburn managed 11 hits after only managing nine combined hits on Friday and Saturday. They battled back from a 7-1 deficit after the fourth inning, closing the game to 7-5 and 8-6 by the ninth.
"We'll keep working," Pawlowski said. "Two tough games this weekend and right back into conference play, so some great challenges lie ahead for us."
What's the takeaway?
Losing a series to the second-ranked team in the nation is nothing to panic about. More teams than Auburn will be swept at the hands of the Commodores, but regardless, being swept at home in the SEC makes it awfully hard to survive as the conference slate wears on. To make matters worse, Auburn travels to now No. 2 LSU this weekend. LSU leads the league with 18 home runs. Auburn's adequate pitching staff and average offensive attack will be put to the test.
WHERE'S THE HITTING?
Last season, six Auburn hitters held a batting average over .300 by season's end. This season, that number stands at just three. Freshman Jordan Ebert (.333), junior catcher Blake Austin (.333) and senior Garrett Cooper (.305) stand along, and only Cullen Wacker (.288) and Patrick Savage (.286) are above the .280 mark.
A key catalyst during the 2012 season was Ryan Tella. The junior outfielder hit a team-high .360 last season, while stealing 17 bases. This season, the preseason all-conference selection Tella is hitting just .275 and has stolen only four bases. Another Tigers' hitter looking for a spark is JUCO infielder Damek Tomscha. The Iowa native hit .417 with 25 doubles and 16 home runs last season at Iowa Western Community College in 2012. Tomscha was expected to be a consistent offensive threat, but is hitting only .238 with six doubles and one home run this season. For Auburn to succeed, Tella and Tomscha have to elevate their play.
Auburn's team batting average dropped from .282 to .269 after this weekend. That has to change as Auburn heads on the road to face a powerful LSU team.
TEAM NOTES
**The last time Auburn didn't win their SEC opening series was 2008, when it was swept by Florida.

**Ebert saw his 13-game hit streak snapped last Tuesday against Kennesaw State. That streak was the longest by an Auburn freshman since Sean Gamble's 13-game hit streak in 2002.

**Austin caught two Vanderbilt base runners stealing over the weekend, bringing his season total to seven. That's fourth best in the SEC. Vanderbilt is the top base stealing team in the league, and they were 0-for-2 against Auburn.
**Auburn travels to No. 2 LSU this weekend and has taken series wins from LSU the last three series.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
PATRICK SAVAGE, Junior, Infielder/DH

Savage hit safely in all three games against Vanderbilt and has a 8-game hit streak intact. Over the eight games, Savage is hitting .333 with three doubles and five RBI, scoring four runs, playing DH in all eight games.
TOUCHING THE BASES
Todd Van Emst
Patrick Savage has a eight-game hit streak.
AUBURN BY THE NUMBERS:

Hitting (SEC rank) 

Batting Average - .269 (10) 

Home Runs - 5 (10) 

Runs - 117 (8)

Hits - 166 (12) 

RBI - 103 (9)
On Base Percentage - .380 (6)
Stolen Bases - 12 (12)
Pitching and Fielding (SEC Rank)

Team ERA - 3.32 (11)
Opponent Batting Average - .244 (9)
Runs Allowed - 83 (10)
Earned Runs Allowed - 63 (10)
Batters Struck Out - 114 (13)
Fielding Percentage - .970 (10)
Errors - 22 (8)

LAST WEEK'S RECORD: 1-3
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:
Mar. 12 at Kennesaw State W, 8-3
Mar. 15 No. 2 Vanderbilt L, 5-2
Mar. 16 No. 2 Vanderbilt L, 8-1
Mar. 17 No. 2 Vanderbilt L, 8-6
THE WEEK AHEAD:
Mar. 19 vs. Alabama State 6 p.m.
Mar. 20 vs. Southern Miss 7 p.m. (Mobile, Ala.)
Mar. 22 at No. 2 LSU 7 p.m.
Mar. 23 at No. 2 LSU 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 24 at No. 2 LSU 1 p.m.
Overall Record: 13-6

SEC Record: 0-3

Polls: NR

RPI: Boyd's World (98); Warren Nolan (98)
SEC WEEKEND RESULTS:
South Carolina at Missouri (USC 2-1)
Vanderbilt at Auburn (VU 3-0)
Georgia at Texas A&M (TAMU 3-0)
LSU at Miss. State (LSU 2-1)
Ole Miss at Arkansas (OM 2-1)
Tennessee at Alabama (UA 2-1)
Kentucky at Florida (UK 2-1)
SEC Baseball Standings - 2/18:
Western Division (Overall, SEC)
Texas A&M 14-7, 3-0
Ole Miss 20-2, 2-1
LSU 18-2, 2-1
Alabama 11-9, 2-1
Miss. State 19-4, 1-2
Arkansas 14-7, 1-2
Auburn 13-6, 0-3
Eastern Division (Overall, SEC)
Vanderbilt 19-2, 3-0
South Carolina 17-3, 2-1
Kentucky 16-3, 2-1
Tennessee 10-9, 1-2
Florida 7-12, 1-2
Missouri 6-9, 1-2
Georgia 8-12, 0-3

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