03/04/17
AUBURN UNIVERSITY-2

Baseball collapses late to blow 3-run lead at Auburn

By Kirk Downs
LIPSCOMB AT AUBURN | MARCH 04, 2017
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Win: Lipscomb (2-0) 3.0 3 2 2 2 4
Loss: NORMAN (0-1) 0.2 2 1 1 0 1
BATTING AB R H RBI BB HR
SOLOMON (LIP) 3 2 2 0 1 0
DODSON (LIP) 5 1 2 1 0 0
SORRELLS (LIP) 5 0 2 2 0 0
Todd (AUBURN) 4 1 2 1 0 0
Anthony (AUBURN) 4 0 2 1 0 0
Jarvis (AUBURN) 4 0 2 1 0 0

AUBURN, Ala. – The Lipscomb baseball team blew a three-run lead in the eighth inning to drop a 5-4 decision to Auburn Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park.

Behind an excellent start from junior right-hander Jeffrey Passantino, the Bisons built a 4-1 lead and seemed to be in control. However, the Tigers scored four runs in the frame off three hits and two Lipscomb errors to snatch a victory from the grip of the Bisons.

“Up until that eighth inning I thought we did everything we needed to do in order to get the win,” Lipscomb head coach Jeff Forehand said. “But things just went sideways in that inning with a couple of walks and a couple of errors - that is hard to overcome.

“What makes it tough to swallow is that’s now how we play. Hats off to Auburn, we put them in a position to score some runs and they capitalized.”

Passantino pitched his third no-decision effort of the season, throwing 95 pitches in 6.0 innings of work. The Fort Myers, Florida native struck out eight batters, issued one walk and only gave up one unearned run.

“This was such a textbook start from Jeff,” Forehand said. “His pitched his butt off and got us in a position to win the game. We just couldn’t finish and I hate it for him.”

After being shutout in Friday’s opener, the Bisons(6-4) jumped on the Tigers in the opening frame. Junior center fielder Michael Gigliotti reached base when Auburn second baseman Jay Estes committed his first error of the season by allowing the ball to roll under his glove. Junior second baseman Lee Solomon got around on the second pitch of his at-bat and pulled it into left field, allowing Gigliotti to reach third. Two batters later first baseman Cade Sorrells singled through the right side of the infield to bring home Gigliotti for his eighth RBI of the season and give Lipscomb a 1-0 lead.

The Bisons added to their run total in the top of the third after Solomon picked up his second base knock of the afternoon on a 1-out single up the middle. Sophomore third baseman Zeke Dodson then pulled a hot shot on the first pitch he saw and rolled the ball into the left field corner for a run-producing double. Solomon got on his horse and scored from first to extend the Lipscomb lead to 2-0.

Auburn was finally able to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Lipscomb lead to 2-1. After Passantino quickly recorded the first two outs, Damon Haecker reached on a fielding error by Solomon. Following a walk to Sam Gillikin, outfielder Jonah Todd pushed an RBI-single through the right side before being thrown out trying to reach second.

The Bisons offense added what they thought were two insurance tallies in the top of the eighth. Solomon got things rolling with a leadoff walk before swiping second for his fourth stolen base of the season. Dodson then picked up his second hit of the afternoon on a single up the middle. Sorrells followed with another RBI-single through the right side of the infield, scoring Solomon and moving Dodson to third.

Two batters later left fielder Josh Martinez reached on a fielder’s choice error after the Tigers shortstop could not hang on to the ball when trying to get the force at second, allowing Dodson to score from third to extend the lead to 4-1.

After Passantino was lifted, senior southpaw John Pryor entered in relief and threw a perfect seventh inning before running into trouble in the eighth. Pryor loaded the bases on two walks and a single, and then was removed by fellow senior Denton Norman.

The Tigers (9-2) scored its first run on a groundout before Dylan Ingram picked up an RBI single. With two outs in the inning, Norman tried to pick the runner off at first, but a throw in the dirt got past Sorrells and allowed the tying run to score from third. Luke Jarvis delivered the game-winning single in the next at-bat.

Norman took his first loss of the season after allowing one run on two hits in two-third of an inning. The first three runs of the inning were the first of the season allowed by Pryor. He pitched 1.1 frames, allowing one hit with two walks and a strikeout.

Auburn’s starter Casey Mize struck out nine Bisons in 6.0 innings. He allowed his first runs of the season after pitching 10-scoreless inning to begin 2017.

Cole Lipscomb picked up the win for the Tigers, even after surrendering two runs on three hits in 3.0 innings. He improved to 1-0.

“Auburn is a good team and we played against a good pitcher,” Forehand said. “The beautiful thing about baseball is we get a chance to come out tomorrow and get back on track.

courtesy LUAD


 
Lipscomb - Top 1st
GIGLIOTTI reached on an error by 2b (1-2 KBS).
SOLOMON singled through the left side (0-1 F); GIGLIOTTI advanced to third.
DODSON popped up to ss (1-1 BS). (1 out)
SORRELLS singled through the right side, RBI (1-0 B); SOLOMON advanced to third; GIGLIOTTI scored, unearned.
WATSON struck out swinging (0-2 FKS). (2 outs)
MARTINEZ struck out swinging (1-2 BSSS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 1st
Todd, J. grounded out to ss (1-1 BK). (1 out)
Estes, J. grounded out to p (1-0 B). (2 outs)
Robert, D. flied out to lf (1-0 B). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 2nd
CRISAN struck out swinging (1-2 SBFS). (1 out)
HOOKER struck out looking (1-2 FBKK). (2 outs)
HANKS struck out swinging (2-2 BFKBS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 2nd
Anthony, J. doubled to right field (0-1 K).
Ingram, D. struck out looking (0-2 FFK). (1 out)
Jarvis, L. singled to left field (1-2 FBK); Anthony, J. advanced to third.
Jarvis, L. stole second.
McGuffin, B. struck out swinging (1-2 KBFFS). (2 outs)
Haecker, D. flied out to lf (3-2 BSBKFFB). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 3rd
GIGLIOTTI struck out swinging (2-2 KBKBS). (1 out)
SOLOMON singled up the middle (1-1 BS).
DODSON doubled through the right side, RBI (0-0); SOLOMON scored.
SORRELLS grounded out to 1b unassisted (1-1 KB); DODSON advanced to third. (2 outs)
WATSON grounded out to 3b (0-0). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 3rd
Gillikin, S. flied out to rf (1-1 FB). (1 out)
Todd, J. grounded out to 2b (2-1 BBK). (2 outs)
Estes, J. flied out to cf (0-1 F). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 4th
MARTINEZ popped up to ss (2-2 BKBS). (1 out)
CRISAN flied out to cf (0-0). (2 outs)
HOOKER struck out swinging (3-2 BSKBBS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 4th
Robert, D. struck out swinging (3-2 KBBFBS). (1 out)
Anthony, J. grounded out to ss (0-0). (2 outs)
Ingram, D. struck out looking (2-2 KBBKFFFFK). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 5th
HANKS struck out swinging (1-2 KBSS). (1 out)
GIGLIOTTI singled through the left side (3-1 BKBB).
SOLOMON grounded out to p (0-2 FK); GIGLIOTTI advanced to second. (2 outs)
DODSON flied out to cf (3-2 BBKBKF). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 5th
Jarvis, L. struck out swinging (1-2 KBSS). (1 out)
McGuffin, B. grounded out to 2b (0-1 F). (2 outs)
Haecker, D. reached on an error by 2b (1-0 B).
Gillikin, S. walked (3-2 BBBKKFB); Haecker, D. advanced to second.
Todd, J. singled through the right side, out at second rf to 3b to 2b, RBI (2-2 KFBB); Gillikin, S. advanced to second; Haecker, D. scored, unearned. (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 6th
SORRELLS grounded out to 2b (3-2 KBBBK). (1 out)
WATSON struck out swinging (1-2 KFBS). (2 outs)
MARTINEZ walked (3-1 BKBBB).
CRISAN grounded out to 3b (1-2 KBS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 6th
Estes, J. struck out swinging (1-2 KBKS). (1 out)
Robert, D. struck out looking (1-2 FKBFFK). (2 outs)
Anthony, J. singled up the middle (0-2 KK).
Anthony, J. stole second.
Ingram, D. struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b (1-2 KKFFFBFS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 7th
Lipscomb, C. to p for Mize, C..
HOOKER struck out swinging (2-2 KBBSS). (1 out)
HANKS struck out swinging (0-2 FFFS). (2 outs)
GIGLIOTTI struck out swinging (2-2 KFBBS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 7th
PRYOR to p for PASSANTINO.
Jarvis, L. popped up to ss (1-0 B). (1 out)
McGuffin, B. grounded out to 2b (2-2 KBFFB). (2 outs)
Haecker, D. flied out to cf (0-2 KF). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 8th
SOLOMON walked (3-2 BKBSBB).
SOLOMON stole second.
DODSON singled up the middle (1-2 BKK); SOLOMON advanced to third.
SORRELLS singled through the right side, RBI (1-2 BKS); DODSON advanced to third; SOLOMON scored.
MOYNIHAN pinch hit for WATSON.
MOYNIHAN popped up to 3b (2-2 BBKF). (1 out)
MARTINEZ reached on a fielder's choice, RBI (0-2 KS); SORRELLS advanced to second on an error by ss; DODSON scored.
CRISAN flied out to rf (2-1 BKB). (2 outs)
HOOKER singled (0-2 FS); MARTINEZ advanced to second; SORRELLS advanced to third.
PERRY pinch hit for HANKS.
PERRY struck out swinging (0-2 KSS). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 2 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 3 LOB
Auburn - Bottom 8th
THOMAS to ss for PERRY.
Davis, Co. pinch hit for Gillikin, S..
Davis, Co. walked (3-1 KBBBB).
Shaffer, J. pinch ran for Davis, Co..
Todd, J. singled through the left side (1-2 BKF); Shaffer, J. advanced to second.
Estes, J. struck out looking (3-2 BBKBKK). (1 out)
Robert, D. walked (3-1 BBBKB); Todd, J. advanced to second; Shaffer, J. advanced to third.
NORMAN to p for PRYOR.
Anthony, J. grounded out to 3b, RBI (3-2 BKKBB); Robert, D. advanced to second; Todd, J. advanced to third; Shaffer, J. scored. (2 outs)
Ingram, D. singled through the left side, RBI (1-1 BK); Robert, D. advanced to third; Todd, J. scored.
Johnson, J. pinch ran for Ingram, D..
Johnson, J. advanced to second on an error by p, failed pickoff attempt; Robert, D. scored on an error by p, failed pickoff attempt.
Jarvis, L. singled through the left side, advanced to second on an error by lf, RBI; Johnson, J. scored.
McGuffin, B. struck out looking (3-2 BBFSBK). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 4 Runs, 3 Hits, 2 Errors, 1 LOB
Lipscomb - Top 9th
Shaffer, J. to lf.
GIGLIOTTI walked (3-1 KBBBB).
SOLOMON grounded out to p, SAC, bunt (1-0 B); GIGLIOTTI advanced to second. (1 out)
DODSON flied out to cf (1-0 B). (2 outs)
SORRELLS popped up to 2b (1-1 KB). (3 outs)
Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB