Auburn baseball falls late to Kentucky, eliminated from SEC Tournament

The Tigers couldn't get runs across against the Wildcats.

Auburn baseball dropped the single elimination game against Kentucky 3-1 in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.

Auburn's bats never really got going outside of a solo home run from Sonny DiChiara in the bottom of the eighth. The Tigers tied the game up 1-1 but the Wildcats hit back-to-back home runs off of Blake Burkhalter to reclaim the lead. Auburn stranded two in the bottom of the ninth and will await seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

Auburn was 0-for-8 with RISP.

Follow along for updates throughout today's matchup with Kentucky. 

Ninth Inning Game Tied 1-1

Photo credit: Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics

Burkhalter is back out for the ninth inning. 

Just like that back-to-back homeruns and Auburn is down 3-1. 

Chase Allsup is into pitch for the Tigers. 

Allsup gets a strikeout for the first out of the inning.

Another strikeout for Allsup. Two down in the inning for the Tigers.

A third strikeout of the inning gets the Tigers to the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers will need a miracle to take the game.   

A base hit from Moore gets the rally going for the Tigers. Howell steps in to try and keep it going. 

Howell is hit by a pitch. Tigers have men on first and second with no one out need two runs to tie. 

Land is down on strikes. Two men on with one out for Mike Bello who will pinch hit for the Tigers. 

Bello flies out to right. 

Cam Hill is up to hit with the Tigers who are down to their final out. 

Hill is down on strikes. 

Auburn loses 3-1. 

Eighth Inning Kentucky Leads 1-0

Photo credit: Matthew Shannon/Auburn Athletics

Burkhalter is back out for the Tigers in the eighth. 

A leadoff double gets the Wildcats a baserunner in the eighth. 

Sac bunt and Burkhalter makes a great play to get the lead runner. Huge for the Tigers. One down with a man on first. 

A flyout to Farquhar is the second out of the Inning for the Tigers. Still a man on first.

A base hit and the Kentucky player tries to score from first but is thrown out at the plate. Great play from Howell, Farquhar, and LaRue. 

Tigers need to get the bats going now as we head to the bottom of the eighth with Kentucky still leading 1-0. 

If Auburn is able to come back and win this game note that previous play. It was huge for keeping the Tigers in the game. 

The Kentucky starters day is done. They bring in a new pitcher to face Farquhar who is already in a two-ball count. 

A flyout if the first out of the inning for the Tigers. Top of the lineup for the Tigers. Rambusch steps in.  

Rambusch flies out to the left fielder. 

THICC KING BOMB DiChiara homers and the game is tied 1-1. 

Peirce follows the homer with a two out base hit.

Kentucky will bring in a new arm from the bullpen. 

Carlson is down on strikes. We head to the ninth with the game tied 1-1. 

Seventh Inning Kentucky Leads 1-0

Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics

Swilling is back to the mound for the Tigers in the seventh. 

A fly out to Howell is the first out of the seventh for the Tigers. 

A one out base hit gives the Wildcats a baserunner. 

A walk gives the Wildcats two men on with one out. 

Burkhalter will come in to pitch for the Tigers. 

Burkhalter gets the strikeout. Two down two on. Big out to get here for the Tigers. 

A groundout strands the two baserunners. Tigers are in desperate need of some hits in the seventh. 

A flyout is the first inning for the Tigers. Howell steps to the plate for the Tigers trying to start a rally. 

An infield single gets Howell aboard. That's the Tigers first hit since the fourth inning. 

Land steps in for the Tigers. 

Land hits it hard for the Tigers but the second baseman gets the ball and the out at first. Two down with a man on second for LaRue. 

LaRue flies out. We head to the eighth with Kentucky leading 1-0. 

Sixth Inning Kentucky Leads 1-0

Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics

Bright back out for the Tigers in the sixth. 

Howell makes a great play for the first out of the inning. 

Rambusch knocks down the hard-hit grounder and throws the runner out at first. Two down in the sixth. 

A two out double gives the Wildcats a baserunner. 

Bright's day is done Swilling is into pitch for the Tigers. 

Swilling works around the two out double with a strikeout. We head to Auburn's half of the sixth. 

DiChiara grounds out for the first out of the inning. 

Peirce rips one to the shortstop who made a great play. Two down for Carlson.

Carlson is down on strikes. 

We head to the seventh with Kentucky leading 1-0. 

Fifth Inning Kentucky Leads 1-0

Auburn Athletics

Bright steps back to the mound for the Tigers. 

Bright hits the first hitter he faces in the fifth. 

Interesting note: Coach Thompson said he likes the approach his team has. His squad is just waiting for that one big hit. 

Bright gets the first out of the inning via a strikeout. 

A double play ends the inning. Tigers need to get the bats going in the fifth. 

Great job from Bright to strand the leadoff hit batsman. 

A ground out from LaRue is the first out of the inning for the Tigers. 

Farquhar grounds out to the third baseman for the second out of the inning. 

Rambusch grounds out to end the inning. 

We head to the sixth with Kentucky leading 1-0. 

Fourth Inning 0-0

Bright is into pitch for the Tigers. 

Skipper threw great today for Auburn looked like himself. He threw lots of strikes and his curveball had lots of movement. 

A liner to Peirce is fielded and he throws the runner out at first. Great heads up play for Peirce in right field.

The umpires went to review but the call stands he was out. 

Bright issues a one out walk. 

The runner advances to second on a wild pitch. 

A base hit gives Kentucky the lead. Wildcats ahead 1-0. Still a man on first with one out. 

A fielder's choice gets the runner at second. Still a man on first with two outs. 

A liner to Moore ends the inning. Tigers are up to bat in the fourth trailing by a run. 

A leadoff double by Peirce gets the Tigers going in the fourth. 

Carlson will look to get a run on the board. 

Carlson is granted a walk. 

Men on first and second for Moore. 

A sac bunt is put down and the Wildcats get the out at third. Men on first and second with one out. 

A flyout keeps the runners on first and second. Two down for Land. 

A strikeout ends the inning. Very disappointing for the Tigers to not scratch a run across there. 

We head to the top of the fifth with Kentucky leading 1-0. 

Third Inning 0-0

Auburn Athletics

Skipper is back out again.

Skipper gets his sixth strikeout of the game. 

Skipper's sixth strikeout of the game is the second out of the inning.

A groundout ends the strikeout streak and the inning. We head to the bottom of the third.

Two quick outs give the Tigers two down. 

A two out hit for Farquhar is Auburn's first hit of the game.

A swinging bunt from Rambusch turns into a base hit. 

Two on two out for DiChiara.

DiChiara is down on strikes. We head to the fourth inning with the game tied 0-0. 

Second Inning 0-0

Photo credit: LSU Athletics

Skipper heads out to the mound for his second inning of work. 

Skipper's third strikeout is the first out of the inning.

Another strikeout is the second out of the inning for the Tigers.

Interesting note: Sheehan is warming in the bullpen. Bright is also tossing. Auburn could use a starter in relief today. 

Skipper strikes out the side. We head to the bottom of the second.

Diving play in center field, retires Carlson for the first out of the inning.

Moore fly's out for the second out of the inning.

Howell grounds out to shortstop. We head to the third inning with no score.

First Inning 0-0

Matthew Shannon/Auburn Athletics

Mother Nature is letting us play some baseball. Skipper heads to the mound and we are underway in Hoover.

First big update of the game: Coach Butch Thompson has shaved his beard.

Flyout is the first out of the inning for the Tigers.

A double gives Kentucky a one out base runner.

Strikeout for Skipper is the second out of the inning. Still a man on second base.

A two out walk gives the Wildcats men on first and second with two down.

A wild pitch advances the runners to second and third.

A strikeout ends the inning. Skipper works around trouble in the first.

Rambusch steps to the plate to lead things off for the Tigers.

Rambusch is down on strikes. DiChiara steps to the plate.

DiChiara flies out. Peirce steps to the plate for the Tigers.

Peirce strikes out. We head to the top of the second with the game still tied 0-0.

Starting Lineup

Auburn Athletics

A look at the lineup

AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

PROBABLE STARTER

Tuesday – Sr. LHP Carson Skipper (5-3, 4.81) vs. Gr. RHP Sean Harney (5-4, 2.93)

PROBABLE LINEUP

3B Blake Rambusch

1B Sonny DiChiara

RF Bobby Pierce

DH Brooks Carlson

SS Brody Moore

CF Kason Howell

2B Garrett Farquhar

C Nate LaRue

LF Mason Land

Injury update

Photo credit: Grace Schinsing/Auburn Athletics

Lindsay Crosby wrote this injury update in his SEC Tournament preview:

Auburn continues to be without the services of switch-hitting second baseman Cole Foster, who suffered an oblique injury in the opening game of the Alabama series. A game-time decision for the series last week, there is a possibility he could play on Wednesday if Auburn advances past the opening round of the tournament tonight. Senior Garrett Farquhar will play 2nd in his absence. 

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