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Tigers take dramatic win over Vols

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03/30 at 10:45 PM

Heading into Sunday’s Southeastern Conference series finale against Tennessee, Matt Hall had all of one game-winning hit in his Auburn career.

The junior shortstop vividly remembers that hit, which handed the Orange team a victory over Blue in Auburn’s intrasquad series last November.

It’s safe to say Hall’s latest walk-off hit was even more memorable.

Hall singled to left field in the ninth inning Sunday, scoring Brian Fletcher from third base and handing Auburn a dramatic, 4-3, victory against Tennessee. The win gave AU its second consecutive SEC series win and kept the Tigers in a three-way tie for first place in the SEC’s Western Division.

AU (18-10, 4-5 SEC) has won seven of nine since an 0-3 start to SEC play.

“There’s a lot of resiliency and a lot of character in this ballclub,” Auburn head coach Tom Slater said.

Hall’s big hit Sunday capped a remarkable Auburn comeback.

Tennessee (16-9, 5-4) led, 3-0, midway through the eighth inning, thanks to a dominant performance by starter Nick Hernandez. Hernandez controlled the first seven innings, keeping AU scoreless and holding the Tigers to just five hits.

But Auburn scored two runs in the eighth against UT reliever Jeff Lockwood (1-1). With the Tigers trailing, 3-2, Auburn’s Michael Hurst (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth.

In the bottom of the inning, Auburn’s offense pounced.

With one out and Joseph Sanders on first, freshman Brian Fletcher hit a line drive at Lockwood, who deflected the ball off his glove, then couldn’t make a play at first. The single brought up backup catcher Tony Caldwell, hitting .138.

Caldwell smoked a double down the left field line, scoring Sanders and tying the game.

That brought up Hall, Auburn’s No. 9 hitter, who has been one of the Tigers’ best offensive players the last two weeks. Hall fell behind 0-2, then drove a Lockwood curveball to left, scoring Sanders and setting off a jubilant Auburn celebration.

Hall said he was confident all along.

“We knew if we kept the game within reach, we’d have a good chance at the end,” Hall said. “It’s never over for us.”

Auburn plays at South Alabama on Tuesday. Junior right-hander Luke Greinke’s status for that game and next weekend’s SEC series at South Carolina is unknown.

Slater said Greinke, who didn’t pitch this weekend, is out indefinitely with tendonitis in his shoulder.

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Schedule


Date Opponent Time Result

08/30

    vs. Louisiana-Monroe

6

34-0

9/06

    vs. Southern Miss

11:30

27-13

9/13

    at Mississippi St

6:00

3-2

9/20

    vs. LSU

6:45

21-26

9/27

    vs. Tennessee

2:30

14-12

10/04

    at Vanderbilt

5 PM

10/11

    vs. Arkansas

4 PM

10/23

    at West Virginia

6:30

11/01

    at Mississippi

TBA

11/08

    vs. Tenn-Martin(HC)

1:30

11/15

    vs. Georgia

TBA

11/29

    at Alabama

TBA


 

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