Presbyterian 10, Auburn 6: Tigers' skid continues

Auburn scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth Friday, but it wasn't enough to overcome the first eight innings of damage. Presbyterian knocked off the Tigers, 10-6, at Plainsman Park, extending the misery for Sunny Golloway's team.

The Blue Hose (5-3-1) got on the board right away in the top of the first. After Auburn starter Dillon Ortman recorded the first two outs, a single and a double put runners on second and third. Right fielder Brandon Paul hit a ground ball to short that should have ended the inning, but Dan Glevenyak booted it, allowing two unearned runs to score.

Presbyterian tacked on four more two-out runs in the fourth thanks to a two-run single from third baseman Jacob Midkiff. Centerfielder Nate Chong stole home, and second baseman Billy Motroni followed that up with an RBI single of his own. Another run in the fifth and three in the eighth made it 10-1.

Damek Tomscha doubled home Anfernee Grier to give Auburn (4-5) a run in the bottom of the first, but that was all the Tigers could muster until the final inning. In the ninth, Glevenyak hit into an RBI fielder's choice with the bases loaded an no outs, Connor Short, Keegan Thompson and Jackson Burgreen hit RBI singles, and Blake Logan scored on a passed ball. After a Jordan Ebert ground out and Ryan Tella was hit by a pitch, the Tigers had the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate with two outs, but Damon Haecker flied out to left to end it.

Short, who entered the game at third base in the seventh, was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Tella went 3-for-4 with a run, and Keegan Thompson was 2-for-5 with an RBI. They were the only Tigers to collect multiple hits. Auburn broke out with 14 hits, but 13 runners left on base proved costly. Glevenyak committed two errors -- his fifth and sixth in three games -- which led to three unearned runs.

Ortman (2-1), who was excellent in his first two starts of the year, wasn't as sharp against Presbyterian. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, and gave up seven runs -- four earned -- on 11 hits and a walk, striking out one. Reid Carter put in 3 1/3 innings of relief work and allowed three earned runs on six hits and one walk. Jay Wade pitched a perfect ninth.

Beau Dees (3-0) picked up the win for the Blue Hose, confounding the Tigers for seven innings. Auburn put up just one run on eight hits and two walks against the starter, and Dees struck out four.

Auburn and Presbyterian meet again Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT. Thompson is scheduled to start on the mound for the Tigers.

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
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Presbyterian........ 204 010 030 - 10 17  0
Auburn.............. 100 000 005 -  6 14  2
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