Auburn 5-0, Texas A&M 2-9: Tigers split doubleheader, take series from Aggies

Another excellent start from Keegan Thompson gave Auburn a 5-2 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Texas A&M Saturday at Plainsman Park. The Tigers dropped the second game, 9-0, but still won the SEC-opening series against the Aggies.

In Game 1, Thompson (4-0) threw his second complete game of the season, giving up two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out 10. The only real threat for A&M came in the top of the fifth, when the Ags scored two runs on two hits. He bounced back by allowing just one baserunner in the final four innings, a leadoff single in the eighth.

Auburn (13-7, 2-1 SEC) got on the board in the bottom of the first. After Jordan Ebert led off with a fly out to center, Dan Glevenyak singled, and red-hot Damek Tomscha doubled him home. Two batters later, Daniel Robert singled to left center, scoring Tomscha and giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead after one.

After A&M (14-7, 1-2) tied the game in the fifth, Auburn immediately regained the lead in the bottom half. Glevenyak and Tomscha grounded out to start the inning, but after Tella and Blake Austin singled to put runners on the corners, Blake Logan came through with a pinch-hit single through the left side, driving in Tella. The Tigers added two more in the seventh. With the bases loaded thanks to three singles and two outs, Connor Short drove in Tomscha and Tella with a single to left.

Auburn put up a season-best 15 hits, with six Tigers collecting two during the game. Ebert (2-for-4), Tomscha (2-for-5, two runs, one RBI), Tella (2-for-4, two runs), Robert (2-for-2, one RBI), Austin (2-for-3) and Logan (2-for-2, one RBI) provided the bulk of the offensive success. Short was 1-for-3 with two RBI. In the field, it was the first time in five games Auburn didn't commit an error.

Ray Parker (2-1) took the loss for the Ags, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing three runs on eight hits and one walks. He struck out two.

Auburn didn't put up much of a fight in Game 2. The Tigers compiled eight hits, but A&M's pitching and defense didn't give many extra opportunities, giving up just one walk and committing zero errors. The Aggies took a 4-0 lead into the seventh, and put the game out of reach with five runs in the final three innings.

Justin Camp (1-2) took the loss. Camp gave up four runs on six hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings while striking out four. Grayson Long (2-0) was the winner for A&M, giving up seven hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in eight innings.

Game 1

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
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Texas A&M........... 000 020 000 -  2  4  0
Auburn.............. 200 010 20X -  5 15  0
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Game 2

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
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Texas A&M........... 001 102 203 -  9 15  0
Auburn.............. 000 000 000 -  0  8  2
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