Auburn 3, Tennessee 2: Tigers hold on to take Game 1 in Knoxville

Auburn scored three two-out runs and worked out of three bases-loaded jams, taking a 3-2 win over No. 14 Tennessee Friday Night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville. It's the Tigers' 10th win in 11 games.

With two outs in the top of the first, Damek Tomscha reached on a walk and Ryan Tella was safe on an infield single. Blake Austin drew first blood for Auburn (16-7, 3-1 SEC), driving a two-out double to the right-center gap for a 2-0 lead. The Tigers would threaten a few more times, but wouldn't score again until the sixth, when Austin was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Daniel Robert flied out and Damon Haecker laid down a sacrifice bunt to put a runner at second with two outs, and Keegan Thompson came through with an RBI single through the left side to make it 3-0.

Tennessee (18-3, 2-2) boasts one of the conference's best offenses, and the Volunteers finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth. Consecutive singles put runners on first and second with no outs, and a ground out to second moved shortstop A.J. Simcox and second baseman Will Maddox into scoring position with one away. It could have been a double-play ball, but Glevenyak bobbled. Simcox scored on an RBI ground out from center fielder Vincent Jackson, and left fielder Christin Stewart singled to right to drive in Maddox.

In the ninth, it looked like Auburn wouldn't be able to hold on. A leadoff single and a sac bunt put the tying run in scoring position with one out. Terrance Dedrick then loaded the bases with two walks on nine pitches. But, the closer buckled down and got out of it. He induced a ground ball to first from Maddox, and Thompson threw home for the force out. The game ended on a lazy fly out to left from designated hitter Nick Senzel.

Ortman (5-1), who has been solid all year, came through with another fine Friday night outing. The senior pitched seven-plus and allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven. Trey Cochran-Gill pitched one inning and wasn't charged with a run, but he did give up two hits and let both of his inherited runners score. Dedrick's first save of the year was rocky, but he earned it.

Jordan Ebert was the only Tiger with multiple hits, going 2-for-5. Tella, Austin, Robert, Haecker and Thompson collected the remainder of Auburn's seven base knocks.

Senzel, Tennessee's top hitter entering the series, was 0-for-5. Nick Williams (3-2) took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks in eight innings. Williams struck out four.

Auburn will go for the series win Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT. Thompson will get the start on the mound.

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
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Auburn.............. 200 001 000 -  3  7  0
Tennessee........... 000 000 020 -  2  8  0
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