Missouri 4, Auburn 3: Plenty of mistakes in ugly loss

Auburn spread around miscues in the field, on the base paths and at the plate in a 4-3 loss to Missouri Thursday night at Plainsman Park. It was a poor national TV showing in a game that aired on ESPNU.

The homestanding Tigers (18-9, 4-3 SEC) committed four errors -- three by shortstop Damon Haecker -- which led to two unearned Missouri runs. Haecker came into the game with just three errors in the first 25 games of the season, but he booted two ground balls an pulled Keegan Thompson off the bag at first with a high throw. In the bottom of the fifth was cut down at first after straying too far on a pitch blocked in the dirt by Mizzou catcher Dylan Kelly. One pitch later, Damek Tomscha struck out, and Ryan Tella fouled out to end the inning. It was a wasted opportunity with runners at the corners an no outs.

Haecker wasn't the only Tiger to make a mistake on offense. Dan Glevenyak failed to advance Daniel Robert on a sacrifice bunt attempt in the fourth, and Tella was caught trying to steal third with two outs in the seventh. Replay showed he was safe, but it was still an odd time to run. It wasn't clear whether it was his decision or head coach Sunny Golloway's.

Auburn got the leadoff man on in five innings, but scored in just two of those and left a total of eight men on base.

The good Tigers opened the scoring in the first with an RBI single from Tomscha that scored Ebert, but Missouri answered with a Kelly RBI single in the second. Auburn retook the lead in the sixth with back-to-back RBI singles from Thompson and Sam Gilliken, but again, Missouri responded. With two outs and runners at first and second thanks to a walk and an error, Logan Pearson doubled down the left field line, scoring two and tying the game.

The bad Tigers (12-12, 2-5) took their first lead in the eighth. After a leadoff double, a walk and a sac bunt, they had runners at second and third with one out. Terrance Dedrick came on to put out the fire, but he gave up a sac fly to Kelly before getting out of the inning.

Tomscha led Auburn at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Blake Austin was 2-for-4 with one run scored. Dillon Ortman (5-2) took the loss after allowing four runs -- two earned -- on nine hits and a walk in seven-plus innings. Ortman struck out five.

Austin Tribby picked up the win for Mizzou, giving up one hit in 2/3 of an inning of relief. Keaton Steele was perfect in the eighth and ninth with one K to earn the save.

Game 2 is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch Friday night at Plainsman Park. Thompson will get the start for Auburn and try to keep his record unblemished.

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
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Missouri............ 010 000 210 -  4  9  1
Auburn.............. 100 002 000 -  3 10  4
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