Mercer University
Auburn
Bears Offense Shut Down in 4-1 Loss at Auburn
3/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
AUBURN, Ala. – The Mercer baseball team committed three costly errors that led to four unearned runs in a 4-1 loss at Auburn on Saturday afternoon in front of 2,794 fans at Plainsman Park.
Mercer (12-4) recorded just five hits in the contest and has managed only 13 base knocks over the first two games of its series against the Tigers.
Both teams starting pitchers were dominant early on, as Mercer's Ryan Askew and Auburn's Keegan Thompson combined to allow no runs and just three combined hits over the first three innings of play.
A pair of Mercer errors broke up the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth and allowed two unearned runs to cross the plate to give Auburn a 2-0 lead.
Another Mercer miscue in the bottom of the six led to two more unearned runs for Auburn which doubled its lead up to 4-0.
Thompson was masterful in his outing allowing no runs on just two hits while striking out two batters in seven innings of work.
The Bears offense was out of sync all afternoon long, getting only one base runner on second base prior to the ninth. Mercer did load the bases in the top of the ninth, but an RBI groundout from senior Derrick Workman was all it could muster before Auburn reliever Terrance Dedrick recorded the final two outs of the contest to secure the win.
Workman and senior Nick Backlund were the only Mercer players to reach base twice in the game thanks to a single and a walk by each player.
Askew was the tough luck loser on the day, allowing the two unearned runs on three hits in five innings pitched.
Mercer will try and salvage game three of its series with Auburn on Sunday afternoon with a 2 pm first pitch at Plainsman Park.
