Auburn drops game two

AUBURN | A key error and struggles at the top of the order proved costly for No. 9 Auburn in a 2-1 loss to Missouri Saturday night at Plainsman Park.

With the game tied 1-1 and two outs in the seventh, Conor Davis dropped a fly ball in left center, which allowed Alex Samples to score the winning run from second base.

The top five batters in Auburn’s lineup were 1-for-20 with seven strikeouts.

Auburn, which won 5-2 Friday, falls to 22-6 overall and 4-4. Missouri improves to 20-7 and 4-4. The rubber game of the series will be Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.

Auburn starter Davis Daniel (2-1) took the loss despite his best outing of the season, limiting Missouri to two runs, one earned, on five hits in 6.2 innings. The sophomore right-hander struck out seven and walked two on 109 pitches.

Welby Malczewski bounced back from a couple of rough appearances to hold the visiting Tigers scoreless over the final 2.1 innings. He pitched out of a jam in the eighth after Missouri’s first two batters reached on errors.

“Davis Daniel and Welby gave us a chance the entire game,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “It was tough for Davis because he’d thrown so, so well … Missouri’s defense was the difference tonight. Even our at-bats were really tough.

“I wish we would have scored one more run, some of that routine defense. But if my guys will give me an effort like that everyday, you’ll never hear anything from me.”

Auburn’s lone run came in the second as Davis led off the inning with a double and came around to score on a double by Luke Jarvis. Missouri tied the game in the fifth on a two-out RBI double by Trey Harris.

Davis and Jarvis had two hits apiece for Auburn.

Auburn freshman right-hander Tanner Burns (2-3, 2.86 ERA) will face Missouri junior right-hander Bryce Montes De Oca (3-1, 2.80) Sunday. The game will air on SEC Network.