Tigers drop 4th-straight SEC game

The conference struggles continued for No. 13 Auburn Saturday night.

No. 5 Arkansas beat the Tigers 13-2 at Baum Stadium to take game two of the series and will go for the sweep Sunday at 4 p.m. CT. Auburn, which has lost four-straight conference games, falls to 23-9 overall and 4-7 in the SEC while the Razorbacks improve to 23-9 and 7-4.

“Right out the gate i just thought their offense came to play,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “A lot of miscues here and there with us and not a good game by us. It’s one thing not to hit, but when you don’t come out of the gate and pitch it very well, that’s even a worse feeling.”

Arkansas jumped on top early scoring two in the first and two more in the second off Auburn starter Davis Daniel. The Hawgs struck for four more runs off reliever Jack Owen in the third, three off Welby Malczewski in the sixth and two off Corey Herndon in the eighth.

The Razorbacks had 17 hits off five Auburn pitchers. Daniel (2-2) took the loss allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits and two walks in 2.0 innings.

Arkansas starter Kacey Murphy (4-2) earned the win holding Auburn to two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings. He struck out seven and didn’t issue a walk.

Auburn’s lone runs came on back-to-back home runs by Steven Williams and Brett Wright in the fourth. The Tigers had six hits Saturday and are batting just .202 in 11 SEC games. Auburn has scored just three runs in the last 34 innings of conference play.

Sunday’s series finale will air on the SEC Network.