Tigers shutout in opener

AUBURN | One swing of the bat with two outs in the first inning was all No. 1 Arkansas needed Thursday night.

Wehiwa Aloy drove a 3-2 pitch from AU starter Conner McBride over the right field wall and the nation’s top pitching staff did the rest as the top-ranked Razorbacks beat Auburn 1-0 at Plainsman Park.

The Tigers struck out 17 times and managed just three singles. AU was 1 of 10 with runners on base and 0 of 6 with runners in scoring position.

“We had one or two moments there and had the bases loaded one time and maybe second and third another time against an elite pitcher, but it is what it is,” said AU coach Butch Thompson.

“I think they’ve given up one run in four SEC games now. I feel like we can absolutely play with anybody, but I’m more frustrated tonight by not being able to get the one hit or something happen in our favor to win the ball game.”

Auburn falls to 14-7 overall and 0-4 in the SEC.

Arkansas ace Hagen Smith (4-0) held the Tigers to three hits in 6.0 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts to earn the win. Will McEntire and Gabe Gaeckle didn’t allow a base runner over the final 3.0 innings with Gaeckle earning his fifth save of the season.

AU starter Conner McBride (3-1) took the loss despite allowing just one run on four hits in 4.0 innings. He struck out four and issued two walks on 70 pitches.

Cam Tilly gave AU 2.2 strong innings out of the bullpen, not allowing a hit and striking out two. Tanner Bauman followed with 1.1 shutout innings allowing one hit and Will Cannon threw a scoreless ninth.

Auburn turned three double plays including strike-em-out, throw-em-outs in the first and ninth innings as Ike Irish threw out two base runners, and another when Bobby Peirce caught a fly ball in right field in the third and threw a runner out at home trying to score for his fourth outfield assist of the season and 16th of his career.

“Ike Irish played his guts out tonight. I really got a lot of what I wanted out of our guys in effort and everything tonight,” said Thompson.

The series continues Friday at 6 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on SECN+/ESPN+.