Two pitchers injured in loss at Tennessee
AUBURN | No. 19 Auburn lost to No. 1 Tennessee 17-4 Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, but it was injuries to two of the Tigers’ top pitchers that could have a lasting impact.
Starter Hayden Mullins left the game after allowing two runs in the second inning with an injury to his throwing arm.
Closer Blake Burkhalter, who was brought in with AU clinging to a 4-3 lead in the seventh, gave up a grand slam on a pitch that came immediately after a visit from the trainers to look at his left leg.
“That’s a tough way to end a seven-game winning streak but I think I’m more interested in how those guys are. Are they going to be OK? That’s kind of the first time that’s happened to us this year and you never want to see it,” AU coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network.
“Hayden was definitely the throwing arm. That’s all I know until we learn more and get to the doctors. Burkhalter was definitely a hamstring.”
The Volunteers broke open a close game with eight runs in the seventh on nine hits including a grand slam and 3-run home run. UT scored seven more in the eighth, hitting six home runs in the final two frames.
Carson Skipper (4-1) took the loss allowing three runs on four hits in 1.0 inning. Burkhalter allowed two runs on two hits without recording an out.
Carson Swilling, Jordan Armstrong and Cam Hill combined to give up 10 runs in the final 2.0 innings.
Trailing 2-0, Auburn broke on top with four runs in the sixth. Cole Foster drove home one on a single up the middle. Blake Rambusch followed with a two-out, three-run home run over the right field wall.
AU immediately brought out Skipper to try and preserve the lead with four innings to go. After throwing a scoreless sixth, he gave up a double and back-to-back singles to start the seventh, prompting the move to Burkhalter, who leads the SEC with 11 saves.
Tommy Sheehan, who threw 2.1 hitless innings, and Chase Isbell, who threw a scoreless inning, kept AU in the game after Mullins’ departure.
Hill and Nate LaRue had two hits apiece for Auburn.
Auburn falls to 30-13 overall and 11-8 in the SEC.
Game two of the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT Saturday on SEC Network. The series finale will be Sunday at noon CT on SECN+/ESPN+.