Auburn entered Thursday night’s game with the Southeastern Conference’s No. 2 offense. Missouri redshirt senior Reggie McClain entered as the SEC’s leader in innings pitched. Something had to give.
Unfortunately for Mizzou, it was Auburn’s high-powered offense that got the better of McClain. Auburn (15–15, 3–7 SEC) tacked on 10 runs, the second-most given up by Mizzou (18–14, 2–8 SEC) in a single game this season, and took the series opener by a score of 11–9.
“(McClain) just didn’t have his best stuff tonight,” coach Tim Jamieson said. “I shouldn’t have left him in there as long as I did.”
McClain, who has now pitched in three consecutive losing efforts, was tagged for eight runs (six earned) on 12 hits in just five innings. Auburn saw runs cross the plate in each of the first three innings and built a 5–2 lead before Mizzou’s offense got rolling.
Facing the early deficit, Mizzou battled back to put up seven runs on seven hits in the fourth and take a 9–5 advantage. Senior first baseman Zach Lavy delivered his conference-leading sixth triple of the season and freshman second baseman Ian Nelson singled home a run, one of his three hits in the game.
“We were staying in attack mode,” sophomore outfielder Trey Harris said. “We were hunting first-pitch fastballs and were ready to go.”
However, Auburn responded quickly, putting up three more runs in the fifth to cut into the lead. McClain managed to work through the inning, but had his night end there. The eight runs given up by senior matched his career-high, set last April in a 9–2 loss to Vanderbilt.
“(Sophomore catcher) Brett Bond said (McClain’s) fastball wasn’t moving like it normally does,” Jamieson said. “He just didn’t have very good location.”
Redshirt sophomore Cole Bartlett (L, 2–3) entered in relief of McClain, but didn’t fare much better. He surrendered a pair of runs in three innings, including one that was induced by a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Auburn retook the lead and extended it to two runs with an RBI-triple in the ninth off redshirt freshman Liam Carter.
“They just kept chipping away and didn’t allow our big inning to affect them,” sophomore third baseman Shane Benes said. “They kept attacking and swinging away. We’ve got to respect that.”
Mizzou could not answer back one final time and Auburn came out on top in the slugfest. Auburn junior southpaw Ben Braymer (W, 3–2) was dominant out of the bullpen, recording 11 strikeouts in five innings. He kept the Tigers off the scoreboard from the fifth inning on and allowed just two hits. His 11 strikeouts were a single-game high for any Auburn pitcher this season – starter or reliever.
“When guys elevate their pitches, they’re tough to hit,” Jamieson said of Braymer’s delivery. “We didn’t take very good swings off him.”
Mizzou will try to rebound at 6 p.m. Friday with sophomore right-hander Tanner Houck on the mound. In his last start, an 8–5 victory over then-No. 15 Arkansas, Houck brought a no-hitter into the fifth and helped the Tigers earn the first conference win of the season.
Tomorrow’s game will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and KTGR.