Patterson’s Eight-Inning Pinch-Hit Homer Sends No. 16 Auburn To 5-3 Win

[AUSportTalk 4]

Kevin Patterson delivered a game-winning, three-run pinch

hit home run in the top of the eighth that propelled No. 16 Auburn to a

5-3, come-from-behind win at No. 17 Ole Miss on Thursday night and inch

Auburn closer to its first SEC West Division title since 1995.

“(Drew) Pomeranz was throwing well and I am usually a guy that goes

against righties, so when I saw them going to the bullpen I thought I

would get my shot,” Patterson said. “Fortunately guys were on base and

he (Brett Huber) hung an off-speed pitch. I figured I was going to see

some fastballs but luckily it was up in my letters and I was able to get

a hold of it.”

With the win, Auburn improved to 37-17, 18-10 SEC and took a two game

lead on Ole Miss, which is 36-18, 16-12 SEC. Arkansas went into its

Thursday night game with Vanderbilt 16-11 in the SEC, but that game did

not start until Auburn’s game was in the ninth. Should Arkansas falter,

Auburn will have clinched a share of the division crown.

The win was Auburn’s first this season when trailing a game after seven

full innings, going 0-12 up until Patterson’s blast down the right field

line.

Austin Hubbard threw the final two innings to pick up his ninth save of

the season and the 21st of his career, working around a ninth-inning

walk and single to nail down the win for Auburn.

Dan Gamache’s home run to lead off the third gave Auburn a 1-0 lead as

he drove one to the back of the home bullpen in right for his sixth of

the season.

The lead stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth as Auburn starter

Cory Luckie worked six full innings, keeping Ole Miss off the board

until a Taylor Hashman three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of

the sixth that gave Ole Miss a 3-1 lead.

Luckie and Hubbard were helped by tremendous defensive work behind them

as Auburn turned three double plays on the night, including inning

ending twin-killers in the third and eighth innings.

“Cory Luckie going out there and settling the game down was huge for us.

He got us in and out and just made one mistake,” Auburn Head Coach

Pawlowski said. “Austin is the guy we want out there in that situation

(the final innings) and he was able to close the door for us.”

Down by two going to the seventh, Auburn got a run back on a Casey

McElroy’s RBI single to draw within one, 3-2. Auburn had a chance to do

more damage but Ole Miss Pomeranz got out of the inning without any

other runs crossing the plate as he struck out Gamache and Justin

Hargett with the bases loaded to keep the game 3-2 in favor of Ole Miss.

Pomeranz (7-2) was tagged with the loss as he turned things over to

Brett Huber with two on and none out in the eighth. Huber induced a fly

out from Brian Fletcher and a groundout out of Hunter Morris before

Patterson blasted his 15th home run of the season down the line in

right, over the bleachers and into the tennis courts just outside of

Oxford-University Stadium. Auburn hung four runs on Pomeranz on eight

hits and two walks.

“I thought (Huber’s) slider was pretty good. He is their guy out of the

bullpen and I thought maybe KP might be able to run into a slider or

something and it worked out,” Pawlowski said.

Bradley Hendrix (3-2) threw a scoreless top of the seventh to earn the

win.

Auburn will try to win its fifth straight series and tie the school

record for SEC wins in a season on Friday at 6:30pm CT when it sends Jr.

LHP Cole Nelson (6-3, 4.60) to the hill against Ole Miss Sr. RHP Aaron

Barrett (7-2, 3.26).

[Ronald McDonald 0]

YESSS!!!!! Way to go Auburn! Lets get a win tomorrow night and seal this puppy up.. All we need is a Vandy win tonight 

[Scrambledog 0]

This team has turned into something special. It is so good to have Auburn baseball back in top half of the SEC.

[kevon67 2,368]

Listen to the game on Ole Miss Network 104.9 out of Gulfport, MS in my front yard with my son decked out in his Auburn gear(cap and shirt). Game was close Auburn played one heck of a game. After my son was inside I was listening and chipping a golf ball in the yard, when Auburn took the lead I hit the golf ball extremley hard out of excitement and flew over the big row of trees and azaleas and hit my neighbors ten roof about 200 yards away. I immediatley hid the evidence and listen to the rest of the game in the backyard.  

p.s. I am surrounded literally by Ole Miss Alumni and students 4 houses directly across the street, the house I hit and the one right next to me. I still sounded the fight song horn at the end of the game, 6 years old and still belting out the tunes, best 60 dollar investment ever

[aubieclaws 0]

Listen to the game on Ole Miss Network 104.9 out of Gulfport, MS in my front yard with my son decked out in his Auburn gear(cap and shirt). Game was close Auburn played one heck of a game. After my son was inside I was listening and chipping a golf ball in the yard, when Auburn took the lead I hit the golf ball extremley hard out of excitement and flew over the big row of trees and azaleas and hit my neighbors ten roof about 200 yards away. I immediatley hid the evidence and listen to the rest of the game in the backyard.  

p.s. I am surrounded literally by Ole Miss Alumni and students 4 houses directly across the street, the house I hit and the one right next to me. I still sounded the fight song horn at the end of the game, 6 years old and still belting out the tunes, best 60 dollar investment ever

You know if you can't sleep...The best way is too sleep under a Tin Roof when it is raining you'll get the best nights sleep you have ever had in your life...nothing like it in the world!!!Besides AUBURN!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

WDE!!!

[GoCrazyCadillac 0]

Great win tonight, but we've got to buckle down and try to win these next two to keep the momentum high and hopefully host a regional.

WDE