Jake Marciano and Garrett Brewer led No. 5 Auburn to a 2-0 victory over Missouri on March 13, opening Southeastern Conference play at Taylor Stadium with the team’s third shutout in five games.
The win ended Missouri’s 13-game winning streak, which was the third longest in the country entering the weekend. Auburn has now held opponents to two runs or fewer for six consecutive games.
Head coach Butch Thompson said, “We’re learning something new every time we take the field, and I think that’s good for a young team. There’s so many young players on the field. I feel like there’s things I haven’t seen, but we just stayed in the game and stayed focused.”
Marciano pitched seven scoreless innings before a lighting delay of more than an hour and a half halted play in the eighth inning. Brewer took over after the delay and finished with two shutout innings to earn his third save of the season.
“I was just trying to attack the zone with all my pitches,” Marciano said. “That’s all we wanted. Starting off game one with a shutout is really important.”
With the game tied at zero in the top of the eighth, Bub Terrell hit a two-run home run following Chase Fralick’s leadoff walk, giving Auburn its lead. Terrell said, “The last time I had that opportunity, I didn’t come through for my team. I just wanted to put the ball in play and that’s how the swing turned out.”
Thompson added, “(It’s big) To get a shutout on the road in the first SEC game. Bub (Terrell) wound up getting the big hit tonight, and we made it stand up. I think that’s huge.”
Missouri threatened early by loading the bases in the third inning but failed to score as Marciano struck out Cameron Benson to end their chance. Afterward, Marciano retired eleven straight batters from late in the fourth through seventh innings.
Due to weather concerns for Sunday, Auburn and Missouri will finish their series with a doubleheader on Saturday.
