AUBURN, Ala. – The Samford University baseball team gave up a couple of big innings that proved costly in a 12-3 loss at Auburn Tuesday evening at Plainsman Park.
 
With the loss, Samford fell to 4-4 on the season. Auburn is now 7-1 with the win.
 
"That's been the main story the last four games against good teams," Samford head coach Tony David said of his team falling in an early hole. "We've dug holes early and that was the disappointing side. We didn't throw enough strikes to lead off innings. I'm proud of the way the guys battled after that. It was 8-0 in the third, but we had no roll over."
 
For Samford in the loss, Garrett Howe went 3-for-4, scoring a run. Lucas Steele, John Anderson and Josh Rodriguez drove in a run each, all on sacrifice flies. John Malone (0-1), pitching 2.0 innings, giving up three runs on three hits to take the loss on the mound for the Bulldogs.
 
Auburn was led at the plate by Cooper McMurray, going 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. Christian Hall and Mason Maners also homered for the Tigers. Conner McBride (1-0) earned the win on the mound for Auburn, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits.
 
Auburn jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning, with Bobby Pierce driving in a run and McMurray hitting a two-run homer for a 3-0 Tiger lead. The Tigers added five runs in the third inning, with three of the runs coming on a home run by Hall, to make the score 8-0.
 
Samford put its first run on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning when Anderson hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Howe to cut the lead to 8-1. Auburn added two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 10-1.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, Steele and Rodriguez both had sacrifice flies to cut the lead to 10-3. Auburn added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning and another in the bottom of the seventh, making the final score 12-3.
 
Samford will host Bellarmine in a four-game series this weekend at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The teams are set to play Friday at 4 p.m., a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
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