HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Oraj Anu and Adam Fogel hit back-to-back home runs to begin the ninth inning and 12th-seeded Kentucky surprised fifth-seeded Auburn 3-1 in the SEC Tournament opening round on Wednesday.
The Wildcats (31-24) did not qualify for the league tournament until taking two of three games from the Tigers last weekend to close the regular season, earning a berth with a win in the series finale.
Kentucky plays fourth-seeded LSU, ranked 21st, in the second round on Thursday in the rain-delayed tournament.
Auburn (37-19) tied the game at 1 in the eighth on Sonny DiChiara’s 18th home run, a two-out blast on a 3-2 pitch.
Sean Harney, who won a game in relief in the last series, went 7 innings, scattering four hits and struck out five. Daniel Harper gave up DiChara’s homer before Tyler Guilfoil (3-1) picked up the win, despite allowing the first two batters to reach base in the ninth. Guilfoil struck out two sandwiched around an infield popup.
Ryan Ritter had Kentucky’s RBI single in the fourth and singled again in the eighth when Daniel Harris IV was thrown out at the plate.
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