AUBURN, Ala. — Any celebration plans Auburn might have had for clinching an SEC tournament berth will have to wait at least one more day.

Tennessee spoiled Auburn’s party, beating the No. 18 Tigers 9-3 Friday at Plainsman Park.

Cody Hawn and Blake Forsythe both homered and drove in three runs for the streaking Volunteers (29-21, 12-13 SEC), who have won seven straight.

“I think it was a frustrating night,” Auburn coach John Pawlowski said. “We never really got out of the gate. We never really had a chance to be in that ballgame.”

Despite the loss, Auburn’s magic number to clinch its first SEC tournament berth since 2003 was reduced to one thanks to Alabama’s loss to Ole Miss. The Tigers (33-17, 15-10) can earn a spot in Hoover with a win Saturday or an Alabama loss.

Auburn also didn’t lose any ground in the SEC West race. Arkansas lost to South Carolina to drop into a first-place tie with Ole Miss with matching 16-9 records. The Tigers are a game back.

Hawn and Forsythe’s homers helped Tennessee jump to a 5-1 lead off Auburn starter Cory Luckie (6-3), who lasted only 3 2/3 innings.

The Tigers couldn’t get much going against Vols starter Stephen McCray (6-3). The right-hander gave up three runs on nine hits in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

Auburn, which leads the SEC in hitting, was 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

“He threw the ball real well,” Pawlowski said. “He pitched like a senior. He knew what he was doing out there and when he really needed to make some pitches, he did. He made it very tough on our hitters tonight.”

Hunter Morris provided one of Auburn’s only offensive highlights, hitting a solo homer in the eighth that cut the lead to 8-3. It was his SEC-leading 18th home run this year.

The Tigers continued to rally, putting runners on first and second with one out. With Tony Caldwell batting, Vols reliever Steve Crnkovich made a move that appeared to go toward the plate before whirling back and throwing to second to pick off Casey McElroy, who was tagged out in a rundown.

“I just saw his knee go up and I thought he was going to home plate,” McElroy said. “I took two shuffles and he got me out. I guess that’s enough.”

Pawlowski got animated while arguing the call to no avail, first with the third base umpire and later with the home plate ump after director of operations Scott Duval was ejected.

“We were just having a conversation,” Pawlowski deadpanned. “It’s one of those things where everybody’s got an opinion on it. It didn’t go our way and we just have to move forward.”

The Tigers didn’t score again. Wes Gilmer struck out with two runners on to end the eighth before Auburn went down 1-2-3 in the ninth.

The teams meet again today at 4 p.m. ET. Tennessee will start left-hander Steven Gruver (4-3, 5.51 ERA). Auburn has not yet named a starter, but Pawlowski said it will likely be Slade Smith (2-0, 5.53) or Cole Nelson (5-3, 5.44).