AUBURN, Ala. — With an SEC tournament berth already locked up, Auburn moved on to bigger goals Sunday. Namely, winning the SEC West.The No. 18 Tigers put themselves in a great position to do so, beating Tennessee 9-2 at Plainsman Park to move into sole possession of first place with one SEC series remaining.
"It's very exciting," starting pitcher Grant Dayton said. "We haven't been in this position in a long time. We don't know what this feels like."
The Tigers (35-17, 17-10 SEC) hit three home runs Sunday to give them 104 this season, breaking the single-season mark set last year. Trent Mummey homered twice and drove in five runs and Hunter Morris added his league-leading 19th home run to give Auburn the series victory.
The Tigers (35-17, 17-10 SEC) hit three home runs Sunday to give them 104 this season, breaking the single-season mark set last year. Trent Mummey homered twice and drove in five runs and Hunter Morris added his league-leading 19th home run to give Auburn the series victory.
The win puts the Tigers atop the standings in a crowded SEC West race, a game ahead of Arkansas and Ole Miss, who both lost Sunday.
Auburn, which has won its last four SEC series, travels to Ole Miss for a three-game set starting Thursday, needing to win two of three to clinch its first division title since 1995.
A strong finish could also give the Tigers a chance to host an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2003.
"I guess we kind of control our own destiny," Mummey said. "It's nice to go into Ole Miss and play against them for the West, especially in front of that atmosphere. It's going to be a wild series."
Like Saturday, the Tigers jumped on Tennessee (29-23, 12-15) early. Mummey hit a two-run homer in the first off Vols starter Bryan Morgado (2-7), pulling back a bunt attempt and taking a full swing that sent the ball into the right field stands."I guess we kind of control our own destiny," Mummey said. "It's nice to go into Ole Miss and play against them for the West, especially in front of that atmosphere. It's going to be a wild series."
"This is probably the best I have been seeing it," Mummey said. "When you go in to slash and you hit a home run, you know things are going well for you."
Mummey added a two-run shot in the fourth that made it 7-1, lofting a ball to the opposite field that drifted over the big wall in left. It gave him four home runs and 12 RBIs in the final two games of the series.
Mummey added a two-run shot in the fourth that made it 7-1, lofting a ball to the opposite field that drifted over the big wall in left. It gave him four home runs and 12 RBIs in the final two games of the series.
Since returning from an ankle injury that cost him the first 28 games, Mummey has 13 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .366 average in 101 at bats.
"He really hasn't missed a beat," Auburn coach John Pawlowski said. "You know, sometimes when guys are out for an extended period of time they try to do too much when they come back. But he hasn't. He's maintained his level of play, which is a lot of energy, a lot of life."
"He really hasn't missed a beat," Auburn coach John Pawlowski said. "You know, sometimes when guys are out for an extended period of time they try to do too much when they come back. But he hasn't. He's maintained his level of play, which is a lot of energy, a lot of life."
Dayton (7-2) cruised on the mound, giving up two runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings for his third straight win. Normally a fly ball pitcher, the left-hander got Tennessee to hit into three double plays.
Auburn had a strong defensive day all around, highlighted by Mummey's diving, over-the-shoulder, backhanded catch in the right-center field gap that robbed Blake Forsythe of extra bases in the eighth.
"It's probably one of the best catches I've ever made," Mummey said.
The Tigers conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule Tuesday at home against Jacksonville State.
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