Stranded on third. That's Auburn's day in a nut shell.

The Maroons had five separate occasions with a runner on third and one out or less but never even managed to put the ball into play, and Auburn eventually fell to Liverpool, 2-1, in a classic pitcher's duel.

“We had the opportunities and should have had the game in hand easily,” said Auburn coach T.J. Gamba, whose team was 0-for-7 overall with runners in scoring position. “We didn't take what was given to us. That's our lesson.”

Liverpool's Aaron Schuldt fanned 15 Maroons en route to a complete game win, and Auburn's Mike Assmann answered with a complete game four-hitter with five strikeouts.

“Assmann was lights out today,” Gamba said. “He pitched more than well enough to win.”

But the offense sputtered.

The Maroons' only tally came in the fourth inning, when Assmann drew a walk, and then moved to third when Noah Donch laced a single to right field on a hit-and-run. Donch advanced to second on the throw in, leaving two runners in scoring position with none out. Assmann scored on a wild pitch before Schuldt struck out the side.

That tied the game, and it remained that way until the bottom of the seventh. A Maroons error put the leadoff hitter on first. Then, on a bunt, the Maroons unsuccessfully went for the lead runner, putting runners on first and second. Another bunt was popped up for the first out before a base hit drove an unearned run across the plate.

Though Gamba was displeased with the end result, he was still happy with the overall performance.

“We battled, played good defense, and the kids did a tremendous job,” he said.

“The fish are biting, we just need to catch one.”

Warriors 2

Maroons 1