There aren't any good ways to lose a baseball game, but all losses aren't created equal. Just ask Auburn, who lost an SEC conference tournament game to LSU in wildly depressing fashion. Up a run and needing just two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Auburn suffered a walk-off loss when a wild pitch and an error scored two runs. To make this sting even more for Auburn, this was also an elimination game.
Although both parts of the play were arguably Auburn's catcher's fault, he miraculously got off scot-free in the box score as the play was scored a wild pitch and an error on the first baseman. Here's the tape:
WHATEVER IT TAKES 😱 pic.twitter.com/mlKxPwqfQM
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) May 23, 2019
The ball bounces, yes. But the catcher then accidentally kicks it away and loses it completely (an understandable mistake). The tying run scores. In the confusion, the first baseman makes the ill-advised decision to throw it anyway. It whizzes by the catcher's face, allowing the runner who was initially on second to score and end the game.
The play resulted in a 4-3 win for LSU and some serious wounds to lick for an Auburn team that was two precious outs away from moving on in the tournament.