Auburn splits doubleheader

AUBURN | Auburn will have a chance to win its first SEC series after splitting a doubleheader with No. 14 LSU Saturday.

Auburn won game one 8-5 before LSU bounced back to take game two 8-6. Auburn will go into Sunday’s rubber game 13-14 overall and 2-6 in the SEC while LSU is 17-9 and 3-5.

“We want more,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “We’re at the stage where we think we’re getting a little bit better. We feel like we’ve played good baseball this week and want a little bit more. Hopefully, we’ll come out and put ourselves in position to win our first series of the year tomorrow.”

Auburn jumped on LSU early in the opener with four runs in the third off LSU starter Alex Lange on a passed ball that scored Cody Nulph from third and a two-out, bases-loaded double by Blake Logan that drove in three.

Joshua Palacios crushed a two-run home run over the right-centerfield wall in the fourth and the Tigers added a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Logan and another in the eighth on an RBI single by Anfernee Grier.

All eight of Auburn’s runs in game one came with two outs.

LSU cut into the lead with three runs in the ninth but Izaac Yarbrough came in to strikeout pinch-hitter Trey Dawson with two runners on base to end the game and earn his first save of the season.

Justin Camp (2-1) earned the win in game one allowing two runs on four hits in 5.0 innings. Lange (2-2) took the loss allowing seven runs on five hits and six walks in 6.2 innings.

Auburn committed three errors and starter Cole Lipscomb (1-3) was roughed up for seven runs, five earned, on eight hits in 6.1 innings in game two.

LSU starter Jared Poche’ (3-3) earned the win holding Auburn to a run on five hits in 6.1 innings. Auburn scored in the fifth on a double-play groundout by Jordan Ebert and in the eighth on an RBI single by Nulph before a big two-out rally in the ninth.

Trailing 8-2 with the bases empty and two outs, Palacios hit a double to left field, Ebert walked, Niko Buentello hit an RBI single to left, Logan an RBI single to left, Daniel Robert walked and Nulph drove in two more with a single to right to cut the deficit to 8-6.

LSU reliever Caleb Gilbert was able retire Kyler Deese on a groundout to second to end the rally.

“I tip my hat to Poche’ in the nightcap. He really took us out of the ballgame but we finished strong,” Thompson said. “Our guys kept fighting and we had an opportunity to win a game. We had the winning run on base there to end the ballgame.”

Logan finished the day 4 of 7 with five RBI. Grier was 4 of 8 with four runs scored and Palacios 4 of 9 with two RBI.

Sunday’s game will start at 1 p.m. CT and be available on SECN+ and WatchESPN.