AUBURN, Ala. — After a three-hour and fifteen-minute rain delay Friday night, No. 11 Auburn (29-13, 10-9) defeated Mississippi State (24-18, 6-13) 6-5. The Tigers secured the one-run victory in a back-and-forth affair.
Both offenses were slow to start coming out of the rain delay, but the Bulldogs struck first in the fourth inning on a two-run home run. It was the only blemish for Auburn starter Sam Dutton. Dutton threw six innings, allowing four hits while striking out nine Bulldogs hitters.
“Dutton's kind of our guy, you know, we just believe in his consistency and he was again tonight,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said.
After Mississippi State took the two-run lead in the top of the fourth, Auburn responded with a big bottom-half inning. Auburn scored four runs on four hits. Three different Tigers recorded at least one RBI in the frame.
“But you know, coming right back in the bottom of the fourth getting those four runs away,” Thompson said. “We've been a little bit slow offensively. I'm just proud of these guys and hung together and worked good all week and got the four there and you know, responded.”
Auburn extended its lead to three in the sixth inning on an RBI single from third baseman Eric Guevara. In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs responded. After an error, and then a single, Mississippi State catcher Joe Powell hit a three-run home run to tie the game.
Auburn responded in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead. First baseman Cooper McMurray doubled to drive in second baseman Eric Snow. Ultimately, the sixth run of the game for the Tigers would be all they needed.
Sophomore reliever Ryan Hetzler held the Bulldogs scoreless in the final two frames to secure the victory in the series opener over six hours after the original first pitch time was scheduled.
Auburn will look to win the series on Saturday. The first pitch of game two is set for 6:00 p.m. and will air on the Auburn Sports Network and SECN+.
