Related Links
AUBURN, Ala. - Sophomore Casey Mize allowed two runs in six innings and Auburn baseball rallied with four runs in the eighth to defeat Lipscomb 5-4 Saturday at Plainsman Park.
"We met as a ball club before we came up to bat in the bottom of the eighth and I said, what we have is an opportunity, if we are close enough and we stay together, we have a chance to change the storyline instead of this being it," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. "Our guys were just really hanging together well for us and we have to continue to foster that, continue to coach that and allow our guys to keep growing. That was positive for us - coming back."
Auburn (9-2) struggled against Lipscomb starter Jeffrey Passantino for six innings, but got to the Bisons bullpen in the eighth to post the come-from-behind win. Passantino used four different pitches to hold Auburn to one run over six innings on four hits with eight strikeouts.
Pinch-hitter Conor Davis started the go-ahead eighth inning with a walk and Jonah Todd followed with a single past the third baseman. Daniel Robert then walked to load the bases, and Josh Anthony's subsequent RBI ground out cut the deficit to 4-2.
Dylan Ingram was next with a clutch RBI single after fouling off multiple pitches to close the Tigers within a run. After Jeremy Johnson took over as a pinch runner, Lipscomb reliever Denton Norman threw away a pickoff attempt allowing Robert to score from third and tie the game.
With two outs, Luke Jarvis followed with a RBI single to give Auburn a 5-4 lead and complete the comeback. Jarvis and Anthony both had two hits on the day.
Lipscomb (6-4) took advantage of uncharacteristic errors by the Auburn defense to score early and late. The Bisons held a 2-0 lead after three innings and stretched their lead to 4-1 in the top of the eighth thanks to another error by the Tigers.
In between, Todd got Auburn on the board with a RBI single in the fifth that extended his hitting streak to 11 games and gave him a RBI in seven straight. He finished with two hits.
Mize struck out nine over six innings and allowed two runs (one earned) - his first of the season. Cole Lipscomb pitched the final three innings out of the pen and got the win to improve to 2-0. He struck out four with two runs allowed.
Lipscomb's Cade Sorrells had two hits and two RBI.
Auburn and Lipscomb conclude the series on Sunday at 12 pm.