FSU outlasts Auburn in extra innings; forces deciding game

98516269851626

June 5, 2017

Photo Gallery

NOTES: **** Search for "XXX" **** **** No blank line spaces in code below when you paste into Netitor ****

-->


Related Links





TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn rallied from a four-run deficit to take a ninth-inning lead, but Florida State prevailed 8-7 in 10 innings Sunday night, forcing a deciding seventh game in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional.

Auburn and Florida State will play a winner-take-all game at 6 p.m. CT Monday night at Dick Howser Stadium. Starting pitchers and TV information have yet to be announced.

Auburn took a 7-6 lead into the bottom of the ninth after rallying from a 6-2 deficit, but the Seminoles, down to their last strike, tied it on an RBI triple off the center field wall by Dylan Busby, sending the game to extra innings. FSU would win it on a bases-loaded hit batter with two outs in the 10th.

With Auburn trailing 6-5 in the ninth, two out and down to his last strike, Auburn's Josh Anthony delivered a 2-RBI single, scoring Jonah Todd and Will Holland, to give Auburn a 7-6 lead. The Tigers had trailed since the second inning when a five-run FSU outburst put the Seminoles ahead 6-2.

But senior Cole Lipscomb, entering in relief in the second inning, pitched one of the best games of his career, retiring 15 straight hitters at one point and was in line for the win after Anthony's heroic hit. Lipscomb matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings of relief, giving up three runs on four hits and walking two.

Auburn chipped away at the lead with a run in the third (RBI double from Jay Estes to score Daniel Robert) and a run in the seventh (Robert RBI single to score Todd), cutting the deficit to 6-4. Meanwhile, Florida State had just two baserunners from the third through eighth innings as Lipscomb cruised.

Todd, Robert and Blake Logan each had two hits on the night, and Estes and Anthony drove in two runs apiece. Auburn out-hit the Seminoles 12-10; Auburn left 10 runners on base and FSU left eight.

Auburn jumped ahead with a run in the first as Todd reached on an error then scored on a sacrifice fly from Estes to make it 1-0. FSU answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run on three hits to tie the game.

Logan delivered an RBI single in the second to score Sam Gillikin from second and push Auburn back ahead 2-1 before FSU scored five times in the bottom of the inning.