STARKVILLE, Miss. – The No. 12 Auburn offense totaled a season high in hits and matched a season high in runs, but the Tigers dropped the final game of the series against No. 4 Mississippi State, 20-15, Sunday at Dudy Noble Field.
Auburn's 21 hits were the most hits in a conference game since the Tigers recorded 22 hits against Tennessee in 2010. The game included a combined 35 runs on 42 hits and saw six lead changes.
Eight different Tigers recorded multiple hits on the day, highlighted by three-hit efforts from four different Auburn hitters including Edouard Julien, Conor Davis, Ryan Bliss and Kason Howell. Steven Williams and Judd Ward each launched home runs, and Ward drove in a career-high four runs.
"I was really interested when I woke up this morning to see how we would bounce back, and if we'd leave it on the field today, and we did," head coach Butch Thompson said. "I thought Gabe Gross was our guy today because he implored and got a lot out of our hitters."
Trailing 2-0 through two innings, the Tigers (20-4, 4-2 SEC) used a four-run frame in the top of the third, highlighted by five straight hits, to take the lead. Julien started the rally with a RBI single to center field, and Bliss put the Tigers on top with a two-RBI double down the line in left.
After Mississippi State responded with three runs in the bottom of the third, the Tigers sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs to take an 11-5 lead. Will Holland drew a four-pitch walk to start the inning and Williams deposited the first pitch he saw over the wall in right to regain the lead. Julien drove in another with a RBI double, and Davis and Ward extended the advantage with a pair of RBI base hits. Matt Scheffler brought home the final run of the inning with a RBI groundout.
Auburn scored a combined 11 runs on 12 hits and sent 21 batters to the plate in the two frames. However, Mississippi State (22-3, 4-2 SEC) cut the lead to one with a run in the bottom of the fourth and four in the next frame, including a two-run from Jordan Westburg.
The Tigers got a run back in the sixth, but the back-and-forth affair continued as Rowdey Jordan gave Mississippi State a 13-12 lead with a bases-clearing double in the home half.
Auburn battled back as Ward gave the Tigers the lead again with his aforementioned three-run home run, but Mississippi State answered by scoring seven runs in their final two at-bats to take the game.
Cody Greenhill (0-1, 4.05) was one of seven Auburn pitchers used in the game and suffered the loss. Mississippi State's Cole Gordon (3-0, 4.20) picked up the win as one of six hurlers used on the other side.
Auburn returns to action on Tuesday night as the Tigers travel to Montgomery to play in the annual Capital City Classic against Alabama (19-6, 2-4 SEC). First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is set for 6 p.m. CT.