Bullpen buckles down in series opener vs. Texas A&M

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn got four big innings out of its bullpen en route to defeating Texas A&M, 5-4, in the series opener at Plainsman Park Friday.
 
The combination of Joseph Gonzalez and Carson Skipper faced just three batters over the minimum in the final four innings en route to the win.
 
"That's the goal," head coach Butch Thompson said of winning the series opener. "We haven't hid from it. We've advertised it. We've told our fans. We've told everybody. Nothing is secured, but if you really want to win a series, winning the first one is a huge step."
 
Leading 4-3, Auburn (21-24, 7-18 SEC) scored what proved to be the winning insurance run as Ryan Dyal battled back from a 1-2 count to draw a bases-loaded walk and extend the lead to 5-3.
 
Dyal's run proved to be critical as Texas A&M leadoff hitter Ray Alejo hit a two-out solo homer in the ninth.
 
"This is the SEC, so every one of these games feels exactly the same when we're playing a tight competitive game," Thompson added.
 
Skipper (2-2, 4.56 ERA) recorded the final nine outs and earned his second win in as many outings. The junior lefty matched a season high with four strikeouts and didn't walk a batter.
 
"I just want to give my team a chance to win one out and one hitter at a time," Skipper said. "Just let my guys play behind me and let them swing the sticks like I know they can."
 
"He picked up where he left off last weekend and gave us a chance," Thompson added of Skipper. "I thought the eighth inning was good. He threw some really nice breaking balls."
 
Jack Owen earned his seventh straight start for the Tigers and pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Owen allowed three runs on six hits through three innings but retired seven of the last eight batters he faced before giving way to Gonzalez, who pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning.
 
Rankin Woley got Auburn's offense started with a solo home run in the bottom of the first, his seventh homer of the season. Woley finished the game with two hits and proved what scored to be the winning run in the eighth after leading off the inning with a single.
 
"The next game is the biggest one for us," Woley said. "That's all we can control is the next game, and that's what we're looking forward to. We just have to come out here and play baseball."
 
Texas A&M (27-24, 7-18 SEC) responded with a run on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly in the second and added two more on a two-run homer in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
 
However, Auburn answered right back with a solo homer from Ryan Bliss is the third, his 12th of the year, and a RBI double from Brody Moore in the fourth to tie the game, 3-3.
 
Bliss came back around with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and lifted a sacrifice fly to left center to give Auburn the lead. An inning later, Dyal drew the aforementioned bases-loaded walk to bring in the winning run.
 
Game two between Auburn and Texas A&M is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.