AUBURN, Ala. – No. 19 Auburn used a four-run seventh inning to defeat South Carolina, 8-6, and win the series against the Gamecocks Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park.
Trailing 6-3 after giving up three runs in the top of the seventh, Auburn (28-12, 10-7 SEC) answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame to complete its 15th come-from-behind win this season.
"I think we are starting to see some signs of maturity from our ballclub," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We stayed the course and buckled down offensively. College baseball is so momentum oriented. They scored the three in the seventh, and then we came back immediately and put a four-spot on the board. To respond immediately was a huge difference for us."
The Tigers scored in five different innings and struck for four runs in the previously mentioned seventh inning.
Eight of the nine Auburn starters recorded a hit in the win, including four with multiple hits. Brooks Carlson went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the contest, and Sonny DiChiara matched him with a team-high three hits.
"This team doesn't give up," Carlson said. "We have a lot of veterans on this club who don't back down. When adversity happens to those guys, they almost seem to take advantage of it. I'm just trying to take it one pitch at a time and stay true to my roots."
Junior Trace Bright was on the mound for the Tigers in game two of the series. Bright starred early in the matchup, forcing three double plays. The right-hander ultimately worked 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Auburn was led by strong relief appearances from Carson Swilling, Carson Skipper and Blake Burkhalter in the final three innings to finish the game for the Tigers.
"Those guys talked to me before the game, and they wanted the baseball again today," Thompson said of Skipper and Burkhalter. "It's another sign of our club being locked in. There was no delay once we tied it, Skipper knew he was going in. Burkhalter had more time to get ready and was spot on."
"My job is to always go out there and get the first guy out," Skipper said. "Every time I'm able to do that successfully it sets myself and the guys who follow me up for a good outing."
Swilling (1-2, 6.35) entered with two outs in the seventh and struck out the only batter he faced to earn his first win of the season.
Auburn started the scoring in the contest as Brody Moore led off the second inning with a double and advanced to third on the play after an error in left field. Nate LaRue capitalized on the opportunity with a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Moore and gave Auburn an early advantage.
The Tigers found themselves in scoring position to begin the third inning after Blake Rambusch singled and Kason Howell was hit by a pitch. DiChiara drove a ball to right field that was caught, and Rambusch tagged up on the play before ultimately scoring as the throw to third got away to double the lead.
Auburn added another run in the third on a RBI single from Carlson that scored Rambusch, extending the lead to 3-0.
South Carolina (19-19. 6-11 SEC) fired back in the top half of the sixth inning with a three-run home run that knotted the game at three.
The Gamecocks took the lead with two outs in the seventh inning on a RBI single to left field and added two more runs in the inning, giving them a 6-3 edge in the contest.
Auburn responded in the bottom half of the frame with four runs to regain the lead. Foster and Rambusch singled and DiChiara was intentionally walked to load the bases for the Tigers. Carlson worked a walk to cut the deficit to two, and Bobby Peirce followed with a RBI single before Moore delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at six. LaRue came through with the go-ahead, two-out single through the left side to give Auburn a 7-6 advantage.
Skipper worked an efficient eighth inning, setting down all three batters he faced on groundouts.
The Tigers added an insurance run in the eighth on a solo home run from Cole Foster. The blast was the sophomore's sixth of the year and gave the Tigers a two-run lead heading into the ninth.
Burkhalter entered in the ninth and set the Gamecocks down in order with two strikeouts to earn his SEC-leading 10th save. Burkhalter's 10 saves are tied for seventh in single-season history.
The series finale between the Tigers and Gamecocks is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park.
Late-inning rally leads No. 19 Auburn to series-clinching win
