KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Down to its last out, No. 19 Auburn scored four runs in the top of the ninth to come from behind and defeat No. 1 Tennessee, 8-6, to even the series Saturday night in Knoxville.
Trailing 5-4, Kason Howell hit an RBI double down the left field line to score Bryson Ware from third and tie the game. After Sonny DiChiara was intentionally walked for the second straight at-bat, Bobby Peirce made Tennessee pay with a no doubt, three-run homer to left to give Auburn an 8-5 lead.
"I've got to think about everybody all the way down the line," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We reset from last night, and this speaks to their character."
After fouling off four straight pitches, Peirce hit a 1-2 slider 392 feet over the patio seating in left field. The go-ahead homer was Peirce's third of the season, including his second in conference play.
"Once I got to two strikes, I was just kind of battling and fouling lots off," Peirce said. "I was looking for anything over the plate and just recognized it and was able to adjust and make a good swing on it. I've never felt anything like that, that's for sure. It was awesome."
Prior to the homer, Howell jumped on the first pitch he saw and laced it down the left-field line to score Ware, who pinch ran for Nate LaRue after the Auburn backstop started the ninth with a single to center.
"Gabe (Gross) talks about doing the little things and the big things will happen," Howell said. "You've got to shrink your mind there and just let those little things happen."
Konner Copeland (3-0, 2.61) recorded the final six outs to earn the win, his first in SEC play. He struck out a pair and, with the tying run at the plate, induced a pair of flyouts from the three and four hitters to end the game.
"The atmosphere was crazy," Copeland said. "I had adrenaline, but I did my best to not let it get out of control. I just wanted to make sure I had all my stuff going and go out and throw strikes and get the outs."
The win marked Auburn's 16th when trailing in a game this season, including its third when trailing after eight innings.
DiChiara nearly hit a solo homer to center in the top of the first, but it was Tennessee (39-4, 18-2 SEC) who started the scoring with a two-out double followed by an RBI single in the opening frame.
Auburn (31-13, 12-8 SEC) threatened in the top of the second, loading the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and a single, but a popup to second bases ended the inning. The Tigers again put two aboard with one out in the third and ultimately tied the game on a wild pitch with two outs. Blake Rambusch stole a pair of bases before scampering home.
Tennessee reclaimed the lead after an error, failed pickoff and wild pitch led to an unearned run in the bottom of the third.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the fifth as Rambusch drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. The Auburn leadoff hitter crossed home and tied the game on an infield single from Howell before DiChiara gave the Tigers the lead on a two-run home run to left-center. The long ball was DiChiara's team-best 13th of the season.
Auburn starter Trace Bright worked a perfect bottom of the fifth inning, but Tennessee was able to cut into the lead and eventually tie it back up with two runs on two walks, a single and a pair of wild pitches in the sixth. Bright pitched 5.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while matching a season high with eight strikeouts.
Tied 4-4, the Volunteers again reclaimed the lead on a two-out RBI single in the seventh. Outside of an intentional walk to DiChiara in the seventh, 12 straight Auburn hitters had been retired until LaRue flipped a switch with his leadoff single in the ninth.
Howell led the way with a pair of hits and RBI in the contest. DiChiara drove in a pair and reached four times, while Peirce matched a season high with three RBI with his one big swing.
Chase Allsup relieved Bright with two outs in the sixth and pitched the seventh inning before giving way to Copeland.
The rubber game between Auburn and Tennessee is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m. CT at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Bobby’s blast leads No. 19 Auburn to comeback win at No. 1 Tennessee
