AUBURN, Ala. – No. 17 Auburn scored three or more runs in three different innings en route to its 12-6 series-clinching win against USC Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park.
All 12 of the Tigers runs came in a span of three innings with a three-run fourth, five-run sixth and four-run eighth. Six Tigers turned in multiple hits and four drove in multiple runs.
"I think the difference was we had the two biggest innings and when we scored, we were able to go back out on defense and put up a zero," head coach Butch Thompson said. "We responded each and every time and stayed in the ballgame."
Cooper McMurray led the way with a team-high three hits, including his first homer in an Auburn uniform, and drove in a season-high three runs.
"It's really just coming out here and trying to help the team win however we can," McMurray said. "We come out here everyday trying to help the team win. That's the most important part."
Bryson Ware homered for the second time this week to add two of the team's four insurance runs in the eighth inning and matched a season-high with three RBI.
"I'm really proud of us, the way we battled back," Ware said. "We got down pretty early but stayed in the fight and were able to come back. I'm really proud of the way we fought today."
John Armstrong (2-0, 4.05) earned his second wins in as many appearances this weekend, ultimately pitching 1.2 innings from the sixth through eighth frames. Will Cannon recorded the final five outs and earned his second save of the weekend.
USC (3-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a solo homer in the first and two more runs, one of which was unearned, in the third.
Christian Herberholz was able to work around a one-out single in the fourth, and the Auburn (5-1) offense came to life to tie the game with three runs in the home half of the frame. Ike Irish started the inning with a double and scored four pitches later on a RBI single from Bryson Ware. Ware advanced to second on a wild pitch, and McMurray drove him in a on single back up the middle. After McMurray also advanced to second on a wild pitch, Brody Moss slapped a 3-2 pitch through the left side to tie the score 3-3.
Making his first start in an Auburn uniform on short notice, Herberholz ultimately pitched 4.0 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Graduate southpaw Tommy Vail was the first Auburn pitcher to enter in relief and turned in 1.2 scoreless with a pair of strikeouts.
The biggest inning of the day came in the sixth, when Auburn scored five runs on five hits. Mike Bello hit a pinch-hit, RBI fielder's choice to put the Tigers ahead, and the team continued to pass it down the lineup as 10 batters stepped to the plate in the frame. Moss drove in his second run on the game to make it a 5-3 game, while Cole Foster drove in a pair and Irish drove in another to cap off the five-run frame.
The Trojans cut the Auburn lead to two with three runs in the top of the eighth, but the Tigers answered back in a bigger way with four in the home half. Ware got the inning started with a two-run shot to dead center field, and McMurray followed him up two batters later with a two-run shot of his own to cap off the scoring in the contest.
"It's going to be a quick turnaround with a noon ballgame," Thompson said. "These guys need to be thankful for a few minutes that they won a series, and then get ready to get back out here and try to win a ballgame."
The series finale between the two teams is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network.
Big innings lead No. 17 Auburn to series-clinching win vs. USC
