AUBURN, Ala. – Accustomed to inspiring football fans across Heisman Drive at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Independence the bald eagle flew for the first time at an Auburn baseball game, exhilarating the sold-out crowd Saturday at Plainsman Park before Auburn's 8-6 win over No. 1 LSU.
In a game that started at 8 p.m. and ended nine minutes before midnight, the Tigers used two big innings, a Bryson Ware homer and a three-inning save from Will Cannon to secure the victory.
"We competed," Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. "It was going to take a competitive spirit. Our crowd is creating an SEC environment that's absolutely a factor in a ballgame."
Cannon struck out the side in the ninth inning, stranding the potential tying runs on base and leaving reigning SEC co-player of the year Dylan Crews in the on-deck circle.
"The adrenaline was kicking," Cannon said. "Facing the No. 1 team in the country, I definitely wanted it. Coach Thompson's belief in me and the entire team is unreal. I thank him every day for that."
Auburn starter Tommy Vail continued his excellent pitching, striking out eight in 4.0 innings, allowing one earned run. It marked the third straight start Vail has struck out seven or more batters.
LSU took advantage of an infield throwing error to take a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the top of the second inning.
The Bengal Tigers added another run in the third on three hits, but Vail minimized the damage by striking out the side to leave the bases loaded before stranding three more LSU runners in the fourth.
After Ike Irish's bunt single with one out in the bottom of the first inning, LSU starting pitcher Ty Floyd struck out seven consecutive Auburn batters.
Irish reached again, drawing a leadoff walk in the fourth, advancing to second on a balk, to third on Bobby Peirce's two-strike single to right and scoring Auburn's first run on a wild pitch.
After a pair of walks loaded the bases, pinch-hitter Brody Wortham drew a walk to plate Peirce to tie the score at 2-2, ending Floyd's outing after 3.2 innings.
Nate LaRue drew another bases-loaded walk off LSU reliever Gavin Guidry, bringing home Ware to give Auburn a 3-2 lead before a strikeout ended the inning with three Tigers left on base.
After Konner Copeland relieved Vail, LSU regained a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth with back-to-back doubles and a two-run single. LaRue picked off a runner straying off first base to end the inning.
LSU loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth off John Armstrong, but Zach Crotchfelt came out of the bullpen to strike out a pinch-hitter, stranding three Bengal Tigers for the third time in four innings.
Auburn scored four runs off three LSU pitchers in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-4 lead.
After Ware and Cole Foster walked to force a pitching change, Wortham tied the game at 4-4 with a single to center for his second RBI. LaRue gave Auburn a 5-4 lead with a single off the third baseman's glove to score Foster.
Irish's sacrifice fly scored Wortham with Auburn's third run of the frame and Peirce plated LaRue with the Tigers' fourth run of the inning before Stanfield was thrown out attempting to steal home with Auburn ahead 7-4.
LSU's Hayden Travinski led off the seventh with a home run off Will Cannon to cut Auburn's lead to 7-5.
Ware restored Auburn's lead to three when he greeted LSU reliever Sam Dutton with his 19th home run of the season, a towering blast over the wall in left, Auburn's only extra-base hit.
"I'm really proud of us," Ware said. "Thankfully he hung one and it got just enough of the plate and I could just get enough barrel on it to get it out of here."
LSU cut Auburn's lead to 8-6 in the top of the eighth with a walk, a double and a fielder's choice before Stanfield ran down a hard-hit ball in the left-center gap to end the inning, stranding one of the Bengal Tigers' 14 runners left on base.
Crotchfelt (1-2) earned his first Auburn victory while Cannon recorded his fifth save.
Auburn (26-19-1, 10-13) and LSU (37-9, 16-6) will meet Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in the series finale.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
Independence flies, Auburn beats No. 1 LSU to even series
