On a beautiful Wednesday evening on The Plains, the Auburn Tigers (20-10, 5-4 SEC) welcomed the South Alabama Jaguars (22-11, 10-2 SBC) to Plainsman Park.
Red-shirt sophomore Cory Luckie took the mound looking for his second of the season, facing South Alabama junior Lance Brown (1-1).
Auburn won the mid-week game 6-2.
"Overall, I thought one of the biggest things was we used five different pitchers and all five went out there and threw strikes," said Auburn coach John Pawlowski.
Auburn opened up the scoring in the second inning, as Lance Brown issued a bases-loaded walk to Auburn sophomore Creede Simpson, bringing junior Tony Caldwell in to score.
Lance Brown was replaced by Jaguar senior Chris Brown after the walk.
Chris Brown gave up a sacrifice fly to Auburn junior Justin Fradejas, bringing Auburn junior Justin Bryant home.
Auburn junior Justin Hargett got in on the offense in the second, too, driving in fellow junior Trent Mummey on a single to right field, bringing the score to 3-0.
Luckie was relieved in the third inning by freshman Slade Smith.
He was credited with the win, but said it wasn't the easiest he's had in his career.
"Freshman year I went one inning and I got the win," Luckie said.
South Alabama was able to find the plate on a fielder's choice in the third inning, bringing the score to 3-1.
South Alabama made another pitching change in the bottom of the third inning, sending sophomore Brad Hook to the mound.
Smith saw his night end after two innings of work by Auburn junior Stephen Kohlscheen.
The Jaguars closed the gap to one run in the fourth when senior Adam Heisler hit a solo home run over the right field fence.
South Alabama made a third pitching change in the fifth inning, bringing junior Michael Raia in to relieve Hook.
Auburn welcomed Raia to the game with three straight singles and a score by junior Brian Fletcher.
Raia did not record an out and was relieved by redshirt freshman Jake LeBlanc.
LeBlanc got out of the inning without giving up anymore runs. After five innings, Auburn led 4-2.
Simpson scored in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice bunt by Fradejas. Auburn 5, South Alabama 2.
LeBlanc was relieved in the sixth by South Alabama sophomore Phillip Byrd, bringing the Jaguars' pitcher total to six.
Auburn made its third pitching change to begin the seventh inning as sophomore Zach Blatt came in to relieve Kohlscheen.
The Jaguars again changed personnel, for the last time, on the mound in the bottom of the seventh, bringing in junior Kyle Dees to relieve Byrd.
Fradejas said the team wasn't fazed by what seemed like a different pitcher every inning.
"We keep charts on most of these guys," Fradejas said. "It's pretty easy to be prepared with those types of charts.
Blatt was only allowed one inning of work as the Tigers brought in senior Michael Hurst, and his submarine-style delivery, to pitch.
Fradejas came in to score on a sacrifice fly by junior Hunter Morris in the bottom of the eighth inning finishing the scoring and extending the lead to 6-2.
Hurst pitched the top of the ninth inning and recorded his first career save in college.
"I'm just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win," Hurst said.
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