Auburn fans should not leave any games early this season.
Auburn came from behind to beat No. 8 LSU 3--2 in extra innings Saturday at home, giving them the series win and their fifth one-run win in the last seven games.
Tied 2--2 going into the ninth with bases loaded and one out at the top of the ninth, senior pitcher Justin Bryant coaxed a groundball 4--6--3 double play out of LSU sophomore center fielder JaCoby Jones to give Auburn a chance to end it in regulation.
With a man on second and two outs, sophomore center fielder Ryan Tella hit a screaming drive down the right side to be snagged by a diving catch from LSU junior first baseman Mason Katz.
In the top of the ten tenth, Auburn coach John Pawlowski put in junior pitcher Slade Smith to close the game.
After putting runners on the corners, Smith did his best Justin Bryant impression and threw LSU senior Grant Dozar into another 4--6--3 double play.
Junior outfielder Cullen Wacker was walked on base by LSU reliever Joey Bourgeois.
Junior first baseman Garrett Cooper finished both late double plays and tried to move to finish the game with a sacrifice bunt to move Wacker to second.
An errant throw by LSU closer Nick Goody allowed Wacker to sprint into third only to be batted in on a walk-off pop fly by sophomore infielder Dan Glevenyak giving Auburn the game and the series.
"I was looking for a ball up in the zone that I could handle," Glenvenyak said. "I got it ... and I knew whoever was on third was going to make it home."
Pawlowski said the team was confident going into the extra innings.
"It's the type of team that keeps you on the edge of your seat," he said. "It wasn't easy ... we felt like if we got it to extra innings we were going to find a way to win."
Auburn had struck first with sophomore outfielder Jay Gonzalez running in off a line drive single to center field by junior outfielder Cullen Wacker in the first inning.
LSU responded in the top of the third by bringing in freshman outfielder Chris Sciambra on a sac bunt and JaCoby Jones on a sac fly to center field.
Down 2--1, the game became a defensive battle with neither team able to string any hits together.
"Our defense, when we really needed it, came up with some big plays," Pawlowski said. "We're not going to score a ton of runs, we gotta pitch it, we gotta play defense."
After a spectacular day defensively including a sprawling outfield catch in the fourth, sophomore Ryan Tella hit one of his two hits on the day in the eighth inning with a bouncing single over first base to get Auburn within striking distance.
After stealing second and third, he was driven in on a single up the right line by Cooper tying LSU 2--2.
Sophomore pitcher Will Kendall had an inconsistent game pitching six innings and allowing six hits and two earned runs.
Smith (2--3) earned his second win of the season in as many days, both against LSU.
"It builds confidence and will help us out in the long run ... being able to know we can win these close games," Smith said.
Auburn has scored most of its runs in the eighth inning this season with 28.
The Tigers have won three-straight series over LSU for the first time since 1988--90 seasons.
This is Auburn's fourth-straight win over an SEC opponent. The other was Ole Miss.
"We've been battling hard, coach says stay around in the games and good things will happen, and we've come up with big opportunities," Glevanyak said.
Auburn will be going for the sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday at Plainsman Park.
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