A talented No.4 Mississippi State team made the final twist of the knife Sunday, sweeping Auburn after a 10-3 victory at Plainsman Park. The Tigers were outscored 30-9 in their last SEC home stand.
The Bulldogs left handed starter Konnor Pilkington held Auburn scoreless through six innings, allowing three hits and striking out four to earn the win and improve to 3-1.
"They pitched it so well this weekend," Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “[Pilkington] did a great job for a freshman. We just weren't able to generate enough offense to ever draw it back close and make them make a move early today."
Mississippi State (37-14-1, 18-9) scored single runs in the third and fourth innings before adding two in the fifth, extending the lead in the lead to 4-0. Auburn starter Casey Mize (2-4) allowed four runs in four innings, striking out five with two walks.
“I thought through the fifth it was a really good ballgame and we were just hanging in there waiting for a chance to get into it," Thompson said. "We just weren’t able to generate enough offense to jar it back close.”
The Bulldogs notched three home runs on the day and forced Auburn to fall behind 7-0 in the seventh inning when a Melvin Gray error allowed two runs to come score.
Kyler Deese put the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the seventh with a sacrifice fly. Anfernee Grier followed with an RBI single, but the Tigers couldn't capitalize.
Auburn will host their final home game of the season Tuesday against UAB at 6 p.m.
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