After getting down early, Auburn battled back to keep things close before three LSU runs in the eighth inning put the game away Thursday at Plainsman Park. With Auburn's 8-3 loss, they are now 19-22 overall and 5-17 in SEC play.
“I thought we managed a bit there, and then just kind of hung in there,” said head coach Butch Thompson. “We had two home runs but just didn’t have guys on before or after. (Ryan) Bliss had an amazing night at the plate, and it was good to see Ryan Dyal swing it better at the catching position. The last five runs are the ones that bother you.”
The first two innings were all about the pitchers as Jack Owen and LSU’s Landon Marceaux kept things scoreless. The pair allowed only a hit each through the first two innings.
It was a different story for Owen and Auburn in the third inning as LSU loaded the bases off a leadoff double, single and a fielder’s choice.
After loading the bases, LSU didn’t even have to swing the bat to score its first run as it came on a hit-by-pitch. They weren’t done as they plated two more runs off an RBI single and sacrifice fly before the top of the third ended with a double play.
Auburn cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third as Ryan Bliss doubled with one out before Tyler Miller brought him home with a single into right field.
Following the offensive output from both teams in the third, both pitchers rebounded and held each team scoreless until the sixth inning. The two pitchers allowed a combined two hits in the fourth and fifth inning.
In the top and bottom of the sixth, both teams added runs on the board. With two outs, LSU doubled to right field before a single brought a run home. While in the bottom of the inning, Steven Williams’ solo shot to right field cut into the LSU lead.
Owen’s day was done after retiring the first batter he faced in the top of the seventh as Auburn brought in Will Morrison. Morrison gave up a single in the seventh but ended the inning.
Morrison pitched half an inning as he was replaced in the top of the eighth with Carson Skipper.
Steven Williams’ solo shot in the sixth cut into the LSU lead, and Ryan Dyal delivered in the seventh with a solo shot of his own to make it a 4-3 game.
After Dyal’s homer, Javen Coleman replaced Marceaux on the mound.
The first batter Coleman faced was Bliss, and Bliss delivered for Auburn with a double. He finished the day 3-for-5 with three doubles and scored a run.
A balk sent Bliss to third with one out, but Auburn could not send Bliss home. After Miller struck out, LSU replaced Coleman on the mound with Garrett Edwards.
Edwards got Rankin Woley to fly out, which ended Auburn’s rally in the seventh.
Skipper struck out the first batter he faced in the eighth but struggled as he walked the next three batters before being replaced by Carson Swilling.
Swilling gave up a sacrifice fly to the first batter he faced before LSU’s leadoff hitter Tre’ Morgan came to the plate. Morgan finished the day 4-of-5, and in the eighth, he tripled to score two runs to give LSU a 7-3 lead.
Mason Barnett pitched the ninth inning for Auburn and LSU added an insurance run off a sacrifice fly to right field. LSU went into the bottom of the ninth with an 8-3 lead, and Auburn went down 1-2-3.
Auburn and LSU will meet for the second game of this three game-series Friday at 7 p.m. CST.
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Jake Weese, senior in journalism with a minor in history, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
