Four-run fourth propels Auburn to series-opening win over USC

In an unexpected home game, one that was supposed to take place over 2,000 miles away, Auburn took a series-opening 5-3 win over the USC Trojans.

“That felt like it’s going to feel in our league,” said head coach Butch Thompson. 

Despite the late announcement about the series being played at Plainsman Park, 2,809 fans showed up for Friday night’s opener.

“Fans showed up today even though we weren’t supposed to be in Auburn,” said Auburn shortstop Cole Foster. “And I think that was awesome.”

Chase Allsup started Auburn’s Friday night game for the second straight week. After going just two innings against Indiana, Allsup pitched 3.2 innings against the Trojans. Though Allsup got into trouble in each of the second, third and fourth innings, he allowed just one earned run on five hits.

In both the second and third innings Allsup worked himself into and out of trouble. In the second frame, he allowed a lead-off single and a double. A double play and a strikeout got him out of trouble.

The third inning was far more dramatic. A single, a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases for USC with no outs. Allsup was not fazed, retiring the Trojans’ second, third and fourth batters in the lineup to preserve a then-scoreless tie.

“Allsup competed his heart out,” Thompson said. “The HBP, the walk to get bases loaded, nobody out in there at the heart of that lineup and he absolutely, I thought, showed another gear and absolutely got out of that inning.”

After a scoreless first three frames, both teams broke through in the fourth inning. USC plated a single run as a double and a bunt single put Connor Aoki in position for a sacrifice fly. 

Allsup was pulled for John Armstrong, whose only two pitches of the game got the Tigers out of the inning.

Trailing 1-0, Auburn erupted for four runs in the frame, set up largely by mistakes made by USC starter Tyler Stromsborg. 

Justin Kirby was hit by a pitch and Ike Irish took a walk to give Auburn two free baserunners before an out was recorded. Foster made Stromborg pay for those mistakes by bringing both home on a double into center field. Auburn had the lead, but it was not done yet in the frame.

Bobby Peirce brought home Foster and Nate LaRue, who reached on another walk by Stromsborg, to increase Auburn’s lead to 4-1, Auburn did not look back, leading by multiple runs the rest of the way.

In the seventh, right fielder Justin Kirby hit a home run over the monster in left field. It was Kirby’s team-leading third homer of the season — accounting for each of his three hits.

“That’s an interesting, but good stat line,” Foster said.

USC added just two additional runs despite bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings. In both instances, Will Cannon was able to work out of trouble.

“I really wanted to get Cannon back out there,” Thompson said. “Get him to fill that role, and he absolutely grinded through that.”

Foster, after starting the season just 1-for-10, had two hits in the game, including his two-run double in the fourth. Foster was one of two Tigers to reach multiple hits, along with freshman Ike Irish.

“It felt awesome,” Foster said. “Obviously, I didn’t start the way I wanted to, slow start, but nights like these…just kind of get your mindset right.”

Much like the series opener against Indiana the Friday before, four Auburn pitchers combined to hold the Trojans at bay: Allsup, Armstrong, Tanner Bauman and Cannon.

Bauman, for the second straight week, served as a long reliever for the Tigers. Bauman pitched 3.2 innings, giving up two runs on just one hit, saving Auburn from having to go further in its bullpen.

“It just keeps giving me the confidence that I belong here and that I can compete at this level,” Bauman said. “Obviously, I came here from a smaller junior college…it just shows that I can compete at this level and I can do what it takes to get this team a win.”

Junior college transfer Cannon, for the second consecutive Friday, closed out the game for the Tigers, pitching the final 1.1 innings and earning his first save for Auburn.

Though there were no errors committed in the field, seven free passes were issued by the collection of Auburn pitchers — six walks and a hit batsman.

“I’m glad we played errorless baseball because the biggest thing for me, that’s two of their three runs (reached on walks),” Thompson said. “I don’t think they’re trying to walk anybody, but how precious it when you’re playing a pretty high level of baseball.”

Despite the Trojans having base traffic in six of the nine innings, the pitchers were able to work out of trouble, stranding 11 USC baserunners.

“We’re all just competing out there,” Bauman said. “You saw a different type of energy tonight on the mound, I think, with the four guys that threw. We all came in there. We knew we had a job to do and we had confidence that we were going to get these guys out.”

The Tigers (4-1) and Trojans (3-2) will continue their series on Saturday when Auburn RHP Joseph Gonzalez (1-0, 0.00 ERA) faces USC RHP Jaden Agassi (1-0, 1.42 ERA). The first pitch will be at 2 p.m. CST with a live stream on the SEC Network+.