AUBURN, Ala. – Second baseman Brody Moore’s two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday lifted Auburn to a 2-1 win over LSU at Plainsman Park.
Auburn is 20-23 overall, 6-18 in the SEC, while LSU – which won two of three games in the weekend series – is 29-18 overall and 9-15 in conference play.
LSU returns to action at 6:30 p.m. CT Tuesday when the Tigers play host to Louisiana Tech in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. The game will be streamed on SEC Network +, and it will be broadcast on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network.
Auburn reliever Carson Skipper (1-2) earned the win as he blanked the Tigers over the final 2.1 innings, allowing no hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
LSU reliever Jacob Hasty (0-1) was charged with the loss, allowing one run one hit in one inning with one walk and no strikeouts.
LSU starting pitcher Ma’Khail Hilliard delivered a brilliant outing, working a season-high 7.1 innings and limiting Auburn to one run on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
“Ma’Khail has been unbelievable, remarkable,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “He pitched courageously, and he deserved to win the game, but we didn’t give him the offensive support. We’ve been swinging the bats so well, but inexplicably, we went cold today. We had a couple of opportunities, but we just couldn’t capitalize on them.
“We knew coming in here we were going to have tough games, and that Auburn’s record is no at all indicative of the caliber of their team. It was a hard-fought series win for us, and I’m glad we won two games. Our goal is to continue to pile up wins and build our postseason resume’.”
LSU first baseman Tre’ Morgan launched his fifth homer of the season to lead off the game, giving the Tigers a 1-0 advantage. However, Auburn starting pitcher Richard Fitts silenced the Tigers’ bats after the homer, allowing no more hits over six innings with two walks and nine strikeouts.
Auburn tied the contest in the bottom of the third inning when leftfielder Judd Ward belted a solo homer, his fourth dinger of the year.
With the score tied 1-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Auburn shortstop Ryan Bliss led off with a single against Hasty. First baseman Tyler Miller sacrifice Miller to second before Hasty walked third baseman Rankin Woley.
Auburn rightfielder Steven Williams reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Freshman right-hander Ty Floyd replaced Hasty on the mound, and he struck out pinch hitter Bryson Ware for the second out. However, Moore followed with a single to left field to score Bliss with the winning run.
(Press Release Provided by LSU Athletics)
