Recap: Auburn baseball salvages game in LSU series with Sunday win
Auburn baseball started off its weekend series at LSU in a rocky way but managed to salvage a game in the finale.
The visiting Tigers set the tone early by jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning. Auburn used that momentum to cruise to a 7-5 win over LSU on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Auburn head coach Butch Thompson says that his team’s no-quit mindset and better approach at the plate led his team to a win.
“I just think they stayed in the series,” Thompson said postgame. “We did get a freshman starter on the mound against us today and got the starter out in the first. The first two starters got length and got as far as they wanted to. They had to make a change immediately in the ballgame. The bats and the approach were in a better spot today.”
Auburn’s strong start began in the 1st inning with an RBI single by Carter Wright that scored Chris Stanfield. Cade Belyeu added two runs on an RBI double while Caden Green tacked on two more with an RBI single in the next at-bat. All five of Auburn’s 1st inning runs came with two outs.
Belyeu added to his total in the 3rd inning with an RBI single to score Wright and push Auburn to a 6-0 advantage. LSU answered with an Ashton Larson RBI single to cut into the lead, 6-1.
The most danger Auburn faced in the game was in the 4th inning when Steven Milam smashed a three-run home run to trim Auburn’s lead to 6-4. The threat ended, however, as Green sent Belyeu home on an RBI double to left field in the 6th inning. Larson added his second RBI of the game in the 7th inning on a sacrifice fly, but the Bayou Bengals failed to threaten Auburn’s lead for the remainder of the game.
Belyeu and Green each recorded three RBI in Auburn’s win while leadoff batter Chris Stanfield totaled three hits. Auburn pitching allowed five earned runs on eight hits while walking four batters and striking out six. John Armstrong earned the win in relief by striking out two of the five batters he faced in a one-inning effort. Parker Carlson took home the three-inning save by allowing one hit and striking out two batters.
“We needed the win,” Carlson said postgame. “We just keep staying in there and keep fighting. We’ve been saying ‘keep fighting’ since I’ve been here and that’s just the way this team rolls. We’re not going to roll over no matter how the season’s going. I’m incredibly proud of each and every one of our guys.”
Auburn will step away from midweek action this week and will prepare for their next home series. Auburn hosts Ole Miss this weekend for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. CT.
