Auburn 8, Ole Miss 5: Tigers rally to even series

Auburn scored three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh, rallying to take a 8-5 win over Ole Miss Friday night at Plainsman Park. With the victory, the Tigers will have a chance to take a much-needed series win on Sunday.

Auburn (26-19, 8-15 SEC) got off to a good start in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-0 lead. After two quick outs, Garrett Cooper singled, Kody Ortman and Dan Glevenyak walked, and Jordan Ebert drove in two runs with a single through the right side. After three consecutive games with just one run, the Tigers eclipsed that total in just one inning.

However, Ole Miss (33-15, 12-11) rallied to tie the game. Auston Bousfiled hit a leadoff double in the top of the second inning, stole third and scored on an Austin Knight groundout. In the third, the Rebels loaded the bases with one out, but they only managed one run. Bousfield hit an infield single to Glevenyak at short, scoring Austin Anderson, but Yak threw out Stuart Turner at the plate. Preston Overbey grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

The Tigers re-took the lead on a Blake Austin double and Hunter Kelley single in the bottom of the fourth, but Ole Miss went up, 5-3, in the top of the fifth. After two singles to start the inning, Turner knocked in Tanner Mathis with a double, Anderson scored on a groundout and Turner scored on a Bousfield single.

Needing a rally, Auburn came through in the sixth. After Ryan Tella hit a leadoff single, Damek Tomscha tied the game with a two-run shot over the monster in left, his fourth of the year. Blake Austin doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and was driven in by a Cullen Wacker sac fly. In the seventh, Ebert reached on an error and scored on a Tella double, and Austin hit his third double of the day to drive in Tella and complete the scoring.

Mathis led of the Ole Miss seventh with a single, but Justin Camp retired Anderson on a groundout. Terrance Dedrick came on and retired eight consecutive Rebel batters to pick up the save.

Camp picked up the win for Auburn, allowing a run on three hits in 2 1/3 innings. Dedrick threw 2 2/3 perfect innings, striking out three, to earn his fifth save of the year. Michael O'Neal got the start and gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings.

Mike Mayers started on the hill for Ole Miss, and he allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings. Aaron Greenwood took the loss, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk in 1/3 innings.

Austin was 4-for-4 on the night, adding a single to his three doubles. He scored twice and drove in one run. Cooper was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Tella also went 2-for-4, scoring twice and driving in one. Auburn out-hit Ole Miss, 12-10, and didn't commit an error.

Mathis and Bousfield each went 3-for-4 for the Rebels. The former scored a run, and the latter crossed the plate once and drove in two.

The Tigers will try to pick up a big series win Sunday and keep their postseason chances on life support. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Box score

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
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Ole Miss............ 011 030 000 -  5 10  1
Auburn.............. 200 103 20X -  8 12  0
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