AUBURN | Alex Petrovic made the case to take an even bigger role on Auburn’s pitching staff Tuesday night.

The sophomore right-hander allowed just one run on one hit in 5.1 innings to lead the 23rd-ranked Tigers to a 6-1 win over UT Martin at Toyota Field just outside of Huntsville, which is best known as the Rocket City.

“That’s a confidence builder and a step for him,” AU coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network. “What I like about him is the maturity. It seems like it just set everybody. This is a team sport and he just settled everybody around him.”

Auburn improves to 14-3 on the season.

Petrovic (1-0) retired the first 16 batters of the game before giving up a single and a walk with one out in the sixth inning. He struck out a career-high eight on 61 pitches.

“It’s been a great feeling getting back to myself healthy and being able to compete again,” Petrovic told the Auburn Network. “I came out, three up, three down, and started rolling. My stuff was set and I did what I could.”

Three AU relievers combined to allow just two hits and no runs over the final 3.2 innings. John Armstrong didn’t allow a hit in 0.2 innings, Andreas Alvarez allowed two hits in 2.0 innings and Ryan Hetzler threw a perfect ninth.

“Alvarez, who has been the Tuesday starter, got two innings of work as we’re adjusting him to the weekend,” said Thompson. “And then Hetzler continued his great work. I thought we were spot on. I thought that was the difference in the game there on the mound.”

Eric Snow was the star at the plate going 3 of 4 with three runs scored and three RBI. He had a two-run home run in the fifth inning and an RBI-single in the sixth.

Cooper McMurray was 2 of 5 with two RBI, Eric Guevara 2 of 4 with two runs scored and Bub Terrell 2 of 2. Cade Belyeu had a sacrifice fly in the first.

“I just keep working hard and keep a consistent routine that Gabe (Gross) sets out for us, and I think that’s really paid off,” Snow told the Auburn Network. “We just stayed within ourselves and peppered the ball the other way and hit the off-speed to left.”

Auburn opens SEC play this weekend against No. 13 Vanderbilt at Plainsman Park. Game times are 6 p.m. CT Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.