AUBURN | John Armstrong continued his late-season surge.

The Auburn freshman threw 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to lead the 20th-ranked Tigers a 3-2 win over Alabama at Plainsman Park Friday night.

Auburn improves to 34-16 overall and 14-11 in SEC while the Tide falls to 27-23 and 10-15.

“It’s huge," said Armstrong. "The most important part is that we won. I was able to help my team out, put up a couple of zeros, and able to hold them to no runs and get a win.”

Armstrong (1-0) earned his first-career win allowing just one hit and striking out three. He needed just 29 pitches to retire eight batters. Five days earlier, he threw 2.2 hitless innings against No. 3 Arkansas.

"Armstrong, that’s two weeks in a row after a seven-week hiatus," said AU coach Butch Thompson. "He didn’t act like a freshman. He was attacking the game and good things happened."

Blake Burkhalter came on in the ninth to strikeout two and earn his SEC-leading 12th save of the season.

"Armstrong just did a phenomenal job and Burkhalter did his thing.," said Brooks Carlson, who drove in the game-winning run in the sixth inning. "That’s huge for the momentum of the weekend. That’s what you want to see in a game that’s not necessarily offensive. It was definitely a big win.”

Auburn struck first with two runs in the fifth, both with two outs. Cole Foster singled up the middle to bring in Brody Moore and Blake Rambusch followed with a double to left-center to score Foster.

Foster collided with UA catcher Dominic Tamez on the throw home, forcing Tamez out of the game. Foster would leave after going out for warmups in the seventh.

Alabama tied it in the sixth on a 2-run home run by Drew Williamson, but the Tigers went back on top in the bottom of the frame on Carlson's RBI double down the right field line to score Bobby Peirce, who singled and stole second.

Mason Land hit a two-out single up the middle but Carlson was thrown out at the plate to end the sixth.

AU starter Mason Barnett allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked three on 82 pitches.

"That’s a really nice job by Barnett filling in twice for us," said Thompson. "He’s been with us for a while and it’s really nice to see him step up."

Rambusch had two of AU's seven hits. The Tigers also turned three double plays including a nifty 4-6-3 to end the eighth.

"It’s nice to win a pitching, defense game," said Thompson. "They responded when we scored with Williamson’s home run and then we came back and responded. I thought that was huge. Both teams are competing hard.

"It’s good to get the first one. Let’s get back out here and get to work tomorrow. It’s nice only using two pieces out of the bullpen for us."

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+ and concludes Sunday at 3 p.m. on SEC Network.