AUBURN | Auburn put this one out of reach early.

The 17th-ranked Tigers sent 16 players to the plate in the first inning, scoring 10 runs in an 18-2 win over Alabama A&M at Plainsman Park Tuesday. The game was called after the top of the seventh.

Auburn, which improves to 4-0 on the season, had six extra-base hits including three home runs.

“It was awesome. It was a fun night, for sure,” said outfielder Josh Hall, who finished 3 of 4 with three runs scored and three RBI. “They put up those two runs in the first and then Judd (Ward) came out with the big swing to start us off.”

Auburn quickly erased a two-run deficit as Ward led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run over the right field wall and Bryson Ware followed two batters later with a 2-run home run to left center.

The Tigers finished the 10-run first with seven hits, three walks and one hit by pitch. A&M committed three errors.

Two days after picking up a win over Presbyterian with an inning out of the bullpen, Cam Hill started at designated hitter and went 3 of 3 with a run scored and three RBI.

Brody Moore was 2 of 3 with one RBI, Ward finished 1 of 2 with two runs scored and two RBI and Ware was 1 of 4 with three runs scored and two RBI. Tyler Miller was 1 of 3 with two RBI and Brayton Brown came off the bench to leadoff the sixth with a solo home run.

The Tigers finished with 16 hits.

“My point’s never been to get more hits or score more runs,” said Auburn coach Butch Thompson after the Tigers had 30 fly outs in their first three games. “My honest point was let’s quit trying to get hits and lets have at-bats. We evaluated the strike zone unbelievably in the first inning. We finally did a really good job of taking balls and swinging at strikes.”

Trace Bright (1-0) earned the win allowing two runs, one earned, in 4.0 innings with a career-high seven strikeouts and no walks on 55 pitches. Peyton Glavine allowed just one hit in 2.0 innings and Carson Swilling struck out two in the seventh to end the game.

“Trace did an amazing job after that,” said Thompson of Bright giving up two runs in the first. “He pitched the next three innings really sharp. We’ve got to continue to learn to be ready when the game starts.”

Auburn was without preseason All-Americans Ryan Bliss and Rankin Woley. Bliss sat out due to a tight hamstring and Woley had an illness.

Auburn and Alabama A&M will play again Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT.