A one-inning offensive explosion and clutch relief pitching helped Auburn to a 6-5 victory over No. 11 LSU to open the three-game series.

Cam Hill came to the plate with the Tigers down 2-0 to LSU in the top of the 5th after the Bayou Bengals had intentionally walked Sonny DiChiara, the guy ahead of him in the lineup, to load the bases. The 6-foot-5 left-handed hitter made sure LSU paid, hitting a two-RBI single to right field to tie the game.

If that opened the scoring for the visiting Tigers, Brody Moore jumped on the opportunity to keep it going. The senior hit a 1-0 pitch from LSU right-hander Blake Mone, slamming it over the left-centerfield wall for a three-run homer to give Butch Thompson’s team a 5-2 advantage.

Auburn still wasn’t done in its at-bat in the fifth, as Mike Bello stroked a single past first base, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a fielding error by LSU shortstop Cade Doughty to make it 6-2.

It was all the runs the Tigers needed. After four innings, Carson Skipper replaced Hayden Mullins, holding LSU scoreless for 3 1/3 when Brayden Jobert slugged a two-run homer to cut the lead 6-4 in the eighth. Following a double to left by Gavin Dugas, Blake Burkhalter came in and got the last two outs of the inning.

Burkhalter ran into early trouble in the final frame, allowing back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third. A long flyball out to center scored the runner to cut the deficit to one, but the right-hander struck out Jacob Berry and a catch by Josh Hall in foul territory closed out the game.

Skipper (2-0) earned the victory, while Burkhalter (5) got the save. Money (2-2) took the loss for LSU.

The two teams meet again on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT.