AUBURN | Butch Thompson asked for patience as Joseph Gonzalez returned to the mound for the first time in a year.

The fourth-year junior didn’t need it.

Gonzalez allowed just two hits in 5.0 innings to lead No. 15 Auburn to a 6-1 win over Eastern Kentucky Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park.

"It felt great. It feels good to be back and play with the boys," said Gonzalez. "My command was a little off at first but then I got it going and the sinker got better through the game. I just trusted my defense. They're the ones making me look good."

Gonzalez (1-0) earned the win holding EKU to an unearned run with two strikeouts and three walks on 69 pitches.

“You look at the final line and you’ve got five innings and two hits. So there’s something positive there,” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “For me, it looked like he hadn’t been out there for a year. So we’ll continue to work.

“What he did at a high level for Joseph is manipulating swings so we ground balls and double plays in the first and second.”

The Tigers’ bullpen took care of the rest with Zach Crotchfelt throwing 1.1 scoreless innings, John Armstrong 1.2 hitless innings and Will Cannon striking out three in the ninth.

Auburn exploded for four runs with two outs in the third. Bobby Peirce tripled home two and Cooper McMurray followed with a two-run home run over the right field wall.

"Peirce, that was our player of the game," said Thompson. "Two outs, two strikes and hit that triple that got us going. We really needed that."

The Tigers added a run in the seventh as pinch-runner Sam Robertson stole second and third base and came in to score on a groundout by Javon Hernandez.

Peirce finished off the scoring with a solo home run well over the left field wall. He was 2 of 4 with two runs scored and three RBI.

"I wouldn't say it was the furthest I've hit but it wasn't a cheap one," said Peirce of his home run. "It got a slider and put a good swing on it."

Chris Stanfield was 2 of 3 and McMurray 1 of 3 with two RBI.

"We're not there but it's good to lay some tracks and get some things out there to try to build off of, today" said Thompson. "So I'm thankful we had some success."

Auburn, which improved to 2-0, will go for the sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+.