AUBURN | Four runs in the bottom of the seventh, capped off by a go-ahead RBI single by Nate LaRue, led Auburn (28-12, 10-7) to a comeback 8-6 victory over South Carolina (19-19, 6-11) on Saturday, helping the Tigers clinch the series win against the Gamecocks.

Trailing 6-3 entering their bat in the seventh, Cole Foster got the Tigers started with a single to right. Blake Rambusch followed with a single. After Kason Howell struck out, Sonny DiChiara was intentionally walked to load the bases. Brooks Carlson worked a walk to score Foster. Bobby Peirce singled to right to score Rambusch, Brody Moore hit a sacrifice fly to score DiChiara and then LaRue came through with his heroics.

"It was big," LaRue said of his hit. "I haven't been getting a whole lot of hits this year so I said a quick prayer, 'Lord, please let me get a hit here' and he pulled through for me."

The Tigers started the scoring in the second inning as Moore doubled and advanced to third on an error to lead off the frame. The shortstop crossed the plate one batter later as LaRue hit a sacrifice fly to center.

Another miscue by the Gamecocks gave Auburn another run in the third. After a Rambusch single and Howell was hit by a pitch, DiChiara flew out to right field. Trying to get Rambusch out advancing to third, South Carolina’s third baseman Talmadge LeCroy misplayed the ball, allowing Rambusch to score.

Rambusch rounded the basepaths again in the fifth, earning a one-out walk and scoring on a single by Howell to make it 3-0.

After holding the Gamecocks scoreless through the first five innings, Trace Bright got into trouble with two walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out in the sixth. A diving play by Cole Foster at second base made it two outs, but Braylen Wimmer hit a high fly ball over the left-field wall to tie the game at three.

South Carolina struck again in the seventh with three runs to take a 6-3 lead. Auburn answered right back with the four spot in the bottom of the inning.

Auburn added an insurance run in the eighth on a solo homer off the bat of Foster.

Carson Swilling (1-2) earned the win, retiring the only batter he faced to end the seventh. Carson Skipper sat the Gamecocks down in order in the eighth while Blake Burkhalter shut the door in the ninth, earning his 10th save of the season.

Auburn goes for the sweep on Sunday in Game 3 against South Carolina. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.