AUBURN | Casey Mize looked untouchable for the first five innings. The sixth was another matter.
LSU struck for four runs on five hits including three doubles off the All-American in the sixth in a 6-2 come-from-behind win over No. 22 Auburn Friday night at Plainsman Park.
Auburn falls to 36-19 overall and 14-15 in the SEC while LSU improves to 33-22 and 15-14. Auburn won the series-opener 11-4 Thursday night, setting up a rubber game Saturday at 1 p.m. CT on SECN+ and WatchESPN.
“He made a couple of pitches up, I guess, there in the sixth inning,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “But I thought he was about as good as he has been for the first five innings of the ballgame. A couple of those hit a barrel and I know we had a guy diving, running in trying to catch. I think it’s that time of the year everybody is locked in, focused, trying to have their best at-bats. I thought they cashed in the third time through the lineup.”
Mize’s second-straight loss drops the junior right-hander to 9-4 on the season. He struck out nine batters and allowed just two hits in five shutout innings before LSU tagged him for the four runs in the sixth. He’s allowed 10 earned runs in his last 11 innings.
“We scored two runs tonight and I think that had something to do with it as well,” Thompson said. “You know if he doesn’t throw 15 strikeouts in a complete game or a perfect game, the expectations are so high. This was a really improved, tremendous bounce-back from last week from what I saw, especially with his stuff and how his arm turned around.”
Davis Daniel took over for Mize in the seventh, striking out five in 2.1 scoreless innings before a one-hour lightning delay. Calvin Coker entered the game with one out and nobody on in the ninth and promptly allowed two runs on three hits.
Coker has allowed multiple runs in eight of his last 11 appearances.
Auburn’s lone runs came in the fifth on a two-out, two-RBI single by Josh Anthony. Will Holland had three of Auburn’s seven hits including a double in the first, his fourth-straight extra-base hit to leadoff a game.
LSU starter Ma’Kail Hilliard (9-4) earned the win holding Auburn to two runs on seven hits in 7.1 innings. He struck out seven and issued two walks on 97 pitches.
Taylor Peterson earned his fourth save of the season holding Auburn without a hit and striking out three in the final 1.2 innings.
Senior left-hander Andrew Williams (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will start for Auburn Saturday.
