AUBURN | Auburn rallied but it was too little, too late.

Mississippi State held on for a 9-5 win over the 17th-ranked Tigers at Dudy Noble Field. Trailing 9-1, AU scored four in the eighth but left the bases loaded on back-to-back strikeouts.

With Thursday night’s 7-6 win, MSU takes the series and will go for the sweep Saturday. Auburn falls to 23-12 overall and 7-7 in the SEC.

AU starter Trace Bright (2-4) took the loss allowing four runs, two of which scored after he left the game, on seven hits in 5.1 innings. He tied a career-high with eight strikeouts and issued two walks on a career-high 108 pitches.

“That was one of Trace’s best outing but he got out-pitched, of course,” AU coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network. “After his first inning, I thought he gave us five really good innings. Something to build off of.

“i think if we converted one play we’re at the same spot we’ve been the last few weeks. Nonetheless, being in this league and being on the road three out of the four weekends, this is one of those moments tomorrow. The last three weekends, we’ve been good on that third day and we’ll need to be tomorrow.”

Carson Swilling gave up three runs on four hits and Cade Granzow two runs on two his and two walks in 0.1 innings. Chase Isbell threw a scoreless inning and Konner Copeland got the final out in the eighth.

MSU starter Preston Johnson (3-2) held AU to four runs on four hits in 7.0 innings. He struck out 12 and issued two walks on 114 pitches.

Auburn one in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Cole Foster and four in the eighth on RBI singles by Kason Howell, Sonny DiChiara, Brody Moore and Foster.

Howell was 3 of 5 and Moore 2 of 4.

The game was delayed 1:35 before the start and another 45 minutes with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, both due to inclement weather.

Weather permitting, the series will conclude Sunday at 3 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+.