Auburn’s bullpen lost it, and then brought it back.

After giving up four runs in the sixth inning to go down 4-2, the Tigers answered with four in the eighth and held on for a 6-5 win behind strong pitching performances by Hayden Mullins and Joseph Gonzalez.

“I was really excited to see Joseph Gonzalez get his first start. He was exciting and then Hayden Mullins take it the last four innings for us,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network. “Those two stepped up for us in a big way.”

Mullins (2-0) held the Blazers to one unearned run on two hits over the final 4.0 innings. The sophomore left-hander struck out a career-high eight and didn’t issue a walk.

“It was like any other game. Go out there, get guys out, do my job,” Mullins told the Auburn Network. “I just focused on the mitt. (Ryan) Dyal gives me a good target and he calls a good game.”

Trailing 4-2, the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth on walks by Ryan Bliss and Steven Williams, and a Rankin Woley hit by pitch. Bliss scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Miller and Bryson Ware loaded the bases again on a single to left field.

Brody Moore drove home two with a single up the middle, giving AU a 5-4 lead. An error by UAB second baseman Chandler Simpson allowed Ware to score from third and make it 6-4.

“It was nice to come back in a ballgame,” Thompson said. “After the four-spot that UAB put up in the sixth inning, I thought we responded well. Hadn’t had many opportunities to do that this year and it was good to see from our offense.”

UAB added an unearned run in the eighth off an error by Miller.

It was Auburn’s first game since blowing a 9-1 lead with two outs in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 11-9 loss to Boston College.

“We needed that W,” Woley told the Auburn Network. “I’m glad we got it and took care of business. A lot of guys stepped up on the mound, especially.”

Gonzalez, a freshman, threw 5.0 perfect innings before giving up a leadoff double in the sixth. He finished allowing a run on one hit in 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts.

“It was amazing to see that from him,” Mullins said. “First collegiate start and he goes out there and shoves and doesn’t give up a hit until, I believe it was, the sixth. It’s good to see that from him. We’re seeing a lot of younger guys step up and we really need that after this past weekend.”

The Blazers took a 4-2 lead in the sixth as Brooks Fuller allowed three runs on two walks, a hit and two wild pitches without recording an out before Mullins came in to stop the bleeding.

Auburn scored a run in the second on an error by UAB shortstop John Marc Mullins and a run in the sixth on an RBI double by Ware.

Woley finished 3 of 3 with two runs scored and Ware 2 of 2 with a run scored and one RBI. Auburn had six hits and eight walks.

Auburn returns home to host Little Rock for a three-game series this weekend. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+.