AUBURN | The pitching really came together the last two weeks.

Auburn closed out fall practice this week with the annual intrasquad Orange-Blue world series. The Orange team took the rubber game of the three-game series with a 2-0 win Friday night.

“I feel like the last two weeks, the scores started coming down,” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “Today was maybe the best game we played all fall tactically. I’m seeing some good things. The team finally started growing.

“It just felt like the first month, we were just treading water. This last week starting last Tuesday, every day counted last week through the exhibition with Alabama and then this world series, we kept some momentum going.”

Christian Herberholz got the start for the Orange, striking out four in 2.1 shutout innings. Tommy Vail (1.0 IP), Will Cannon (1.2) and Hayden Murphy (1.0) finished the Blue team off without allowing a run.

Orange scored all the runs it needed in the fifth. Loading the bases with no outs, the first run scored on a wild pitch and Brody Moss drove in the second on a sacrifice fly.

Drew Nelson was a standout for the Blue team throwing 3.0 scoreless innings as the starter and Chase Isbell closed it out with 2.0 scoreless innings.

Blue took the opener 3-0 as Zach Crotchfelt and Carson Swilling combined to allow one hit and strike out four in 6.0 innings. Nelson had two hits and drove in a run.

Orange bounced back to even the series 6-1 in game two behind 3.0 shutout innings by Joseph Gonzalez and a big night at the plate by Nate LaRue, who hit two home runs and drove in four.

With the win, the Orange team will eat a steak dinner Monday night at the 19th hole restaurant while the Blue team will have hot dogs with no condiments.

“It pays to win so they’ll get the good steak for the winners,” said Thompson. “But then we’ll play a little putt-putt golf and come back as one club.”

Auburn will open the season Feb. 17 for the start of a three-game series against Indiana at Plainsman Park.