AUBURN | Auburn’s starters were great. The bullpen was even better.

Ten pitchers combined to hold Chicago State to two runs in three games as the 17th-ranked Tigers completed the sweep Sunday with a 9-0 win.

“The last two weekends you see a little growth and we saw another little growth. That’s what you want to see as a head coach,” said Auburn’s Butch Thompson. “I’m seeing them just execute. They’re dotting I’s and crossing T’s a little bit better. It’s not just a power game, it’s being able to do the other stuff a little bit better. I think that’s kind of contagious just like when it’s not going so good. I think they took a deep breath and they’ve come out pretty convicted and executing a lot of pitches the last two weekends.”

Sunday starter Bailey Horn (3-1) was dominant throwing 6.0 shutout innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts. He allowed four hits and didn’t issue a walk on 74 pitches.

Blake Burkhalter, Carson Skipper and Mason Barnett closed out the game with 1.0 scoreless inning apiece.

“I would say stuff-wise that was the best stuff I’ve had,” said Horn, who had Tommy John surgery in 2018.

The Cougars only runs of the series came against Saturday starter Jack Owen, who allowed just four hits with six strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Richard Fitts, Drew Baker and Seb Thomas threw one scoreless inning apiece to finish off a 16-2 win.

Friday starter Tanner Burns gave up just one hit in 7.0 innings with 10 strikeouts, and Cody Greenhill closed out the game with 2.0 hitless innings as AU opened the series with a 6-0 win.

In the three games, AU’s pitchers were a combined 3-0 with a 0.67 ERA, 37 strikeouts and seven walks in 27.0 innings. The three starters had a 0.95 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 19.0 innings while the seven relievers had a 0.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 8.0 innings.

“I thought we threw the ball really well through and through, everyone from top to bottom went out and threw the ball well,” Horn said. “I think that’s huge leading up into SEC play.”

At the plate Sunday, Judd Ward was 3 of 4 with two runs scored and one RBI, Conor Davis 3 of 3 with a run scored and one RBI, Matt Scheffler 2 of 4 with a run scored and one RBI, Kason Howell 2 of 4 with one RBI, Ryan Bliss 2 of 5 and Rankin Woley 1 of 3 with two RBI. Pinch-hitter Mason Greer drove in two runs with a single in the eighth.

The Tigers out-scored Chicago State 31-2.

“I think our pitchers pitched amazing this weekend, got some confidence,” Howell said. “Definitely our hitters too. So that means a lot, I think, going into a big weekend."

Auburn, which improved to 13-3 on the season, will host Georgia Tech Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network and Wofford Wednesday at 6 p.m. Conference play begins next weekend as Texas A&M visits Plainsman Park for a three-game series.