AUBURN | After a rain delay of an hour, Auburn falling behind 2-0 early on and head coach Butch Thompson getting tossed following a close third-strike call in the bottom of the third, the Tigers could have packed it up.

Instead, the Tigers dug in even more and came away with a series-clinching win against rival and No. 21 Alabama in a 12-11 victory.

The Tide struck early on a double by William Hamiter, plating Ian Petrutz with two outs to get the first run on the board in the first. In the top of the fourth, a walk earned by Mac Guscette, followed by a double by TJ McCants, put Alabama runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Guscette scored on a ground out by Max Grant to extend the lead to 2-0.

Auburn answered in the bottom of the fourth as Cade Belyeu started the inning with a triple down the right-field line. Caden Green drove him in with a groundout to second base to make it 2-1. Deric Fabian doubled and then scored on a Chris Stanfield double to tie the game. After Ike Irish walked, Carter Wright ripped a double to left-center to plate Stanfield and Irish to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.

After Cooper McMurray was intentionally walked, the Tide made a pitching change from Zane Adams to Zane Probst. An error by Hamiter in right field allowed McMurray and Wright to score, stretching Auburn's advantage to 6-2.

The Tigers added on in the next frame. A bases-loaded single by Wright plated two before Cooper McMurray hammered a three-run homer to give Auburn an 11-2 lead. Cade Belyeu added a solo homer with two outs to make it 12-2.

Alabama tried to fight back, adding four runs in the top of the seventh and chasing Auburn starter Chase Allsup. The Tide added four more runs in the eighth before threatening to tie or take the lead in the ninth. With the tying run on third, Hayden Murphy struck out Kade Snell and Guscette to close out the game.

Allsup (4-3) allowed just two earned runs (five overall) on seven hits, two walks and five strikeouts through 6 2/3 innings to earn the win. Murphy earned his first save of the season.

Wright led the Tigers with three hits while driving in four runs. McMurray followed with three RBIs and Weiss with two runs batted in.

The Tigers and Tide conclude the series on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.