Tigers drop game one in Starkville

Auburn found a lot of ways to lose in the first half of conference play. They did it again to start the second half.

Five pitchers combined to issue eight walks and hit two batters and the Tigers struck out 15 times and were just 1 of 10 with runners in scoring position as Mississippi State cruised to an 8-1 win Friday night at Dudy Noble Field.

Auburn falls to 19-18 on the season and 2-14 in the SEC.

“We’ve got to bring some offense on the road, especially with where we’re at pitching-wise,” AU coach Butch Thompson told the Auburn Network. “Nobody has really stepped up and been a real No. 1. But we saw a real No. 1 tonight.”

MSU starter Khal Stephen (6-2) earned the win holding AU to one unearned run on six hits in 7.0 innings. He struck out 11 and issued two walks on 114 pitches. Tyler Davis struck out four over the final two innings.

Auburn’s lone run came in the third as Cale Stricklin scored from third base on a passed ball. AU stranded nine base runners, was 3 of 15 with runners on base and 2 of 11 with two outs.

Stricklin had three of AU's six hits, but gave up two unearned runs on a throwing error in the fifth.

AU starter Dylan Watts (0-1) took the loss allowing two runs on five hits, one walk and one hit batter in 4.0 innings.

McBride allowed three runs, one earned, on one hit, four walks and one hit batter in 1.1 innings. Parker Carlson didn’t allow a run in 0.2 innings, Griffin Graves allowed three runs without recording an out in the seventh and Hayden Murphy no runs over the final 2.0 innings.

The series continues Saturday at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network and Sunday at 1 p.m. on SECN+/ESPN+.