Tigers erase 7-run deficit in 12-8 win

AUBURN | A 7-0 lead wasn’t enough for Florida A&M.

Auburn rallied to beat the Rattlers 12-8 at Plainsman Park Wednesday in the largest home comeback since erasing a nine-run deficit to beat Mississippi State 16-14 in 2010.

Auburn improves to 4-1 while Florida A&M falls to 2-2.

“The storyline of the game was how our guys stuck together,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “I’m not sure we get back in the baseball game last year. This club didn’t blink and our guys kept playing.”

Tied 8-8 in the eighth inning, Jonah Todd drove home a run on a single, the Tigers scored another run on a balk before Bo Decker capped the rally with a two-RBI single.

Decker finished 3-of-5 with three RBI. Todd 2-of-4 with two RBI.

“We were down bay seven but we knew we had it,” Decker said. “It was just a matter of time before our hits started falling and we strung a couple together.”

Cole Lipscomb (1-0) earned the win holding FAMU without a hit over the final 1.1 innings. Andrew Mitchell threw 1.1 scoreless innings to get to Lipscomb after five Auburn pitchers gave up seven earned runs on 13 hits and five walks in the first 6.1 innings.

Trailing 7-0, Auburn scored six in the fifth on six hits and a FAMU error. Blake Logan and Jay Estes hit sacrifice flies while Josh Anthony and Decker had RBI-singles.

Trailing 8-6 in the sixth, Daniel Robert launched a two-run home run well over the right-center field wall, Auburn’s first round tripper of the season.

“That was huge,” Decker said. “It was tied up, and how far the ball went, we were all like, ‘We got this. Let’s go.’ Once we tied the game up 8-8 there was no chance we were losing that game.”

The Rattlers jumped on Auburn starter Gabe Klobosits for three runs in the first and relief pitcher Elliott Anderson for three more in the second as they built a 7-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth.

Auburn hosts Holy Cross for a three-game series this weekend beginning Friday at 2 p.m. CT.