AUBURN | After a blowout win Friday, No. 17 Auburn was tested by Presbyterian Saturday.

A one-run game through the first six innings, the Tigers escaped bases-loaded jams in the sixth and seventh, and then powered ahead with a pair of solo home runs in the seventh and two more runs in the eighth on a pair of two-out hits.

Auburn beat the Blue Hose 6-1 at Plainsman Park to improve to 2-0 on the season.

“Thankful to get a series win but so much to work on. So much was revealed to where we have much, much work to do,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said.

“I thought our defense was really good. Nate LaRue got a start and was really good. He had a couple of big swings too.”

Bryson Ware got Auburn on the board early with a solo home run in the first. Presbyterian was able to tie it on a solo home run by Eric Toth in the fifth, the only hit allowed by AU starter Richard Fitts.

Presbyterian loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth against relief pitcher Hayden Mullins on a single, walk and single. Mullins responded by striking out the No. 3 and 4 hitters in the Blue Hose lineup and ending the threat on a fly out to left field.

In the bottom of the inning, Bryson Ware hit a one-out double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a balk by Presbyterian reliever Alex Flood.

The Blue Hose loaded the bases again in the seventh, this time with one out, but Blake Burkhalter got a strikeout and fly out to right field to end the inning.

“That was huge. For those guys to reset themselves and get out of that was huge,” said LaRue.

A pair of solo home runs by LaRue, the first of his career, and Ryan Bliss gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead after seven. AU added two more with two outs in the eighth on an RBI single by John Samuel Shenker and RBI double by LaRue.

Auburn starter Richard Fitts allowed one run in five innings. He struck out six and walked two on 66 pitches. Mullins (1-0), who earned the win, Burkhalter, Joseph Gonzalez and Carson Skipper each threw a scoreless inning of relief.

AU has used 10 pitchers in its first two games.

“It’s a really big deal to have all these guys be able to throw and have success,” said Fitts. “Today we had guys come in that have never pitched before.”

LaRue finished 2 of 4 with one run scored and two RBI. He also threw out a runner at second in the second inning.

“I think those two swings were important today,” Thompson said. “That home run was like, ‘Whew,’ for him and he followed it up with a double down the line. I think it’s going to be huge. He so looks the part.”

Ware was 2 of 4 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI, Bliss 2 of 4 with one run scored and one RBI and Garrett Farquhar 2 of 4.

Auburn will go for the sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. on SECN+/ESPN+.