AUBURN | After Auburn’s impressive 8-1 victory in game one, UConn turned the tables in game two with an 8-4 win behind a six-run first inning to split a doubleheader Saturday at Plainsman Park.

The 14th-ranked Tigers, which move to 8-2 on the season, will face the Huskies Sunday at the rubber game of the series.

"I thought it was the best game we’ve played all year in the first game because all aspects," said AU coach Butch Thompson. "I thought it was clean on the mound. I loved how Chase Allsup finished the game. He’s getting better and (John) Armstrong was tremendous. Our at-bats were good throughout the ball game.

"I thought we followed that up 45 minutes later with our worst half-inning we’ve had the entire year."

UConn jumped on game two starter Joseph Gonzalez (2-1) for six runs on four hits, one walk, one hit batter and three stolen bases in 0.2 innings.

"I thought is was a negative day," said Thompson. "His arm is not turning around like we want it to build up to. Even mentally, nothing was in check today and we couldn't get him out soon enough."

Auburn responded with three runs in the bottom of the first on a solo home run by Ike Irish and two-run home run by Cooper McMurray, but put up goose eggs in the next six frames.

Auburn loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings but pushed across just one run on a walk by McMurray.

AU finished game two 1 of 16 with runners on base, 1 of 12 with runners in scoring position, and stranded 14 base runners.

Christian Herberholz allowed two runs on six hits over the next 4.0 innings before Tanner Bauman threw 2.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, Parker Carlson threw a scoreless eighth and Hayden Murphy a scoreless ninth to close out game two.

Allsup (1-0) earned the win in game one holding the Huskies to a run on six hits and two walks in 6.0 innings. Allsup struck out six on 85 pitches. Armstrong earned the save throwing three shutout innings.

"I feel like the first couple of innings it was kinda sporadic," said Allsup. "As time went on, I found the slider again and was able to really fill the zone with more than just one pitch."

Mason Maners was 3 of 4 with two RBI in game two. Cooper Weiss was 2 of 3 with a home run and three RBI, Bobby Peirce 1 of 4 with a home run and three RBI and Ike Irish 2 of 4 with one run scored.

The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+