AUBURN | They certainly weren’t the hardest hits in Blake Rambusch’s or Nate LaRue’s career, but they both landed in the right spots at the right time.
Rambusch hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and LaRue an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th to give No. 19 Auburn a 6-5 walk-off win over Alabama State Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
“I’d say that’s just our mindset. We’re going to do anything,” said Rambusch, who was 2 of 5 with three RBI. “We’re going to do just enough to try and get the win and keep fighting for our guys.”
The Tigers improve to 25-12 overall and 8-1 in midweek games.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth, Rambusch bounced a 1-2 pitch up the middle that glanced off the glove of relief pitcher Breon Pooler and toward right field, allowing Bobby Peirce to score from third base and tying the game 5-5.
With runners on first and second and two outs in the 10th, LaRue hit a bloop single right in front of the left fielder, allowing Brooks Carlson to score the winning run from second.
AU starter Mason Barnett allowed a run on three hits in 5.0 innings. He struck out eight and walked one on 68 pitches.
The bullpen had a nightmare sixth inning as Jordan Armstrong and Chase Allsup combined to give up four runs on six walks and one error, turning a 4-1 lead into a 5-4 deficit.
Carson Skipper came on in the seventh to throw 2.0 scoreless innings while Blake Burkhalter (4-1) earned the win allowing one hit and striking out five over the final 2.0 innings.
“Barney gave us a good chance at the beginning of the game,” said Burkhalter. “We had a little trouble passing the baton, and we got it to Skipper and he settled things down and we got the win out of it. I’m excited.”
Auburn left 15 runners on base including the bases loaded in the third and fourth, and struck out 12 times. Peirce was 2 of 5 while Sonny DiChiara hit two doubles and drove in a run.
“We had six walks in the game and they all came in the sixth inning,” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “We continue to have inconsistencies when we open up that bullpen, even trying some different people and trying something different to get us going. That was disappointing, those four runs. We chased it all night and barely caught back up to tie the game. When the ball doesn’t leave the infield and a team scores four runs that’s tough.
“I tip our hat to our guys for continuing to play. Skipper got in there and settled the ballgame and Burky came in. We really had a plan on trying to use them for an inning tonight, but they both extended a little more. We had the bases loaded in the third and the fourth and the fifth, and we’ve been hung up with that through the weekend. But, we did enough.”
Auburn hosts Kennesaw State Wednesday night at 6 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+. The Tigers return to SEC play with a home series against South Carolina this weekend.
