A big fourth inning and a strong performance by the bullpen lifted No. 5 Auburn to a series-clinching 5-3 win over No. 8 Mississippi State and a sweep of Saturday’s doubleheader at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs won Friday night’s opener 5-2 before the Tigers roared back to win Saturday’s first game 17-8.

Auburn improves to 32-14 overall and ties MSU for first place in the SEC West with a 14-7 conference record. The Tigers have won 10-of-11 series this season.

“I’m just proud of our guys and how they played the entire day,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “Finished the deal, hung in there, got beat up. We probably gave up four home runs today but we just kept battling.

“We got big hits, Dylan Ingram, and the job the guys did on the mound was impressive to me.”

Elliott Anderson (1-0) earned his first-career win allowing just one run on four hits in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. Calvin Coker picked up his second save of the season holding MSU to a run on two hits over the final 2.1 innings.

“Coach told me good things happen when you fill up the strike zone so that’s what we’ve been working on all season,” said Anderson of his first-ever SEC appearance. “The changeup was working for me tonight. It hasn’t been working for me all year.”

Andrew Mitchell started and held MSU to a run on seven hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out three, walked three and threw two wild pitches. MSU stranded five base runners in the first four innings.

“Andrew Mitchell got us off to a great start and held the rope,” Thompson said. “Elliott Anderson … I had no idea he would be in the situation he was in and gave us good outs. And then Calvin Coker, that’s the one thing he hasn’t done, finish a ballgame.”

Auburn scored all five of its runs in the fourth on four hits, three walks, a stolen base, two wild pitches and one passed ball. Conor Davis drove home two with a single, Ingram two more with a home run over the left field wall and Jeremy Johnson the final run with a double to right center.

Ingram’s second home run of the day and seventh of the season gives the Tigers 13 in the last 12 games after hitting just 10 in the first 34.

“We came out today with a lot of fight and a lot of energy and we got the sweep and it’s awesome,” Ingram said.

Johnson, who started his first conference games this weekend, led Auburn at the plate going 3-of-3. Davis was 2-of-5.

“Going into the series I only had three SEC at-bats,” Johnson said. “The coaches always preach, ‘Be ready to play,’ and so I always go 100 percent in batting practice and practice and scrimmages to be ready to play.

“We’re not done yet but this was a big part of the puzzle in the SEC.”

MSU starter Jacob Billingsley (1-1) took the loss allowing three runs on two hits in 3.0 innings. Mississippi State falls to 30-16 on the season.

Auburn, which is off this week for final exams, returns to SEC play next weekend as Alabama visits Plainsman Park for a three-game series.