AUBURN | One big inning was too much for No. 23 Auburn to overcome.

No. 13 Vanderbilt scored five runs in the fifth and held on for an 8-6 win Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park to even the series.

“I thought the freebies, they all scored today” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “That was the big deal today. I wanted (John) Armstrong just to handle the inning. Three would have been better than five.

“You want to pitch out of those jams and they wound up getting two additional runs that was the difference in the ball game.”

Trailing 4-3, the Commodores opened the fifth with a double, a walk and an error by third baseman Eric Snow to load the bases off Cam Tilly.

Armstrong got the first out on an RBI-groundout before giving up three consecutive singles and then a two-out double.

Tilly (2-1) took the loss giving up three runs, two earned, on a hit and three walks. Armstrong allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits.

Auburn broke out to a 3-0 lead with a sacrifice fly by Chase Fralick in the first and a two-run home run by Lucas Steele in the second.

AU starter Cade Fisher got off to a strong start striking out the side in the first, but gave up three runs in the third on two walks and back-to-back doubles.

The Tigers went ahead 4-3 on an RBI-singe by Steele in the third before VU struck for five two innings later.

AU’s bullpen held VU in check the rest of the way as Hayden Murphy, Jackson Sanders and Dylan Watts combined to not allow a hit the final 4.0 innings.

“The positive for me on the mound today was huge adjustments for Watts and Murphy that looked believable,” said Thompson. “They came back and got our plate back. They pitched tight and close and near to the hitters.”

AU cut into VU’s lead with a sacrifice fly by Bub Terrell in the fifth and an RBI-double by Steele in the seventh.

Steele was 3 of 4 with for RBI. Fralick and Chris Rembert had two hits apiece.

Auburn won game one of the series 6-2 Friday. The rubber game will be Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on SECN+/ESPN+.