AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn dropped the series against No. 4 Mississippi State, falling 7-2 Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park.
Mississippi State got seven strong innings from starting pitcher Will Bednar (2-0, 2.10) en route to the win.
"Yeah, I think it's pretty clear on what transpired today, and I'd say Will Bednar," head coach Butch Thompson said. "You just have to tip your hat to him. He didn't give us anything. No walks, had the seven strikeouts, kept making pitches and got in a good rhythm."
Opposite Bednar, Jack Owen (0-2, 9.53) allowed six runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings and suffered the loss.
"They hit the home run off Jack, and then in the fourth inning had two outs, nobody on and the game doesn't always reward you on a walk to the nine-hole guy and (Tanner) Allen got off a good swing. It was just too much to overcome."
Auburn (12-15, 1-10 SEC) fell behind in the top of the first but tied the game on a solo home run from Cam Hill in the bottom of the second. The home run was Hill's fourth of the season.
However, similar to Friday night, Mississippi State (23-7, 7-4 SEC) answered immediately as Kamren James hit a two-run home run to left field in the top of the third.
The Tigers threatened with a pair of runners in scoring position and one out in the bottom of the third, but a fly ball to left resulted in an inning ending double play as Kason Howell tried to tag up but was thrown out at home plate.
From there, Bednar retired 12 straight Tigers while Allen hit the aforementioned three-run home run in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-1 and Josh Hatcher added a solo homer in the sixth.
Ryan Bliss collected his second hit of the contest and drove in a run on a single to right in the eighth, but it was too little, too late. It marked Bliss' 16th multi-hit game of the season.
Auburn relievers Trace Bright, Seb Thomas and Will Morrison held Mississippi State to one run on two hits in the final 5.1 innings.
Game three between the Tigers and Bulldogs is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. CT and will air on SEC Network.
Auburn drops series against No. 4 Mississippi State
