AUBURN, Ala. — Ivan Naccarata’s two-run pinch-hit homer in the top of the ninth inning Saturday lifted second-ranked LSU to a 5-3 victory over No. 11 Auburn at Plainsman Park.
The win by LSU (23-5 overall, 5-3 SEC) evened the weekend series at one game apiece. Auburn (21-8, 4-4) won Friday night’s game, 7-6, in 10 innings.
The teams conclude the series at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Senior right-hander Nate Bumstead (4-0, 4.15 ERA) will start for LSU, while Auburn will counter with sophomore right-hander Josh Bell (2-0, 1.65 ERA).
LSU moved to within one game of first place in the SEC Western Division after Ole Miss dropped to 6-2 in the league Saturday with a 7-5 loss at Mississippi State.
LSU and Auburn entered the ninth inning Saturday tied at 3-3 when right fielder Jon Zeringue led off with a single against reliever Corey Dueitt.
Blake Gill then grounded back to the mound, sending Zeringue to second base before Naccarata, pinch-hitting for first baseman Will Harris, launched Dueitt’s first pitch over the right-center field wall to give LSU a 5-3 lead. The homer was Naccarata’s fourth this season.
Freshman left-hander Clay Dirks retired Auburn in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second complete-game victory of the season. Dirks (6-0), who fired a shutout against Tulane on March 2, limited Auburn to three runs on five hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
Dirks and Auburn starter Arnold Hughey were locked in a scoreless battle for three innings before LSU grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
Clay Harris lined an RBI double and Nick Stavinoha delivered a sacrifice fly to to break the tie, but Auburn answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Sean Gamble doubled and scored on a groundout by Clete Thomas.
Auburn tied the game in the sixth on Chuck Jeroloman’s solo homer — his fourth of the season — and the Plainsmen took a 3-2 lead in the seventh when Derek Sain lined an RBI double.
Dirks, however, retired eight consecutive Auburn hitters following Sain’s double to allow LSU to record the comeback win.
Hughey retired the first two LSU batters in the eighth, but Clay Harris unloaded a solo homer — his fourth of the year and his third in three games — to knot the game at 3-3.
Dueitt (3-3), who started the ninth inning for Auburn in relief of Hughey, was charged with the loss, allowing two runs on two hits with no walks and no strikeouts.
The victory marked the first time in five games this season that LSU came back to win after trailing through seven innings.
LSU 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 — 5 9 0
Auburn 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 — 3 5 3
E-Jeroloman, Thomas, Maitland. DP-AU 1. LOB-LSU 6, AU 3. 2B-Harris, C., Zeringue, Gamble, Hulett, Sain
HR-Harris, C. (4), Naccarata (4), Jeroloman (4).
HBP-Thomas. SF-Stavinoha.
Win-Dirks (6-0).
Loss-Dueitt (3-3).
Umpires-Hodges, Clougherty, Whitaker.
Start-3 p.m. Time-2:11. Att.-3981.