So much for Casey McElroy being in a slump.

The true freshman shortstop capped a strong week with a 2-for-6 performance, including the game-winning hit in a 10-9, come-from-behind, extra-inning win over Brown on Sunday afternoon in front of 2,079 fans at Plainsman Park.

Entering the bottom of the 11th inning down 9-8, Hunter Morris notched a one-out single for the Tigers (9-4). Bradley Ray came in to run for Morris, and scored immediately win Ben Fletcher tripled down the right field line.

After an intentional walk and a hit batsman, McElroy drove in Fletcher for the winning run with what was ruled a fielder’s choice because Wes Gilmer, who was on first base, did not advance to second before Fletcher crossed the plate.

“There was a lot of tension there … The crowd was into it,” McElroy said. “My main goal going into the at-bat was just to make contact.”

The win was Auburn’s seventh in a row and capped a four-game sweep of the Bears (1-5).

After a disastrous five-run sixth inning, Auburn trailed 8-4. The Tigers scored three in the bottom of the seventh when Ben Jones drove in Justin Hargett and Trent Mummey and Morris drove in Jones.

“One characteristic I’ve seen in this team has been it has showed it knows how to come back,” Auburn coach John Pawlowski said. “They did it again today.”

The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the eighth when Hargett scored on a wild pitch.

Auburn’s most fortuitous break of the game, however, may have come in the second inning.

A Tiger scoring opportunity appeared to go by the wayside when, with McElroy on first and Tony Caldwell on third and one out, Hargett appeared to hit into a double play.

Brown shortstop Graham Tyler, however, failed to step on the bag at second base before throwing to first, allowing Caldwell to score and McElroy to advance to third.

Things then seemed to be getting away from Auburn in the top of the ninth when reliever Austin Hubbard entered for Michael Hurst. Nick Punal and Matt Nuzzo had each reached base on two out singles, but the Tigers found another stroke of luck when McElroy initially booted a Robert Papenhouse line drive, but then recovered in time to throw out Nuzzo when he tried to score all the way from second.

Hubbard got the win for the Tigers to move to 2-0 on the season. He pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out three. Rob Wilcox was saddled with the loss for the Bears.

“It’s good any time you can have somebody come in and get you settled down,” Pawlowski said. “He certainly did that.”

Starter Chris O’Neil went 4 2/3 innings for the Tigers, allowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. It was the seventh time in Auburn’s 13 games its starter failed to make it out of the fifth inning.
Ben Jones was 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI for Auburn.

McElroy entered the series Thursday with a .194 batting average, but went 7-for-16 over the course of the four games and raised his average to .277.

“Definitely (it felt better),” McElroy said. “I started the season pretty good, but then went into a little bit of a slump and had a terrible series against Florida State. But getting that first hit was big, and I’m coming out of it.”

“Casey’s been swinging it a lot better,” Pawlowski said. “I was also encouraged by Hunter Morris. He got on base a few times today. We’ve just got to continue to get all the pieces together.”

Tyler Graham was 3-for-4 from the plate with three RBI and Steve Daniels was 2-for-5 with two RBI.

Auburn now gets one day off before heading to Montgomery to face Alabama in the inaugural Capital City Classic at Riverwalk Stadium.

“Any time Auburn and Alabama get together in any sport, it’s going to be exciting,” Pawlowski said. “Our guys are looking forward to it.”

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