TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Mike Meschke’s bases-loaded single off Bradley Hendrix with one out in the ninth lifted No. 5 Florida State to an 8-7 win over Auburn on Thursday night at Dick Howser Stadium.

Auburn could not deliver the big hit when it needed it on the night, leaving nine runners on base and finishing the night 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

“We had plenty of opportunities and against a top-five team you have to take advantage of every opportunity they give you,” Auburn head coach John Pawlowski said. “We pitched well enough, but the difference to me was we gave away several at-bats and then, defensively, we gave them four outs a couple of innings and you can’t do that. The kids battled back and we had our chances, but we couldn’t seal the deal.”

Florida State (5-0) took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Stephen Cardullo led off the inning with a single and ultimately scored on Casey McElroy’s throwing error back to first trying to complete a double-play on Rafael Lopez’ grounder to first.

Tyler Holt followed Lopez with a triple to center that Trent Mummey misplayed and then missed the cutoff man on the throw back in, allowing Holt to circle the bases and pick up an RBI.

Auburn (2-3) was able to get two runs back in the top of the third to get within a run at 3-2, loading the bases on a single and two hit batters. Ben Jones drew a bases-loaded walk to pick up his sixth RBI in the last two games, and Hunter Morris followed with a sacrifice fly to right to score Mummey before Kevin Patterson grounded into a double-play to end the inning.

Auburn tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth, again loading the bases in the inning on a single, hit batter and an intentional walk.

Brian Fletcher tied the game when he was hit by a pitch, the fourth hit batter in the game for Auburn and the 11th in the last two games.

Florida State then went to reliever Brian Busch, and he was able to fan Patterson and get McElroy to ground out to first to end the inning and keep it a tie game.

Florida State starter Geoff Parker went 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks, striking out four before being pulled in favor of Busch.

Auburn fanned a season-high 13 FSU hitters, led by starter Ty Kelley’s seven in 4 1/3 innings. The sophomore right-hander lasted into the fifth before giving way to the bullpen, leaving with the game tied at 3-3 and a man on first, finishing with the seven strikeouts.

Florida State retook the lead at 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth after Kelley departed as Taylor Thompson struck out the first hitter he faced, but then walked cleanup hitter Jason Stidham and allowed a two-run double off the screen in right-center to Stuart Tapley.

Florida State extended its lead to 7-3 off Thompson in the sixth as he walked Meschke and allowed back-to-back singles to Lopez and Tyler Holt.

Holt’s ball through the left side of the infield rolled up and over the glove of a charging Fletcher in left, allowing both Meschke and Lopez to score.

Joseph Sanders led off the top of the seventh with his second home run of the year to bring the score to 7-4. The home run to center was the first home run allowed by the Florida State pitching staff this year.

Sanders’ second home run of the game tied the game at 7-7 as he hit a three-run shot down the line in right with one down in the eighth.

After entering with two down and none on in the eighth, Hendrix (0-2) fanned the only hitter he faced in the inning to send the game to the ninth tied at 7-7.

Stidham and Tapley hit back-to-back singles to left to lead off the ninth inning and both moved up a base on Cardullo’s sac bunt. After an intentional walk to Ohmed Danish, Meschke worked the count full before delivering the game-winning hit to left-center.

The two teams will return to the diamond at 3 p.m. today. Auburn will send LHP Grant Dayton (0-0, 1.29) to the hill, while Florida State is set to counter with LHP Sean Gilmartin (1-0, 1.50).