Down in the count 1-2, Brian Fletcher said he would swing if the successive pitch was close.

Instead, the Auburn left fielder stood in the batter’s box and watched balls two, three and four each sail high, earning a bases-loaded, two-out walk in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Tigers a 3-2 win over

Alabama on Thursday night at Plainsman Park.

“I knew he (Alabama pitcher Tyler White) was going to go with the fastball,” Fletcher said. “He was throwing hard. When the count was 3-and-2, he was going to have to throw a strike. I saw it away (high and outside) and I took it.”

Ball four allowed pinch-runner Bradley Ray to score from third base.

The win improved the Tigers to 30-24 overall and 10-18 in the SEC, while No. 10 Alabama dropped to 36-16 and 17-10. It was Auburn’s second win against the Tide in two tries this season.

The game also kept Auburn’s feint postseason hopes alive. The Tigers did not earn a spot in the SEC Tournament, but remain an outside shot to qualify for an NCAA Regional.

Thursday proved to be a stellar outing for Auburn pitching, as starter Jon Luke Jacobs and reliever Austin Hubbard combined to strike out 14. Jacobs allowed just two runs and three hits over seven innings, striking out nine, while Hubbard pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits.

“My fastball was going well and that’s a big key for me,” said Jacobs. “It was definitely a career game for me.”

Hubbard, who got the win and improved to 3-3, said Jacobs’ start “made it a lot easier for me.”
Alabama starter Austin Hyatt had another impressive performance, holding the Tigers to one run and four hits over 8 1/3 innings before he was relieved by former Glenwood star Nathan Kilcrease in the bottom of the ninth holding a 2-1 lead. Hyatt struck out eight.

Auburn chased Kilcrease with three hard singles, including Tony Caldwell’s game-tying base hit to right field, scoring Fletcher from second base.

“Our guys are very confident in the late innings,” said Auburn coach John Pawlowski, whose team trailed twice in the game. “Our guys will play hard for all nine innings.”

Or in this case, 10 innings.

After Hubbard mowed Alabama down in the top of the 10th, the Tigers loaded the bases when Wes Gilmer singled off of Kilcrease and White hit back-to-back batters. That set the stage for Fletcher’s dramatic walk.

The teams play again tonight at 6 before concluding the series Saturday at 3 p.m.