Auburn strikes first in critical final weekend series

Keegan Thompson had reportedly been dealing with arm issues, but the Auburn junior certainly didn't seem like it at Plainsman Park on Thursday.

He threw six no-hit innings with eight strikeouts and two walks to help the Tigers to a 4-1 victory in the series opener. The two teams meet again at 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.

A lightning delay occurred following the sixth inning.

Auburn's win broke a seven-game losing streak, and the Rebels went 17 innings between runs before the ninth inning on Thursday. Ole Miss (31-23, 13-15) lost, 5-0, to Arkansas State on Tuesday.

In those two games Ole Miss was 2-for-24 with runners on base and 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Auburn (33-21, 15-13) held Ole Miss without a hit until Tim Rowe's double to start the eighth inning.

The Rebels have a No. 34 RPI and need at least one win this weekend for postseason purposes.

Ole Miss starter James McArthur was hit around for the third straight week, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings. The sophomore allowed two doubles and saw his ERA increase to 4.73.

Tate Blackman and Will Golsan had a double and single, respectively, to start the ninth inning, and Colby Bortles scored Blackman with a sacrifice fly.

Rowe never advanced second after the eighth-inning double, and Ole Miss got the leadoff batter to second with no outs in the fourth prior to three straight strikeouts.

Ole Miss held Auburn to 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Houston Roth and Brady Feigl pitched the final 4.2 innings and held Auburn to just one run. Feigl had two strikeouts and retired all six batters faced.