BOX SCORE

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn pushed across the go-ahead run the seventh inning, edging Radford 3-2 in the second game of a non-conference series.

Alex Guerra led the Highlanders (4-2) with a 4-for-4 afternoon. Matt Mack was 2-for-5 and scored both of Radford's runs.

Radford outhit Auburn (4-2) 12-8, but left 11 men on base.

“We had our chances,” head coach Joe Raccuia said. “It was a day where we swung the bats well and had a good team approach at the plate, but when it came down to it we didn't score enough runs or get enough hits in timely situations.”

Tony Caldwell led the Tigers with a 2-for-3 game, including a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, staking Auburn to a 2-0 lead. The blast was Caldwell's second of the season.

Auburn pushed across the decisive run after Kevin Patterson doubled and Bobby Andrews singled to start off the bottom of the seventh. Wes Gilmer's ground out brought home pinch runner Jay Gonzalez and gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

Mark Peterson was effective, but took the loss (0-1) for Radford. Peterson lasted seven innings and struck out four with no walks, allowing the three Auburn runs on eight hits.

“Mark gave us an outstanding start,” Raccuia said. “He was lights out, and he's part of 18 innings of well-pitched baseball for us.”

Radford got on the board with Jake Taylor's ground-rule double to the left field corner, scoring Mack to make it a 2-1 game in the fourth. With Mack at third and two outs in the sixth, Matt Hillsinger hit a line drive off the glove of Auburn starting pitcher Cory Luckie, scoring Mack and tying the game at 2-2.

Reliever Andrew Morris entered the game after that hit and walked Daniel Wright and Cory Turner to load the bases with two down, but got Zach Costello to fly out to right, ending the inning and stranding the bases loaded.

Morris picked up the win in his first collegiate appearance, with a scoreless inning and a third. Sean Ray worked two scoreless innings for his first save.

Radford and Auburn will meet in the rubber game on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.