College Sports

Charleston tops Auburn 7-6 in 11 innings in NCAA baseball opener

The Associated Press
The College of Charleston baseball team swarms Erven Roper, center, after Roper hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to defeat Auburn 7-6 at the Tallahassee Regional of the NCAA college baseball tournament in Tallahassee, Fla.
The College of Charleston baseball team swarms Erven Roper, center, after Roper hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to defeat Auburn 7-6 at the Tallahassee Regional of the NCAA college baseball tournament in Tallahassee, Fla. Mark Wallheiser AP
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.

Erven Roper hit a two-out homer in the bottom of the 11th inning Friday, leading second-seeded College of Charleston past Auburn 7-6 in first-round NCAA regional play.

Roper's rising line drive to right off Izaac Yarbrough (0-2) sends the Cougars (44-13) into Saturday's winner's bracket against the winner of Friday's late game between top-seeded host Florida State and fourth-seeded Mercer (Georgia).

Auburn (35-25) will play the loser in an elimination game Saturday.

Roper also singled in two runs in the sixth that gave the Cougars a 6-4 lead. Blake Butler, Nick Pappas and Bradley Jones hit solo homers for College of Charleston while Melvin Gray's two-run shot for Auburn in the seventh made it 6-6.

Carter Love (6-0) pitched two perfect innings for the victory.

This story was originally published May 29, 2015 at 4:56 PM.

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