Special to the news

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Auburn’s Grant Dayton was nearly flawless on Friday night as the redshirt-freshman allowed just two runs in six innings as Auburn won the opening game of a three-game set at Arkansas, 5-2.

The win was the third straight Friday night win for Auburn and its first on a Friday night in Fayetteville since the 2000 season.

Outside of a mistake to Jeff Nutt in the second, Dayton was near perfect for Auburn, scattering five hits and a walk on the evening, the third straight weekend start that he has gone that long. His six strikeouts was one shy of his career high and after the home run, he allowed just two base hits.

“Offensively we are really good, so after Arkansas answered our two runs with two runs of their own, we just kept on adding and that is a real confidence booster, not just for me but for the whole team,” Dayton said.

With its win, Auburn (19-11) moved into first place in the SEC West at 5-5, a half-game ahead of both Alabama and Ole Miss as the Auburn-
Arkansas game was the only conference game to be completed on Friday night.

Auburn had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a Brian Fletcher (2-for-2, BB, RBI) sac fly and a Ryan Jenkins (1-for-2) RBI double past a diving first baseman only to have Arkansas (16-12, 2-7 SEC) tie the game up with Nutt’s two-run home run in the bottom of the inning.

Hunter Morris (1-for-4) grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Justin Hargett (1-for-4) to regain the lead for Auburn at 3-2 in the top of the third before Matt Hall (2-for-3, 2B) gave Auburn a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth with a RBI single through the right side that scored Fletcher from first, extending Halls’ hitting streak to 11 games.

“Matt has really been swinging the bat really well,” Auburn head coach Tom Slater said. “We have a lot of faith and trust in Matt as a hitter. He’s a good player.”

Auburn tacked on a final run when Hall scored as Hargett grounded into a double play. Fletcher extended his hitting streak to eight games with a one-out single in the sixth.

“Credit Coach Mosiello for making a lot of good offensive calls with the bunts and steals and then obviously the kids did a nice job of executing tonight,” Slater said.

The two teams will resume the series at 2 p.m. today. Throwing for Auburn will be freshman left-hander Cory Luckie (3-2, 3.05), while Arkansas counters with junior right-hander Justin Wells (1-0, 4.56).