Auburn entered Thursday’s game against LSU needing a series of unlikely events to stay in the hunt for the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Everyone came through. Everyone, that is, except Auburn.

Needing a trio of unlikely upsets across the SEC, the Tigers got every result they asked for — except the most important one of all, a win against LSU at Plainsman Park.

LSU’s 6-4 victory officially eliminated Auburn from SEC Tournament contention. AU hasn’t qualified for the tournament — which is limited to the top eight teams in the SEC standings — since 2003.

Auburn’s SEC Tournament chances were slim before Thursday’s game began.

The Tigers (28-26, 11-17) needed to win all three of this weekend’s games against LSU and get plenty of help from other teams. AU needed Tennessee to sweep a three-game series at South Carolina, Kentucky to sweep Ole Miss and last-place Mississippi State to sweep Arkansas.

Every one of those underdogs won Thursday. But Auburn couldn’t take advantage against LSU. Instead, the Bayou Bengals (37-16-1, 16-11-1 SEC) extended their win streak to 14 games, the longest in the nation.

And Auburn faces another year without a postseason.

“It’s tough,” AU head coach Tom Slater said. “The goal was to get to Birmingham — that was step one. Now, it’s official: We’re not going to make it. There’s always a lot of disappointment when you put in as much hard work as these young men have.”

LSU took a 4-1 lead with two runs in the sixth inning, but Auburn countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Joseph Sanders led off with a solo home run off LSU starter Ryan Verdugo (8-2). Kevin Patterson hit a two-out double, and catcher Ryan Jenkins followed with a double to score Patterson and pull the Tigers within 1.

But the rally ended with a close call at home plate. Jenkins, trying to score from second on a single to center field, was called out by home plate umpire Dennis McComb. The play ended the inning and preserved a 4-3 LSU lead.

It was a close play: Jenkins appeared to arrive at the plate around the same time as the throw from LSU center fielder Jared Mitchell. McComb ruled that LSU catcher Micah Gibbs tagged Jenkins before Jenkins managed to tag the plate.

That drew an immediate protest from a visibly upset Slater, who was ejected moments after slamming his hat to the ground at McComb’s feet.

Jenkins declined to speak to reporters after the game. Slater admitted the call was a critical one: Had Jenkins’ run counted, it would have tied the score at 4 and continued a potential big inning.

“It ties the game, and we’re still batting,” Slater said. “Obviously, that was a big part of the game. It impacts a lot of things.”

LSU added insurance runs off Auburn starter Grant Dayton (7-2) in the seventh and eighth.

Auburn had another big chance in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs. But cleanup hitter Mike Bianucci struck out on three pitches to end the rally.

The series continues today at 6 p.m. Right-hander Taylor Thompson (3-5, 5.71 ERA) will start for Auburn against LSU left-hander Blake Martin (4-3, 4.80).

Though nothing is at stake for Auburn, the games still have meaning: LSU needs a win or an Alabama loss to clinch the Western Division title.

Slater isn’t worried that his team will suffer a letdown after being eliminated.

“I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I have faith in the kids,” he said. “I do.

“They’ve played all year. I don’t know why they’d stop now.”

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