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COLUMBIA - A walk-off single by Scott Wingo in the bottom of the ninth scored Robert Beary to give South Carolina a 2-1 win over Auburn on Friday night at Carolina Stadium.

The Gamecocks improved to 33-8 overall, 15-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Auburn fell to 23-19, 9-10 SEC.   Game two of the series is set for 7 p.m. Saturday.

Beary was hit by the first pitch of the ninth inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by DeSean Anderson, then moved to third on a single to right by Peter Mooney. With the Tiger outfield playing in, Wingo ripped a 3-1 pitch to deep left center that was just out of the reach of the Auburn center fielder, scoring Beary to send the crowd of 8,016 home happy.

Each team scored a run in the second inning, but that was all the offense either team could muster until the ninth. The Tigers struck first as Creede Simpson led off the second with a single, stole second base, then scored on a two-out RBI single by leadoff hitter Justin Fradejas. Auburn, however, would manage just four hits the rest of the way.

The Gamecocks answered in the bottom of the second as Evan Marzilli made the most of his return to the lineup with a leadoff single, followed by an RBI double from Beary to tie the game.

Junior left-hander Michael Roth put together another outstanding start, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out six Auburn hitters in eight innings of work while allowing just one walk. John Taylor (4-1) earned the win, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth. Auburn reliever Dillon Ortman (0-1) was charged with the loss.  Auburn starter Jon Luke Jacobs was solid for the Tigers as well with a career-high eight innings pitched allowing just one run on five hits in a no-decision.  He struck out nine and walked five.

Both teams tallied seven hits for the evening.  Beary went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI with Mooney adding two hits as well.  Christian Walker was 1-for-2 with two walks and has reached base 27 straight games.  Justin Fradejas led Auburn with a 2-for-5 day at the plate.