Cole Foster’s 416-foot home run in the fourth inning soared over the Auburn bullpen into the night at Hoover Met stadium Tuesday to guide Auburn to a10-4 win against Missouri in an opening-round SEC Tournament game. No. 5 seed Auburn advances to play No. 4 seed Vanderbilt after eliminating Missouri.

Auburn escaped the single-elimination first round with the win against Missouri, meaning Auburn will play at least two games in the double-elimination round starting Wednesday against the Commodores. The semifinals and final are on Saturday and Sunday returning to win or go home status.

Foster’s blast gave Auburn the 7-4 lead in the fourth. Missouri starter Jadyn Pimental hit Kason Howell with a pitch to lead off the fourth. Pimental exited the contest for reliever Brock Lucas with Howell on first. Chris Stanfield drove Auburn second baseman Caden Green in the first run of the fourth with a single.

Green reached on a fielder’s choice when Howell was thrown out at second. Auburn catcher Nate LaRue walked, moving Green to second before Stanfield brought him home. Foster’s homer drove in LaRue and Stanfield to give Auburn a three-run lead.

Auburn took the lead with three runs in the third inning. Pierce drew a walk with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1. Bryson Ware drove in the third run on a sac fly.

Missouri regained the lead with a three-run fourth inning. Trevor Austin singled to right field and moved to second on an error by Peirce. Tre Morris hit a ball toward third base that bounced off Bryson Ware’s glove and got bobbled by Cole Foster.

Austin scored from third base on the Ware error. Austin reached third on Hank Zeisler’s ground out. Vail struck out Russ Lovich, allowing himself to escape the fourth with an Auburn lead. Matt Garcia drew a walk with two outs. Vail walked Cam Chick with the bases loaded. Thompson pulled Vail after 80 pitches with two outs, and the bases loaded.

Chase Isbell gave up a run on a wild pitch. Isbell walked Wilmsmeyer before striking out Mann to end the inning, with Auburn allowing three runs. Vail left the game after 3 2/3 innings, four runs with two unearned, four walks, and five strikeouts after facing 18 hitters.

Auburn removed doubt of a comeback with a three-run eighth inning capped by a Ware two-run homer. Ware’s home run came after a play that Auburn coach Butch Thompson didn’t see the way as the umpires.

Bobby Peirce got called out at home trying to score on a Cooper McMurray base hit. The throw got to catcher Tre Morris around the same time as Pierce got the plate. Thompson objected that it appeared that Morris blocked the plate.

“I thought he was out by two miles,” Thompson said. “I think that makes it really quirky. I didn’t think Bobby had anywhere to slide. We teach our guys to slide feet first, but he didn’t have anywhere to go. I wanted to protect my player, so I thought it was worth the challenge.”

Despite the disagreement, Auburn held an 8-4 lead until Ware’s two-run gave Auburn a six-run lead.

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Gro.up