Auburn’s road to the College World Series has hit an immediate roadblock. After dropping a high-scoring affair to Milwaukee in the opening round of the Auburn Regional, the Tigers now find themselves in the precarious position of fighting for their season from the loser’s bracket.
Here is your comprehensive update on Auburn in the NCAA Tournament, including a look at the rest of the Starkville Regional where a former Auburn opponent is making headlines.
Auburn Falls to Milwaukee in Regional Opener
The No. 5 national seed Tigers faced a nightmare scenario on Friday at Plainsman Park. Despite entering the tournament as heavy favorites against the Horizon League champion Milwaukee Panthers, Auburn struggled out of the gate and ultimately fell 13-8.
How it happened:
The game unraveled quickly for Auburn starting pitcher Jake Marciano. After a solid regular season that saw him post a 2.64 ERA, Marciano lasted just one inning plus three batters, allowing six hits as Milwaukee jumped out to an early lead. The Panthers didn’t let up, hitting two three-run home runs—one by Bradyn Horn in the first inning and another by Charlie Marion in the fourth to build a 10-0 advantage.
Auburn’s response:
Down but not out, the Auburn offense finally woke up in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Ike Bingaman provided a spark with a three-run homer, cutting the deficit to 10-3. Chase Fralick added a solo shot in the fifth, and Eric Guevara launched a two-run homer off the scoreboard in the seventh. Guevara finished the day with four RBIs.
Despite loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, the comeback fell short. The loss drops Auburn into the loser’s bracket, meaning they will face elimination on Saturday against the loser of the NC State vs. UCF matchup.
Auburn’s Path Forward
Auburn head coach Butch Thompson emphasized before the tournament that his team would need to handle adversity to advance. That message is now being put to the test.
The Tigers will play on Saturday, May 30, against the loser of Friday night’s game between NC State and UCF. Auburn must win to keep their season alive and would need to win multiple games on Sunday to win the regional.
Around the Region: Valincius to Start for Mississippi State
While Auburn fights for survival in their own backyard, the Starkville Regional is taking shape with a familiar face to SEC fans taking the mound.
Tomas Valincius, the Mississippi State ace who dominated Auburn earlier this season, is set to make his NCAA Tournament debut on Saturday night. Coach Brian O’Connor announced that Valincius will get the ball for Game 2 of the Starkville Regional, regardless of the opponent.
A look at Valincius:
The left-handed transfer from Virginia has been a workhorse for the Bulldogs this season. Currently holding a 10-2 record with a 2.93 ERA, Valincius was named to the All-SEC first team.
Auburn fans will remember Valincius well from the regular season meeting on May 7. In that game, he was nearly untouchable, throwing 6.2 innings and striking out 13 Auburn batters while issuing zero walks. That performance helped Mississippi State secure a 10-3 victory in the series opener.
Starkville Regional Schedule:
Mississippi State enters the regional as the No. 14 national seed. They easily handled Lipscomb 10-1 in their opener on Friday. Valincius is scheduled to start Saturday at 8 p.m. ET against the winner of the Cincinnati vs. Louisiana game. A win would put the Bulldogs in the regional final on Sunday.
Auburn Sports: What’s Next?
While the baseball team fights for its postseason life, Auburn athletics remains focused on the diamond:
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Baseball: Elimination game vs. NC State/UCF loser (Saturday, May 30)
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Context: The winner of the Auburn Regional will advance to the Super Regionals next week.
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