The Auburn Tigers opened their NCAA Tournament super regional with a 6-4 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels on Friday night, a result that leaves the series hanging in the balance heading into Saturday’s rematch.
Key Moments
Auburn’s offense repeatedly loaded the bases but failed to deliver the decisive hit, stranding multiple runners and squandering chances to seize early momentum.
Ole Miss answered with timely power, as Judd Utermark’s two‑run homer in the fifth inning and Collin Reuter’s two‑run blast in the sixth stretched their lead, while Auburn’s Mason McCraine managed only a double in the sixth to trim the deficit.
Auburn’s pitching staff showed resilience, with starter LJ Cormier delivering a scoreless seventh and reliever Chase Fralick contributing a sacrifice fly in the third to knot the game at 1‑1 before the Rebels pulled ahead.
With the series now tied 1‑1, the Tigers must win the next contest to stay alive, while Ole Miss aims to close out the super regional and advance to the next round.
Utermark’s fifth‑inning homer and Reuter’s sixth‑inning blast were the decisive blows, but Auburn’s early rally, sparked by Fralick’s sacrifice fly, kept the pressure on the Rebels throughout.