Auburn baseball beats UCF to set up rematch with Milwaukee
Auburn kept its season alive with a win over UCF on Sunday
Olivia Bennett 
Auburn baseball continues to defy the odds, keeping its season alive for the second consecutive day following a hard-fought 9-3 victory over UCF on Sunday. Through a gauntlet of lightning delays and torrential rain, the Tigers managed to overcome both the weather and a high-octane offensive display that featured eight combined home runs between the two squads.
Petrovic Shines on the Mound
Starting pitcher Alex Petrovic delivered a career-best performance just when the Tigers needed it most. Despite a grueling start that saw the 2 p.m. first pitch delayed until 5:06 p.m.—followed by further stoppages due to severe weather—Petrovic remained locked in. He navigated 108 pitches to provide Auburn with its most stable pitching effort of the regional tournament, effectively silencing the UCF lineup from the third inning onward.
Power Surge at Plainsman Park
The long ball was the defining theme at Plainsman Park, where the ball continued to carry throughout the day. While UCF’s DeAmez Ross started the game with an immediate home run, Auburn responded in kind. The Tigers showcased their explosive power with six solo shots, starting with Mason McCraine and a mammoth 440-foot blast from Chase Fralick, who leads the team with 18 home runs on the season.
As the game progressed into the middle innings, the Tigers pulled away. Chris Rembert capitalized with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly, followed by a flurry of offense in the sixth. Cade Belyeu and Taylor Belza launched solo shots, with Belyeu tallying his third home run over the last two games. Fralick added his second home run of the day in the seventh, while reliever Ryan Hetzler shut the door on UCF to seal the win.
The Road Ahead
With this win, 205focus.com readers should note that Auburn’s lengthy Sunday is far from over. The Tigers are set for a high-stakes rematch against Milwaukee at 10:10 p.m. Should Auburn secure a victory in that nightcap, they will face Milwaukee once more on Monday for a decisive spot in the super regionals.
