Auburn baseball stunned by Milwaukee in regional opener

The atmosphere at the Auburn regional turned quiet in a hurry on Friday afternoon. As fans were still settling into their seats, the Milwaukee Panthers came out swinging, turning what was expected to be a controlled start into an uphill battle for the Tigers.

A Nightmare Start

Despite a leadoff strikeout by Grant Ross, the opening frame quickly spiraled out of control. By the time the first inning concluded, Auburn found itself staring at a 4-0 deficit. The offensive onslaught from the Horizon League champions continued, pushing the lead to 10 runs just three innings later. It was a jarring performance for an Auburn squad that entered the tournament with championship aspirations.

Auburn eventually rallied to make the scoreboard more respectable, but the damage was already done in a 13-8 defeat. The loss drops the Tigers into the loser's bracket, meaning they must win four consecutive games to fight their way out of the regional.

Pitching Struggles

The game marked an uncharacteristic collapse for a staff that boasted a 3.45 ERA—tied for third-best in the nation—entering the weekend. Ace pitcher Jake Marciano had his toughest outing of the year, surrendering six runs on eight hits in only one inning of work. While he threw just 29 pitches, leaving the door open for a potential return later in the regional, the early exit forced head coach Butch Thompson to cycle through eight different pitchers.

Freshman standout LJ Cormier provided 2.2 innings of relief, but Milwaukee's lineup remained relentless, racking up 16 hits and two home runs. Coach Thompson credited the Panthers for their offensive execution, noting that their approach at the plate disrupted his team's typically dominant rhythm.

The Road Ahead

While the result was a wake-up call, there were signs of life from the Tigers' lineup. Eric Guevara, Chase Fralick, and Ethin Bingaman each tallied home runs, contributing to a nine-hit effort that kept the game competitive until the final frames. Third baseman Eric Guevara emphasized the need for a quick reset as the team looks toward Saturday’s elimination contest.

“The game didn’t go the way we wanted, but we’re playing to play another game,” Guevara said. “It’s just a kind of a little wake-up call to other guys that we have another game tomorrow, and we can still do something really special here at home.”

Auburn now awaits the loser of the Central Florida versus North Carolina State matchup. With their season on the line, the Tigers will need to tighten their defensive play and capitalize early to keep their post-season run alive.