It’s a super weekend on the Plains! For the first time in program history, the Tigers will host a Super Regional at Plainsman Park, taking on No. 13 Coastal Carolina with a trip to the College World Series on the line.
Auburn and Head Coach Butch Thompson are looking to return to Omaha, Nebraska for the first time since 2022, while the Chanticleers hope to make their first trip back to the College World Series since 2016, when they captured the national championship.
No. 4 Auburn
The Tigers are coming off a picture-perfect weekend in which they outscored Central Connecticut State, Stetson, and NC State 28-11 en route to capturing their fourth regional championship under Thompson, the most by any head coach in program history.
Last weekend, the orange and blue could not be stopped offensively, recording at least 12 hits in all three games.
Freshman Bub Terrell was named MVP of the Auburn Regional after hitting .727 with eight RBIs and three extra-base hits. If Auburn plans to punch its ticket to the CWS, expect the Tigers’ freshmen to play a big role this weekend.
Tonight in game one, Auburn will start their ace, Samuel Dutton. The senior has posted a 7-3 record with a 3.84 ERA this season. Despite a shaky outing in his last start, in which he allowed five earned runs, he still managed to gut out the win.
"We’re down to one team that’s in our way of going back to Omaha," Thompson said Sunday. "That’s the goal; the dream of every college baseball player. We probably have the hottest team right now in America that will be coming here to try and take it. So, I think we’ve got to keep our head down and keep fighting for that consistency with our lineup."
New ballpark additions
“If you build it, they will come.” That couldn’t be more true when describing the work Deputy AD for External Affairs Rhett Hobart and Auburn Athletics have done this season at Plainsman Park. After drawing a record-breaking crowd of 7,434 fans last weekend — the largest in the ballpark’s history — Auburn is now adding even more seating for fans to enjoy.
A new general admission area will be available on top of the batting cages in right field. It will hold roughly 200 fans.
No. 13 Coastal Carolina
The Chanticleers head to Auburn, Alabama, riding a 21-game win streak, with their last loss coming on April 22 against the College of Charleston.
Head Coach Kevin Schnall and his group are the only team in the country currently at the 50-win mark, sitting at 51-11.
“Any time you win 50 games in a year, it’s a big deal,” said Auburn first baseman Cooper McMurray.
At the plate, they’re led by Caden Bodine, Sebastian Alexander, and Blake Barthol. These three lead the team in average, runs batted in, and home runs, respectively.
Cameron Flukey will get the ball in game one for the Chanticleers. He has a 7-1 record this season with a 3.12 ERA and leads the pitching staff with 102 strikeouts.
Coastal Carolina is 36-0 this season when leading after six innings, so it will be important for the Tigers to jump out to an early lead.
While nothing is official, Jacob Morrison is expected to get the start in game two. He’s 11-0 on the season with a 2.19 ERA.
The best-of-three series will get underway tonight at 8:00 p.m. CST and continue tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. CST. Both games are available on ESPN2. If game three is necessary on Sunday, the start time is TBD.
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Rory is a freshman majoring in journalism sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @RorymGarvin
