Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. (05/31/2026) — The Auburn Tigers pulled away from the Milwaukee Panthers for an 8-3 victory at Plainsman Park on Sunday, breaking a brief tie with a five-run sixth inning that turned a one-run game into a comfortable lead.
How It Happened
Auburn struck first in the bottom of the opening frame. Ethin Bingaman lined a single to shallow right field, scoring Chase Fralick and pushing Cooper Rembert into scoring position for an early 1-0 edge.
The Tigers manufactured their second run in the third without the benefit of a hit. Erivan Guevara swiped second base, then advanced to third on a throwing error by the Milwaukee catcher. Fralick brought him home with a groundout to second, stretching the lead to 2-0.
Milwaukee answered emphatically in the fourth. John Hadley VI launched a two-run homer to center field, scoring Bradyn Horn ahead of him to even the game at 2-2 — the only tie of the afternoon.
That deadlock did not last. Fralick led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to center to nudge Auburn back in front at 3-2, and the floodgates opened from there.
Turning Point
Auburn's sixth inning decided the game. After Fralick's go-ahead blast, Bub Terrell doubled to right field to score Rembert and move Bingaman to third for a 4-2 cushion. Brody McCraine then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, plating Bingaman to make it 5-2. Taylor Belza kept the line moving with a single to shallow center that scored Terrell, and Mason McCraine capped the rally with a triple to deep left-center, driving in Belza to cap a five-run frame at 7-2.
The sequence — six consecutive run-producing plays without Milwaukee recording the relief it needed — transformed a one-run contest into a five-run separation and effectively closed the door.
Star of the Game
Chase Fralick was at the center of nearly everything Auburn did, finishing 2-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a home run. He scored the game's first run in the first inning, drove in the second with a groundout in the third, and then delivered the decisive go-ahead solo shot to center in the sixth that put the Tigers ahead for good.
On the mound, Jackson Sanders was dominant over five innings of relief, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out eight. Starter Jake Marciano set the tone with four innings of six-strikeout work, surrendering two runs on six hits. Together, the two combined for 14 strikeouts.
Bingaman contributed a 2-for-3 day with an RBI and a walk, while Terrell, Belza and Brody McCraine each drove in a run during the pivotal sixth. Mason McCraine added an RBI triple.
What It Means
For Auburn, the win showcased a balanced offensive attack that produced runs through power, situational hitting and aggressive baserunning, backed by a pitching staff that piled up strikeouts and limited damage after the early Milwaukee homer. The Tigers answered the lone tie of the game immediately and never trailed, a sign of the kind of composure that travels well into postseason play.
Milwaukee found bright spots despite the loss. Charlie Marion turned in a 3-for-4 afternoon with a run, an RBI and a home run to right field in the eighth, while Hadley VI went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and the fourth-inning homer that briefly drew the Panthers even. Horn reached base twice with a hit and a walk. Out of the bullpen, Lucas Watson, Aiden Fishnick and Tristan Arnold combined to retire Auburn without allowing an earned run over their relief innings.
Marion added the Panthers' final run with his eighth-inning solo homer, and a wild pitch from Arnold later in the frame allowed Auburn to push across its eighth run, setting the 8-3 final.
The Tigers' ability to break the game open in a single inning, paired with strong work from Sanders out of the bullpen, gives Auburn momentum moving forward, while Milwaukee will look to build on the offensive production it got from Marion and Hadley VI.
